Phinisi Yacht Buyer FAQ

What does a phinisi yacht actually cost?

New-build phinisi from top Bira shipyards: USD 850k for 32m / 4-cabin entry up to USD 6.8M for 65m / 10-cabin superyacht-class. Pre-owned 5–15-year-old phinisi: 55–75% of comparable new-build cost. Add USD 200–600k refit reserve plus USD 12.5k PMA setup if commercial use intended. Expect total committed capital 1.15–1.25x acquisition cost.

How long does a new build take?

10–24 months depending on length and complexity. Typical 45m / 7-cabin commission: 14–16 months from contract to delivery. Add 4–8 weeks for sea trials and shakedown. Pricing in stages spreads cash requirement across the build.

Can foreigners own a phinisi in Indonesia?

Foreign individuals cannot directly own Indonesian-flag commercial vessels. Foreign principals own Indonesian-flag phinisi through a PMA company structure (foreign-owned Indonesian limited company), which provides effective full control. PMA setup runs USD 8.5–15k one-time + USD 3.5k/year compliance. Juara Holding handles registration end-to-end.

What do I do for charter income?

Three structures with our sister company Komodo Luxury: full management (60/40 owner/operator split, hands-off owner experience, 8–14% net annual yield), marketing-and-booking only (80/20 split, owner runs operation, 12–20% yield), or co-charter network (commission-only on bookings sourced through us, 100% owner control).

How do I know the yacht is well-built?

Independent surveyor inspection (USD 8–18k) covering hull, rig, mechanical, and electronics. We include surveyor referrals as part of our brokerage service. Plus: builder-yard reputation, master-shipwright lineage, build-time documentation, and on-water sea trial evaluation.

What’s the lifespan of a phinisi?

Properly maintained: 35–50+ years. Standard refit cycle every 5–7 years (rigging, hull caulking, mechanicals, interior refresh). Many operating phinisi today are 15–25 years old and still in full charter service.

Where can I cruise?

Indonesia (full archipelago, with permits): Komodo, Raja Ampat, the Banda Sea, Wakatobi, Halmahera, Cenderawasih, Anambas, Karimunjawa, etc. Beyond Indonesia (with appropriate flag and clearances): Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, East Timor. Long-distance ocean crossings are not typical for phinisi but possible.

What’s the resale market like?

Active. Phinisi typically retain 65–75% of acquisition cost at year 10 (with maintained refit programme). UNESCO heritage status (2017) appears to be slowing depreciation. We have closed 14 phinisi transactions through our network in the last 24 months.

Is the broker fee paid by buyer or seller?

Standard practice: brokerage commission paid by seller, typically 6–10% of transaction value. Buyer typically pays no commission directly. We disclose any structure variance up-front in deal memos.

What due diligence do you actually do?

For each shortlisted yacht: physical inspection by our broker, written photo report, basic mechanical evaluation, charter history review (if operating), maintenance log review, and recommended-surveyor assignment. Buyer-engaged surveyor produces independent 60–80 page survey report. Deal memo only signed after survey + sea trial findings reviewed.

Can I see the yacht before flying to Indonesia?

Yes — we provide HD photo packages, video walkthroughs, and Zoom-based live walkthroughs with our broker on the yacht. Most serious buyers eventually conduct in-person inspection (we arrange logistics). For new builds, we conduct quarterly site visits to the Bira yard with photo and video updates.

How does Komodo Luxury fit in?

Komodo Luxury is our sister company under Juara Holding Group — Indonesia’s leading luxury phinisi charter operator (TripAdvisor 2025 Travelers’ Choice). Buyers can opt to place their newly-acquired yacht in the Komodo Luxury managed fleet for immediate charter income, leveraging the 10+ year operations track record.

What if I just want to buy and use it personally?

Fine. Many of our buyers own privately for family cruising. PMA setup is not required for purely private use under foreign flag; standard Indonesian flag for commercial use only. Personal-use phinisi typically run 4–8 weeks/year of family use; many owners voluntarily lend to charity charter weeks for tax-deductible donations.

Why buy from you rather than direct from the yard?

Direct-yard purchase is possible but: (1) you negotiate without market reference points; (2) you handle PMA, flag, permits, crew alone; (3) you have no in-country dispute resolution; (4) you carry the post-delivery quality risk. Our brokerage commission is a small fraction (6–10% paid by yard/seller) of the value of risk reduction and operational handoff we provide.