Boats of Singapore
In 1987, Eric R. Alfred published a definitive checklist of indigenous watercraft in Singapore within the Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. This work addresses the rapid decline of traditional sailing and fishing vessels caused by modernization and changing trade patterns during the mid-20th century. Alfred’s thesis centers on preserving the nomenclature and physical specifications of 22 distinct craft forms before they were lost to fiberglass hulls and motorized transport.
Summary
Alfred compiled this checklist between 1974 and 1986 to support the Primitive Craft Gallery of the PSA Maritime Museum, noting that information on indigenous craft was previously scattered across various Fisheries Department Annual Reports and Admiralty publications (p. 99). The author distinguishes Singapore-origin craft from foreign traders like Hainan junks or Thai warkang, focusing exclusively on local forms to correct historical nomenclature inconsistencies (p. 99). The document classifies 22 distinct forms into two basic dugout canoes and various plank-built carvel hulls, some retaining vestigial dugout bases or false keels (p. 99).
Specific entries detail the dimensions and provenance of full-size craft (PC) and models (SM) recovered from locations like Sentosa and Tanjong Rhu (pp. 100–110). For instance, the Jongkong is documented with a 2.24m hull excavated from Kuching Creek, while the Kolek Sauh features multiple rigged models and full-size examples ranging from 4.15m to 6.09m in length (pp. 100, 106). The text highlights the obsolescence of specific types such as the twakow and tongkang, which survive only as cargo lighters, and the kolek fleets that have ceased to exist due to re-settlement and technology changes (p. 99).
Key Findings
- A total of 22 distinct forms of craft are recognized, including two basic forms of dugout canoes and various plank-built carvel hulls (p. 99).
- Full-size craft (PC) and models (SM) were examined with specific dimensions, such as the Jongkong PC.033 measuring 2.24m in length and 0.49m in breadth (p. 100).
- Traditional passenger transport monopolized by the sampan rhio and sampan kotak has been taken over by motor sampans (p. 99).
- The Kolek Sauh collection includes five full-size craft and three models, with lengths ranging from 4.15m to 6.09m (p. 106).
- Foreign craft like junks from Hainan and warkang from Thailand are explicitly excluded from this checklist to focus on Singapore origin (p. 99).
- Historical references from Smedley (1930), Birtwistle (1931–1939), and Gibson-Hill (1949–1954) are used to validate the occurrence and licensing numbers of these vessels (pp. 100–110).
Conclusion
Alfred’s definitive historical takeaway is that the traditional maritime culture of Singapore is vanishing, necessitating a standardized record of hull types and dimensions before they disappear entirely. The work serves as a critical archival intervention, transforming scattered colonial-era data into a coherent museum collection that preserves the technical specifications of a disappearing era.
Context
- The collection was compiled for the PSA Maritime Museum during the period 1974–1986 (p. 99).
- Earlier data relied on Fisheries Department Annual Reports from the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States (p. 99).