Boat Science from Citarum
At an advanced age, Abah Karun, 61, always keeps his spirits to hone his expertise in wooden boat building.
At an advanced age, Abah Karun, 61, always keeps his spirits to hone his expertise in wooden boat building. For decades, his boats have enhanced his welfare and at the same time saved the lives of people caught in the Citarum flooding.
The shelter in Mekarsari village, Baleendah, Bandung regency, hardly resembles a boat workshop. Measuring 6 by 4 meters, it is only supported by four decrepit bamboo stems. The shed has no walls and its roof is composed of used banners strewn by torn parts.
Abah Karun has no problem with the humble workplace located on the banks of the Citarum River. He was meticulously working on the final touches of one of his wooden boats at the end of December 2019.The suren wood boat, 5.5 m by 1.15 m and 45 centimeters high, was ordered by a government agency in Bandung regency.
Karun made sure that the adhesive applied to the boat stuck fast in different wooden joints that noon.
Karun made sure that the adhesive applied to the boat stuck fast in different wooden joints that noon. Thereafter, he reexamined the strength of the boat’s frame, the vital part reinforcing the boat’s hull. The boat should be able to cruise into and out of alleyways when floods prevail. It should also be solid enough to bump into a wall or an iron gate.
“I also use wooden pegs to strengthen the frame. It has to be really strong to make the boat durable,” he said. Abah Karun guarantees that his boats will last for five to six years before being sent to the workshop for repair.
According to him, he had been building the boat for two days. It would take another day for trimming. The boat would then be ready to rescue residents facing floods in this rainy season.
The durability of the boats built by Karun has been proven by Bambang Supriyanto, 54, chairman of Neighborhood Unit (RT) 013 in Andir, Bandung regency. Since last year, he has owned one of Karun’s wooden boats to rescue residents until supplies are distributed to flood survivors.
“It’s difficult to rely on rubber boats here. The area is too narrow and the capacity of a rubber boat is limited. The price is also above Rp 3 million per unit. It’s more ideal to use a wooden boat. It costs less than Rp 2 million and can carry five people.”
At least three districts are prone to be hit by floods there: Beleendah, Dayeuhkolot and Bojong Soang.
Where the Citarum River passes through Bandung regency is indeed vulnerable to flooding in several locations during the rainy season. At least three districts are prone to be hit by floods there: Beleendah, Dayeuhkolot and Bojong Soang.
Heritage
Karun had fairly extensive experience before becoming the most senior boat craftsman in the Bandung basin. He inherited his boatbuilding expertise from his grandfather, the late Aki Parta, a pioneer of boat craftsmanship in Citarum. “The talent was handed down to my father, the late Aki Uke,” he said.
It was these craftspeople who popularized cap-shaped boats. Boat walls are built almost vertical to ease the transportation of various goods. The boats are mostly used by sand collectors in Citarum, besides serving to rescue residents.
There are also special boats for reservoirs in West Java. They have a tapering shape with slim bodies. Apart from breaking strong currents, the boats are effective to cleave through flourishing water hyacinths like those in the Jatiluhur or Saguling reservoirs. “I’ve absorbed the science and kept it in my mind. Since 1976, I’ve had the courage to receive orders myself,” he added.
Karun also learned to select suren trees as the material for his boats. He only uses the wood of the trees with green shoots and more than 10 years old. When their shoots are drying, the trees must be spongy. “The wood of vigorous trees is also noticeable. It usually has dense fibers, is reddish and oily when touched,” said Karun, who always asks wood owners to replant the same kind of trees after felling.
Besides flood survivors, his buyers were also fishermen and sand diggers around the streams of the Citarum in Purwakarta as far as the Cimanuk River in Garut and Sumedang.
His comprehensive abilities have earned him a lot of customers. Boat orders are normally placed ahead of the flood season. In 1986, when the Citarum underwent major flooding, he built about 400 boats. Besides flood survivors, his buyers were also fishermen and sand diggers around the streams of the Citarum in Purwakarta as far as the Cimanuk River in Garut and Sumedang.
“I can’t remember the number of boats I’ve built,” said Karun, who is now producing 10 boats per month in the wet season on average. The
highest demand for boats is for rescue operations. The prices of his boats range from Rp 1.75 million to Rp 9 million, depending on size.
Advanced age
Karun is aware of the many people getting into trouble when floods occur. For this reason, he doesn’t hesitate to offer free boats as long as they are used for the rescue of flood-hit residents. “I feel happy when my boats can relieve the burdens of flood victims,” he said.
Today, realizing he is no longer young, Karun has begun preparing his successors who will delve into the science of boat building. He is training Dadang, 39, one of his six children. Karun is also open to researchers and students interested in probing his boat-making expertise. He hopes results of their research can preserve Citarum’s boat science for good.
Furthermore, he is also striving to have a boat cooperative set up by the Baleendah administration. Karun is hopeful that the cooperative can further promote Citarum’s boat science through capital guarantees and proper sales methods. His father’s message has always aroused his enthusiasm: Fortune will come to those who are loyal to their job. “Never cease building boats. Money needn’t be sought; it will come all along,” assured Karun.
Karun
Born: Bandung, 7 May 1958