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July 27, 2010

Raja Laut Story: Part 3 (Wood, Glorious Wood)

The spirit of Raja Laut is here in Borneo and so are some of the worlds best hardwoods. The availability of the exceptional Borneo Ironwood (species name: Eusideroxylon Zwageri), known locally as Belian or Kayu Ulin, made the choice of wood easy. Belian is one of the worlds most durable woods: harder, heavier and more durable than Teak, Ebony, Mahogany or Iroko, and one of the most exceptionally naturally durable hardwood species in existence.

In the Australian Standards (AS 5604 2005) report on Timber Preservation and Durability, Belian achieved the highest durability ratings out of all the woods studied (including Burmese Teak). In the same report Belian was given a probable marine-borer-resistance life expectancy of 60+ years in southern waters (shorter in tropical waters). This resistance estimate is for untreated/unprotected timber, and we understood that with proper maintenance a well-built Belian hull would last for 100 years or more.

Other wood used in the construction include:

Deck: Burmese Teak. Undoubtedly the worlds most valuable and versatile hardwood, it has properties which make it the only wood that is ideally suited for the construction of the wooden deck of a boat.

Deckhouse & Interior: Selangan Batu. Selangan Batu comes from the family of Dipterocarpaceae with a given botanical name of Shorea spp . Other known given names are Tekam, Kowan Darob and Balau. It has excellent durability and is usually used for exterior construction, marine and wharfs, even piling, and boat hull construction.

Interior Floors: Merbau. Merbau wood comes from the tree with botanical name Intsia Bijuga. The tree grows in the lowland tropical rainforest near the mangrove swamps, rivers or floodplains. Merbau is a very durable and termite-resistant wood which makes it a highly sought after material for flooring and other usage.

Thanks for reading this and we hope to you enjoyed it and found it informative.

To all our friends and supporters, all over the world: Happy Sailing!!

Team Raja Laut

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