Bedar (ship)
The termbedar(spelled "bedor" inTerengganu) is applied to a wide variety of boats of the east coast ofMalaysiathat carry one or twojunk sailsand lack the typicaltransom sternof theperahupinas.Thesejunkrigged boats are usually built in theTerengganuarea. The stern of the bedar is a classical "canu" or "pinky stern,"being a typical" double ender ", a bit like a modern ship'slifeboat,with a very full turn of thebilgeand with markedly rakedstemandstern.They came in small versions as small one-mastedfishing vessels— anak bedar[1]: 112 and 114 (Malayfor child bedar) and were built as big as 90 feet overdeck(LOD). The majority of the bedars were usually 45 to 60 feet (13.7–18.3 m) over deck. The bedar, like all Terengganu boats, was built ofChengalwood by theMalayssince the 19th century and roamed theSouth China Seaand adjacent oceans as a highly seaworthy traditional sailing vessel.[citation needed]
Etymology
[edit]The Malay wordbedarmeans an elongated and flattened beak, broadening towards the tip (i.e. like the bill of aplatypus).[2]
Description
[edit]
The bedar is a sailing junk that is mainly built in the kuala (English: rivermouth) of theTerengganu River.[3]
The smaller and medium-sized bedars often had a fine slanting projectingprowof various lengths and a short one at the similarly built stern. The bowsprit was resting on top of this forward projection which is calledsudu(English: spoon or duck's bill).[4]
The boats equipped with a sudu were referred to asbedar luang sudu(from Malay wordsudu:spoon, orsudu itek:duck's bill).[4]The conspicuoussheer (ship)of the bedar varied as well. The smaller ones with a long projection having more sheer and the bigger ones with a short sudu and short sheer. Bedars above 70 feet (21 m) rarely carried a long sudu but featured almost straight stem and stern posts, very much like the bedar Dapat.[5]
Like the pinas, the bedar over 45 feet/13.7 m (LOD), carried two masts, one in the bow, called "topan", slightly raked forward; The main mast, called "agung" was placed a bit forward of the center of the boat. The bedar had a very long bowsprit, slightly bent downwards by thebobstay.[5]Both masts carried a fullybattenedlugor "junk-sail" of typical Chinese design. These sails were not made of cloth but of a matting material called "tikal" that is also used for floor matting and other purposes. Like most junk sails the battens were made ofbamboo,usually creating 6 individual panels to the sail. Thehalyardwas attached almost in the middle of thesail,and since theluff,or edges, of the sail was nearly straight and only about half the length of the markedly convexleech,the yard, when hoisted, was sitting in an angle of about 15° – 20° with the vertical.[5]
Theforesailwas set on the port side of the topan and themainsailon thestarboardside of the agung. A relatively smalljibwas set on the bowsprit. All bedars, even those up to or more than 80 feet (24 m) were steered by atillerwith apulleyblock system easing the strain on a conventionalrudderhinged on the stern post. This tiller was operated from within the round cabin (cup) on thedandanplatform over the stern. The hold stored cargo.[5]
The hull of the bedar is influenced by the Arabdhowwith their long raked stemposts and the dows often being double ended vessels.[5]
Building technique
[edit]
The bedar boats of Terengganu are built using indigenous Malaysian techniques to build wooden boats. They build without plans, hull first, frames later. The planks are fire bent and joined edge on edge (carvel) using "basok" (wooden dowels) made fromPenaga—ironwood(Mesua ferrea). Rather than the European stylecaulkinghammered into a groove between the planks, a strip ofkulit gelam[citation needed](English: paperbarks skin)[6]of theMelaleucaspecies is placed over the dowels before the new plank is hammered home. This 1 – 2 mm layer of a natural material has remarkable sealing properties.[5]
History
[edit]The tradition of building wooden boats in modern Malaysia reaches far back in time, involving overseas trade, fishing, piracy, travelling up the many rivers. For each purpose they developed a special design.[7]
WithMalaccabecoming the main trading centre for the spices arriving from theMoluccas Islands(Indonesia), theMalay Peninsulaturned into a melting pot of the seafaring, trading civilisations: Indians and Chinese, Arabs and Indonesians, Vietnamese and Thai, Burmese, Europeans and others, they all arrived in their distinctive craft, inspiring the Malay shipbuilding.[7]
The two “Perahu Besar”,[citation needed](English: big boat)[8]of Terengganu, thepinasand thebedarare the result of this cultural interchange. Jib and bowsprit of the two are of western origin, with junks almost never carrying one.[5]
The boatbuilders of Terengganu were rediscovered during theSecond World Warby theJapanese navywho had woodenminesweepersbuilt there by the carpenters and fishing folks.[7]
There were 5 bedars built for westerners since 1945:[9]
| Name of boat | Builders (shipyard) | LOD | Year built | Original owner | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foxy Lady | Haji Nik | 36 ft (11 m) | 1949 | Dominique | France |
| Burong Bahri | Che Man | 32 ft (9.8 m) | 1976 | Jerry Williams | New Zealand |
| Anak Duyong | Che Man | 36 ft (11 m) | 1980 | Steven Bisset | Australia |
| Naga Pelangi | Che Ali bin Ngah | 45 ft (14 m) | 1981 | Christoph Swoboda | Germany |
| Raja Laut | Che Ali bin Ngah | 45 ft (14 m) | 1982 | Uli Horenkohl | Germany |
Gallery
[edit]-
The bedar Naga Pelangi at 6 knots beating to windward off the coast of Terengganu, 1998 -
The bedar Naga Pelangi 45'/13.7 m (LOD) sailing wing to wing near Pulau Perhentian off the Terengganu coast, 1998 -
The bedar Naga Pelangi before launching, Duyong, 1981 -
The Burong Bahri, a 32'/9.7 m (LOD) bedar anchored in Pulau Kapas, 1980 -
The bedar Burong Bahri of Jerry Williams -
The Jusa Laut, a 28'/8.5 m (LOD) bedar, sailed by Michael Munro off the coast of Terengganu, 1994 -
One of the last original bedar freighters 45' (LOD) sailing up to Thailand, 1981 -
One of the last working bedars 45' (LOD) manoeuvering in port under Topan only, 1980 -
The Cinta Jaya, a 45' (LOD) working bedar in the estuary of the Terengganu river, 1980 -
The Cinta Jaya, 1980, sitting in front of Pulau Duyong -
Two working bedars both about 45' (LOD) sitting in front of Chinatown in Kuala Terengganu, waiting to unload their cargo, 1980 -
A very old bedar (28') waiting to be repaired, Duyong island, 1979 -
Two working bedars (both about 45' LOD) waiting for the season to sail up to Thailand on a salt run, Terengganu, 1980 -
Detail of overhanging stern poop deck (dandan) of a traditional working bedar, the Dapat 86'/26 m (LOD), 1980 -
Building the bedar Naga Pelangi, fitting the frames, Duyong, 1981 -
The owner of the Naga Pelangi lending a hand, Duyong 1981 -
Hasni Ali building the bedar Naga Pelangi, Duyong, 1981
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Gibson-Hill, C. A. (June 1949). "Cargo Boats of the East Coast of Malaya".Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.22:106–125 – via JSTOR.
- ^Smyth, H. Warrington (May 1902). "Boats and Boat Building in the Malay Peninsula".Journal of the Society of Arts.50:569–588 – via JSTOR.
- ^Gibson-Hill (1949). p. 106.
- ^abGibson-Hill (1949). p. 113.
- ^abcdefgCargo Boats of the East Coast of Malaya, Gibson-Hill, C.A. (1949), JMBRAS 22(3), p. 106-125.
- ^"Google Translate Malay to English - kulit gelam".Retrieved2013-11-28.
- ^abcKeeping the Tradition of Boatbuilding Alive, Keith Ingram, Magazine: Professional Skipper March/April 2007, p. 70.
- ^"Google Translate Malay to English - Perahu Besar".Retrieved2013-11-28.
- ^Boats, Boatbuilding and Fishing in Malaysia,The Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society,MBRAS 2009, p. 349-350,
External links
[edit]- The homepage of a Terengganu junk
- Junk Rig Association
- Brian Platt's "The Chinese Sail"
- TheVoyage of the Dragon King, Details of the junk rig, include a diagrams and photos
- Magazine "Professional Skipper" article about the boatbuilding in Duyong
- Chengal wood
