'Sandeq', the Mandar's speedy sail boat

'Sandeq', the Mandar's speedy sail boat

Yusrianti, Contributor, Makassar

Like white swans running after one another on the sea, dozens of
sandeq, the traditional boats of the Mandar tribe, speed in a row
towards the South Sulawesi beach.

From afar, the slim shapes and white sails look like beautiful
wings. The beauty of the boat's shape and the natural navigation
of the Mandar traditional seamen have drawn the attention of the
world.

World-class sailor, Christopher Edwards of England, said of
his sandeq test ride: "This boat is really admirable and
extraordinary. This is the world's most excellent non-engine
traditional boat."

Edwards is not alone. Boat-making experts Mike Johnson of the
U.S. and foreign buffs of traditional boats have never stopped
extolling the virtues of sandeq.

Sandeq is comparable to the best-known traditional boat
phinisi of Bugis origin, also from South Sulawesi.

A sandeq has only one sail and in the hands of a skilled
pasandeq (captain), can reach speeds of 15 to 20 knots or 30 to
40 kilometers an hour.

Johnson says this speed exceeds that of a boat with an engine.
Compared with other non-engine boats, a sandeq is far ahead in
terms of speed.

"I've studied the construction of this boat since the first
time I got acquainted with it. I greatly admire the expertise of
Mandar sailors," says Johnson, now a guest lecturer at the
Surabaya Institute of Technology (ITS).

Sandeq means "sharp-pointed" in the Mandar dialect. The type
of boat is designed to meet the needs of Mandar sailors. They
call it Lopi sandeq na Malolo, or a "beautiful sandeq".

In terms of construction, there are two types of "sandeq":
Sandeq tolor, the leeboard of which is put into the hold of the
boat and sandeq bandeceng, the leeboard of which is tied above
the boat's deck.

The two types of sandeq are made of thin and light wood so
they will be strong enough to withstand the blow of huge waves in
the open ocean. The two types have similar speeds.

A sandeq is almost entirely made of wood but as the particular
wood for this boat is now hard to obtain, this matter has drawn
the attention of Japan's Professor Osozaka Katsuya, an expert in
agriculture and forestry.

In his research, he is developing the so called "marine
forestry" area concept. "It is a pity if this environmentally-
friendly boat becomes extinct just because the raw material is no
longer available," he said.

Therefore, Oso intends to develop timber forests so that the
materials are always available.

Although South Sulawesi is famous for its hundreds of
different traditional boats conforming to the local ethnicity and
culture, no other boat can compare with sandeq's beauty of the
texture and pattern.

The boat's hold is covered by the deck so the huge waves faced
at sea will not enter the ship. The position of the leeboard
conforms with the type of sandeq sail used on the basis of the
experience and knowledge of Mandar sailors obtained in the course
of several centuries.

In terms of sailing technique, a sandeq may be categorized as
a modern boat although it is said to be a traditional boat, in
terms of the way it is made and used.

"Mandar sailors always take good care of their sandeq," said
Pua Hasannudin, a sandeq designer.

In Mandar, sandeq serves as a sea transportation means, a job
that many fishermen have abandoned. In fact, history notes that
sandeq is not only found in the waters of Sulawesi, Kalimantan
and Java. It has made a voyage to Malaysia, Singapore, the
Philippines and even to Paris.

According to Horst H. Liebner, who has studied the Mandar's
culture since 1988, a sandeq is a legacy from the era in which
Austronesian tribes migrated in the 15th century BC.

The boat entered what is now the Indonesian archipelago from
the north and the west. The presence of these tribes inspired
locals to make a transportation means, namely a boat with a
leeboard combined with the development of various original boats
in Indonesia and in the Oceania region.

The type of a boat with a leeboard has become an example for
cruise and competition boats such as the catamaran and trimaran.

For Mandar sailors, a sandeq is their pride and it is so even
today, when the boat is undergoing evolution. Since the 1960s,
for example, the stern leeboard, previously fixed in the middle
between the columns and the steering room, has been moved to the
middle of the boat's hold.

Then evolution continued in the 1970s with the bow leeboard
being placed higher than before for increased speed.

Sandeq must be spotlessly clean and the method of making one
is neat and refined. It must be sharp-pointed so that it gives
the impression of balance and fast sailing.

The speed of sandeq has been put to the test by the courage of
the sailors in a Sandeq race, which has been held six times since
1995.

Between Aug. 10 and Aug. 17, 2002, in conjunction with the
anniversary of Indonesia's independence, some 30 sandeq of
various sizes set sail from Majene coast to Losari beach,
Makassar, covering a distance of 200 nautical miles.

Makhfudz, one of the initiators and executive coordinators of
the Sandeq Race in 2002, says that South Sulawesi is doing
everything to make the race an annual event.

This may not be an easy job, given the difficulty to find
sponsors to pool Rp 300 million (about US$33,000) in this time of
economic crisis.

The Mandar ethnic group has been famous as collectors of
flying fish and their eggs. They live in three regencies:
Polewali Mamasa, Majene and Mamuju, 250 km to 500 km north of
Makassar.

Mandar seamen usually sail in their sandeq in an activity
called motongnya, a Mandar term meaning sailing to the middle of
the sea.

When sailing, fishermen take their boats to the waters of
Makassar straits and let the boats float for weeks waiting for
flying fish to enter their buaro (trap).

For traditional fishermen, collecting the eggs of flying fish
is a challenging and dangerous job. They not only have developed
special techniques to catch the fish but have also developed a
series of traditions and beliefs around flying fish and their
eggs.

In July and August, these fishermen usually rest. This is the
right time for them to join a sandeq boat contest. Unfortunately,
the contest, which may boost tourism in South Sulawesi and may
also serve as a venue for international business promotions, is
yet to enjoy the due attention from the South Sulawesi provincial
administration and regency administrations.

This explains why the Sandeq Boat Race cannot take place
annually yet.