Liveaboard
Dive & cruise vessels
Dive deck, compressors, national-park ready.
LOA 28–45 m · 6–12 cabins
Bira Phinisi Builder
Commission a new-build phinisi at the Bira and Bulukumba yards — from lines and keel-laying to sea trial and launch. USD build contracts issued after a written specification.
- Yards
- Tanjung Bira · Ara · Lemo-Lemo, Bulukumba
- We build
- Liveaboard · charter · luxury · schooner
- Contracts
- USD, after a written spec
- Issued by
- PT Komodo Galangan Nusantara
Commission a Build
Four staged milestones from brief to launch — a written spec before a single plank.
Build Cost & Timeline
Honest USD bands and a realistic schedule — a firm price follows the spec.
Class-Compliant New-Build
Built to BKI class with a documented sea trial before handover.
- UNESCO 2017
- Pinisi is inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- Butta Panrita Lopi
- Bulukumba is known as the Land of the Master Shipwrights.
- Spec before price
- USD quotations are issued after a written specification, not before.
- PT Komodo Galangan Nusantara
- Build contracts are issued by our construction entity.
The programme
Commission a new-build phinisi, in four stages
Every commission is a construction project run to a signed specification, with a deliverable and a payment milestone at each stage — so an owner, local or overseas, always knows what has been built and paid.
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Brief & Lines
Length, cabins, rig and use become a lines plan and general arrangement.
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Contract & Keel
A USD contract is signed and the keel is laid on the beach.
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Build & Supervision
Shell, deck, systems and interior, reported against milestones.
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Sea Trial & Launch
Every system proven under load, then handover with documents.
What we build
Four vessel lines on one hull tradition
Charter
Turn-key charter vessels
Delivered charter-ready to Labuan Bajo, Bali, Raja Ampat.
Commercial-compliant · crew quarters
Luxury
Private owner commissions
Bespoke joinery, quiet systems, yacht-grade finish.
Owner's suite · fewer, larger cabins
Schooner
Rig & hull variations
Schooner, gulet-style, hybrid motor-sailer, steel-hull.
Ketch · gaff · expedition
The craft
How a phinisi is actually built
The reason a phinisi lasts decades is in the method — a planked shell shaped by eye, frames fitted inside it, and modern engineering built into a timber hull.
Process · carvel planking
Keel to launch, the Bugis shell-first method.
Hull & ironwood · ulin scantlings
Ironwood, bitti and teak; the craft of fastening.
Rig · ketch rig
Two masts, seven sails; sailing vs motor-sailer.
Systems · twin diesels
Engines, power, tankage and watermaker in timber.
Interiors · teak parquet
Cabins, galley and bespoke marine joinery.
Design · gross tonnage
Lines, stability, displacement and tonnage.
Cost, class & ownership
An honest look at the numbers
USD bands
Build Cost & Timeline
Indicative bands by size and a realistic 12–24 month schedule. A firm price follows a written spec.
BKI class
Class, Compliance & Sea Trial
Built to class with stability, load line and a documented sea trial before handover.
Investment
Build-to-Invest
Turn-key charter builds and shared-ownership syndicates, charter-ready from the contract stage.
The yards
Where we build
~12 km from the Ara yards
~5–6 h by road from Makassar
Punggawa & sawi tradition
Who we are
Part of Juara Holding Group
Bira Phinisi Builder is the new-build phinisi commissioning desk of Juara Holding Group (established 2015), building at the Bira and Bulukumba yards. Build contracts are issued by PT Komodo Galangan Nusantara. Sister maritime brands — charter and boat services, haul-out and refit, survey and buyer-side acquisition — operate as separate businesses with separate contracts and fees.
Questions
Phinisi build FAQ
How much does it cost to build a phinisi?
It is priced in USD after a written specification. As planning guidance, a compact liveaboard starts in the mid-six figures and a large luxury yacht runs into the low seven figures.
How long does it take to build a phinisi?
Twelve to twenty-four months from keel-laying to launch, depending on size and finish.
Where are phinisi built?
On the open beaches of Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi — chiefly Ara, Tana Lemo and Lemo-Lemo near Tanjung Bira.
Can I commission a phinisi from overseas?
Yes. Most owners commission from abroad and supervise remotely against dated milestones, optionally through an owner's representative.
Do you sell finished boats or run charters?
No. We only build new phinisi. Brokerage, charter and survey are separate businesses with separate contracts.
Commission a phinisi from lines to launch
Send the length, cabin count, rig and intended use, and the Build Desk will reply with a build slot, an indicative timeline and the questions that set a USD price.