Sequoia is a different kind of charter yacht. Hand built in 2017 by Bugis shipwrights in the tradition that has carried Indonesian sailors across these waters for centuries, she is a 30.5 metre phinisi finished to a standard that belongs firmly in the present. Teak decks, timber masts and a low timber hull give her the look of a classic trading schooner, while on deck and below she offers the comfort, service and toys of a modern private yacht. She was made for one thing above all, to reach the parts of Asia that most yachts never see.
What sets her apart on charter is the balance between craft and care. Eight guests are looked after by a crew of twelve, a ratio that turns a week aboard into something closer to a private expedition than a hotel at sea. The team knows these waters intimately, from the dive sites of Raja Ampat to the dragons of Komodo, and they shape each day around the weather, the tides and what the guests want to do rather than a fixed itinerary.
Life aboard happens outside. A plunge pool is set into the foredeck among sun pads and cushions, a cool place to watch the islands slide past at anchor. Shaded tables on the aft deck host long lunches and quiet dinners under the stars, and there is always a corner of teak to settle into with a book. The open decks flow from bow to stern, so the yacht never feels crowded even when the whole party is aboard.
Inside, Sequoia is warm and unhurried. The main saloon is lined in rich timber and opens to the sea through generous windows, a calm space for the hours between adventures. Meals move easily between the interior dining area and the open deck depending on the hour and the mood, and the whole main deck reads as one honest, tactile volume, the work of shipwrights who build by hand.
The heart of the yacht is its open main deck. A single warm space lined in teak runs from the saloon through to the dining area, opening to the breeze through wide doors on both sides. It is a room built for easy company, where the party gathers for meals, cards and the slow hours after dinner, the islands always just beyond the rail. Nothing here is mass produced, and it shows in the grain of the wood and the fit of the joinery.
Accommodation is arranged across three cabins for eight guests, each finished in the same warm timber and each with its own bathroom. The master is a calm, light filled retreat, supported by double and twin cabins that suit families and groups of friends equally well. The layout keeps the guest areas private and separate from the busy, happy work of the crew.
Sequoia carries the tools to make the most of where she goes. Kayaks and paddleboards reach the shallow lagoons and hidden beaches, a full set of dive and snorkel gear opens up some of the richest reefs on the planet, and her tenders run guests ashore to villages, viewpoints and empty sands. This is a yacht for people who want to be in the water and on the land, not simply looking at them from the deck.
She cruises the waters of South East Asia through the year, following the best conditions between Raja Ampat, Komodo and the wider Indonesian archipelago. For a family or a group drawn to remote islands, clear water and genuine adventure, Sequoia offers something increasingly rare, a hand built yacht, a dedicated crew and a week spent well beyond the reach of the crowds.
