10M Thai Long Tail

[Frosty]

I like that!!!! the more the prop pushed the more the belt tightens.

[S.E.A.]

This morning, the 18th August 2005 in Chalong Bay, Phuket the first two 10M GRP Long Tails were put thru their paces to the joy of the gathered crowd of French and Thai Red Cross Representatives and local media. Also in attendance were a group of local sea gypsies and fishermen who have been waiting for their new LongTails which are being built in wood. Well the consensus is in and after the sea trials it seems everyone in attendance wants one, even a tourist who happened to be at the pier...

Tomorrow will see another step in their journey when they will "hop" over to Phi Phi for further sea trials...

[Frosty]

Here in Langkawi a mere 120 miles south of Phuket or a bus ride, there are many boat makers building fibre glass long tail replacements. Langkawi is a duty free island some thing the Thai government has been suggesting for Phuket for many years. This of course means that materials and outboard motors as Yamaha, suzuki, etc can be purchased much cheaper than are available in Phuket. Yachties buy all there boating gear from here on there way up with no penalty when reaching phuket as the parts are then considerd part of the foriegn vessel. Would it not be nice if the Thai government abolished import tax on the fishermen.

[adobarrow]

Has anyone ever come across a pictorial history Long Tail boats, particularly the one's sailing around Bangkok, Thailand?

[Frosty]

I always remember seeing a fantastic long tail in Bangprakong river in Chonburi. It was a taxi --I think. He had 3 or 4 customer sitting in tandom. This was a beatuifull varnished job, it appeared to be almost flat bottomed or at most a very shallow V. I was attracted first by the noise at it screemed past the marina wall, I looked up,-- this thing was moving, he saw me look at him and he smiled--- he then gave it some more gas and the already screaming engine went up a notch. A plume of water was thrown up from the surface prop. He must have been doing 50 mph hour as his customer leaned slighty forward to face the wind in thier faces. I had to laugh.

[ridgeway]

Originally Posted by Alik

I am not much familiar with fishing longtail boats, mostly with tourist ones as we deal with pleasure craft. One more point for longtails is that trust is applied too high, that requires carefull operation when turning. I'll try to upload some pictures of longtails to my gallery...

I am very interested in the tourist type of longtail boats you have in your entry. I make radio controlled models and am at present trying to get as much info as possible in order to build a model
Have you any detailed photos / or plans for one . I hope to build one at 1:12 scale of the original. I have been on trips in them whilst on holiday but sadly do not have any detailed photos in my archives.Any help you can give would be much appreciated
Regards Alan - Forum name ridgeway

[AngloThai]

I am quite interested to buy my own longtail to use around Phuket/Lankawi.
Could be a newer Fibregrass or older wood model. Condition is not so important as I wish to refurbish and outfit the boat to my own specs.

I see a lot of them laying on beaches in un-seaworthy condition. I would not mind to have one fixed up for me. Location is unimportant could be anywhere from Rangoon to Penang.

Any leads? Prices? PM me or post here.

Originally Posted by Frosty

Here in Langkawi a mere 120 miles south of Phuket or a bus ride, there are many boat makers building fibre glass long tail replacements. Langkawi is a duty free island some thing the Thai government has been suggesting for Phuket for many years. This of course means that materials and outboard motors as Yamaha, suzuki, etc can be purchased much cheaper than are available in Phuket. Yachties buy all there boating gear from here on there way up with no penalty when reaching phuket as the parts are then considerd part of the foriegn vessel. Would it not be nice if the Thai government abolished import tax on the fishermen.

[Frosty]

Theres plenty around just take a walk down any beach and talk to one of the owners. Im sure youlle be able tio buy one.

[AngloThai]

Why didn't I think of that? ;-)

In Phuket these boatmen are used to hustle farangs (Euros), and of course they usually don't speak enough Engl. That's why I posted this inquiry here. Maybe some of those tsunami charity workers have a lead to straigtht and honest seller.

Also I doubt there are reliable documentation/registration schemes in place that guarantee ownership to the seller and buyer. Thais often don't even have written title to land holdings....

[Frosty]

Yes your right they wont have title to long tali boats. I heard of a Farang getting into a fight on PiPi for no more than owning a long tail. The Thais thought he was going to do tourist charter. They dont understand owning a boat for just pleasure.

Then go south Krabi, Trang, Kantang. Dont bother with Langkawi theres nothing here. Now Satun has plenty of longtails and the shops that sell the stuff.

As far as a title youlle have to get a lawer and burn a number into it.

[AngloThai]

... yeah I heard about that case. There are two nice farang owned long tails for sale now on Phuket at fantasy prices (>EUR 40k!), probably for the same reason.

But my plan is to get two ugly ones and make a better Wharram sailing cat out of them. Can't confuse them with the tourist boat mafia vessels then .

In Baja California Mexican panga men will harass foreign yachties for whale- watching "their" whales. In SoCal local surfers get into bloody fights with out-of-towners and tourists over the waves! Chauvinism, Fascism, Naziism!

Can't defeat human stupidity and greed.

[Stephen Ditmore]

Please see new thread at Myanmar (Burma) cyclone recovery for Myanmar (Burma) cyclone recovery.

[brian eiland]

As a cross reference I just posted a whole bunch of photos of longtails here:
thai boat plans needed..

[omnitrips.com]

Hello all, M name is Bjorn Moller , my company omni marine co;ltd initiated this project with umberto from 3dwmould, and Mr bunchoong, fadara yacht
we even built 4 ambulance longtails for the finnish red cross to the island of koh phangi, in phang nag bay!

I have been working with the chaoley ( sea nomads here and also built 80, 10 m, longtials from the original traditional design from klong rua! in krabi, these where comissioned by HRH princess maha chakri surindthorn. and given to the local ficher man that lost their longtails.

If you have any QA please feel fre to contact me at
bjorn@omnitrips.com

[omnitrips.com]

Mort of the fisherman use the toyota 1500cc turbo engines with a special fresh water cooling system.
They are made to take them sometimes over 100knm and they are very trusworty work horses. they also are less noicy, the yanmar and kobota, local coast engines make alot of noice!
omnitrips.com