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History of Raja Laut
The Malay name Raja Laut, which translates to 'King of the Sea', is a reference to the real life "Rajah Laut" Captain William Lingard, the 19th Century adventurer-trader. Capt. Lingard was well known in Singapore and throughout the Malay archipelago. For many years he sailed his own ships and cargoes between Singapore and Borneo and had amassed a considerable fortune.
It was on one of his numerous voyages to Borneo that he fought a large and powerful fleet of pirates, rescuing a surrounded Dutch brig. For his conspicuous bravery on this and other occasions he received the thanks of the King of Holland, and was decorated with the order of the 'Lion of the Netherlands'. It was on account of his fearsome reputation that he acquired the name of 'Rajah Laut' among the Malays.
The Joseph Conrad character, Tom Lingard, is partly inspired by the real life Lingard, and first appears in the novel Almayer's Folly by Joseph Conrad, set in 19th Century Borneo. Tom Lingard also featured in the Joseph Conrad novels: An Outcast of the Islands, and The Rescue. The three novels are what is sometimes referred to as "The Lingard Trilogy", a group of novels based on Conrad's experience as mate on the steamer, Vidar, one of his earliest experiences in the British Merchant Navy at a time when the British Empire spanned a quarter of the globe
The name and style of the yacht Raja Laut is in tribute to the adventure and maritime tradition of South East Asia. It also is a tribute to the longevity of the gaff-rigged schooner, whose tried and tested designs were a mainstay of the golden Age of Sail. Her hull lines are typical of the European or American schooners, while her interior decor reveals the influences of Asia.
The hull shape is typical of traditional wooden schooners from Europe and America as the midsection lines are based on those from the Spray, built by Joshua Slocum, the first man to sail around the world single handed. The Spray hull design is known for its stability.
The overall design is typical of the "South Seas schooner", such as the schooner Pato whose hull was designed along the lines of an early Americas Cup winning schooner. The schooner Pato was built in the Philippines & also sailed by Joshua Slocum.
The Raja Laut was built by her French designer, Georges Carraz, who has lived and worked in Southeast Asia for 30 years, and has during his time developed an intimate knowledge of the people and of the boat building traditions of this region.