Yachts
A new luxury yacht that navigates the stunning seas around Indonesia’s 17,000 islands provides the ultimate getaway, as Sanjay Surana finds out
Navigate the stunning seas around Indonesia on the Rascal yacht
There’s a certain feeling that comes with being on a boat, an air of complete escape, a clean, confident break from the daily routine. That sense of going beyond everyday life is hypnotic, liberating, and it’s apparent as soon as you step onto Rascal, an intimate luxury yacht that trawls the sumptuous waters of Indonesia, some of the most stunning seascapes on the planet. Launched at the end of 2016, the 31m cruiser is the brainchild of three young British men who moved to Singapore, fell in love with Indonesia while travelling, and quit their day jobs to embark on their first hospitality project. The ironwood and teak boat was built at a remote fishing village in South Sulawesi, a five-hour bumpy drive from the nearest airport, by traditional builders who work by eye, without referring to plans or schematics. After two years of construction, the ship was relocated to Bali for the interior fit-out and installation. Rascal is modelled on a traditional Indonesian phinisi, the twin-masted teak yachts often seen in the country’s waters, but its design diverges from the classic moody phinisi look. The vessel has done away with the masts that dominate the vessel’s typical silhouette, creating an open-top deck that can be used for sunbathing, for leaping off the boat, or as an impromptu open-air cinema. The interiors, designed by Charles Orchard of ibaldesigns, also mark a departure from the hackneyed dark wood, ornate carving trope, opting for what can be described as a “New York Hamptons meets tropical luxe style”. All five cabins are above deck, and have 2.2m rattan-panelled ceilings, brass hardware, Sonos audio systems, and a bright, coastal feel courtesy of light woods, timber floors, white walls, vibrant tropical print cushions, and plenty of natural light. They also proudly display a sense of place. The built-in furniture is handmade by traditionally trained boat carpenters; carved works such as tribal masks and dugout paddles are from Timor; textiles are sourced from Lombok, Sulawesi and Sumatra; wardrobe doors feature crushed Indonesian bamboo inlay; en-suite bathrooms are enlivened by shell inlay cabinets, motherof-pearl and coral inlay mirrors, and locally sourced stone mosaics in the showers. The
result is that the rooms feel more like a beach villa you’re happy to hole up in—the hospitality-grade King Koil mattresses are more effective than any sleeping pill—than a boxy cabin on the high seas where function typically trumps form. “We have created a superyacht where East meets West, traditional meets contemporary, and where authentic Indonesian design and cutting-edge technology merge to create a unique and unrivalled charter experience,” explains one of the owners, Erik Barreto. Overall, the layout of the boat is refreshingly simple. Cabins are split among the main and upper decks, with the master cabin on the upper aft featuring its own private deck. There are plenty of seating areas all around the vessel, each catching the sun and shade at different times of the day. Menus are the handiwork of Watercress, the hugely popular, health-focused cafes in Bali with dishes such as fresh organic greens with marinated feta, pomelo and tempeh, or an Angus beef burger with caramelised onions, cheddar and pickled beetroot. Proof & Company, the outfit behind some of the best bars in Singapore (including Manhattan, recently voted the top bar in Asia), is the mastermind behind the drinks onboard, which includes the boat’s very own Rascal Rum. The 10 disarmingly warm crew, including the ever-upbeat Captain Yoda— his name makes sense once you meet and see him—round out the gratifying onboard adventure. The ultimate draw, of course, is what’s on view beyond the ship. Itineraries are bespoke, with no fixed routes, no schedules, no list of destinations that need to be hastily ticked off a list, and are customised in concert with a client’s preferences. The boat does seasonally concentrate in Komodo National Park and the marine paradise of Raja Ampat, on the bucket list of divers around the world. These are experiences that almost take you beyond reality and which, to truly appreciate and enjoy, you’ll need to get onboard to see for yourself.