Interview

Navigating Paradise: The Sail Specialist Behind Every Journey Aboard Mutiara Laut

Murni Oktaviani|23/07/2026

Mutiara Laut Passionate Crew | The Yacht Club Indonesia

Sailing through the Indonesian archipelago goes far beyond admiring the beautiful scenery; it demands profound experience to master nature’s wild forces. For those seeking the ultimate island sailing Indonesia adventure, the luxury and comfort of a yacht charter are the direct result of an expert crew seamlessly navigating unpredictable winds, currents, and tides.

Behind this seamless journey is the Sail Specialist, who takes on the role of the ship's silent protector. While guests relax, these experts skillfully read the wind, ensuring that hundreds of tons of wood and steel glide smoothly across the water through vital, yet often unseen, daily dedication.

We invite you to meet the sail specialist of the Mutiara Laut yacht, a man who has dedicated his entire life to the ocean. Through his mastery of the sea, he ensures your voyage is not only exceptionally safe but that you arrive at every breathtaking destination with memories to last a lifetime.

From The Sea to The People

Mutiara Laut Crew | The Yacht Club Indonesia

To truly understand life aboard a sailing yacht and the rhythm of a classic vessel, you must look to the people who breathe life into its canvas. One of the longest-serving crew members is Akhmad Aidin, or as people know him, Edi.

Edi is now 57 years old, but his high energy makes him look like he is in his early forties. He is a perfect example of a life dedicated to the sea, having sailed for over 25 years.

He proudly stands as the first generation of the Mutiara Laut yacht crew, staying with the ship through many different owners and decades of change. Born in the mountainous and culturally rich region of Bajawa, Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), roughly a 12-hour overland journey from the bustling port town of Labuan Bajo, Edi has an innate, deep connection with the sea.

Despite being from the mountains, coming from a long line of sailors means working on the ocean is in his blood, and it was a calling he was always meant to answer. His career has been amazing.

Edi has spent an impressive 40 years navigating the dynamic Indonesian tourism industry. Long before he ever raised a ship's sail, he was already learning how to take great care of guests and plan trips in remote areas. However, he always knew he belonged on the water.

“Living on land often brought me stress and made me feel sick. But the moment my feet touch the wooden deck of a boat, the salty sea breeze heals me,” he notes. For Edi, the ocean is his safe haven; it is where he is healthiest, happiest, and most alive.

Starting Career as Yachting Crew

Sailing Aboard Mutiara Laut | The Yacht Club Indonesia

Every master starts as a beginner, and Edi’s entry into classic sailing is a story of hard work and humility. When he first arrived in Bali, the center of Indonesia's booming tourism, he was a young man who didn't know much about international hospitality.

His amazing career on the sea didn't start at the steering wheel of a premier Luxury yacht in Indonesia, but with a mop and bucket. "I started out as a cleaner, scrubbing decks and cleaning toilets. It was hard, unglamorous work, but it put me exactly where I needed to be, on a boat," he said.

His hard work soon caught the eye of experienced sailors. He truly started learning traditional sailing Indonesia aboard a ship called the Katharina, where he literally "learned the ropes" without the help of modern engines.

The turning point in his life came when he met an experienced Dutch sailor and the owner of the Mutiara Laut yacht, Captain Leo Van Oostenbrugge. Under the direct, hands-on teaching of this 76-year-old master, Edi learned the complex skill of rigging. He learned how to read the wind, how to react instantly to sudden gusts, and the precise art of joining ropes (splicing).

"Joining ropes isn't just tying a simple knot. You have to understand how the fibers hold together to create different splices like a 'mata empat' (four-eye), 'mata tiga' (three-eye), or 'mata dua' (two-eye)," he explains.

This specialized knowledge, passed straight from an older Dutch sailor to a young man from Flores, became the foundation of Edi's expertise as a sail specialist.

More Than Just a Workplace, It’s Home

Most people admire the Mutiara Laut as a luxury floating resort that offers an elegant journey between exotic islands. For Edi, however, this vessel feels like home, having spent nearly half of his life aboard. Here, he welcomes guests and collaborates with a crew who remain like family long after the trip ends.

This deep bond showed most clearly during the global pandemic when the tourism industry came to a halt. As borders closed, the yacht's owner gave Edi a simple instruction: "You five, stay on the boat." While the rest of the crew departed, this beautiful Indonesia yacht anchored quietly off the coast of Bali, becoming a safe, cost-free floating home for his family for over a year.

His wife’s role during this time makes their story even more inspiring. As a dedicated medical worker transferred from a hospital in Surabaya to Bali, she spent her days on the front lines caring for the sick. Every night, she would leave the hospital and return to the gentle, rocking safety of the yacht.

The Mutiara Laut yacht provided them with complete isolation and peace during a time of extreme global anxiety. For Edi, taking care of the ship during those quiet months wasn't just a job; it was his way of tending to the home that was keeping his family safe.

Challenge of Regenerations

Despite his immense passion, Edi faces a sobering reality: the specialized, manual art of traditional sailing is slowly fading. His hands-on skills, analyzing the wind by feel, hauling huge sails, and splicing heavy lines, are rapidly becoming a lost art.

He feels a mild but clear frustration about finding a new generation to take over. While eager to teach the younger crew what he learned from his Dutch mentor, he notices they often lack deep focus. “The modern world is full of distractions. Today's young people often care more about their phone screens than learning how the ship's ropes work or noticing small changes in the sea weather,” he said.

Sailing a majestic vessel like the Mutiara Laut yacht takes grueling physical work, a sharp mind, and a natural feel for the sea. The entire crew must move perfectly in sync, using pure muscle and precise timing to control the massive sails.

Because it is increasingly difficult to find young sailors willing to embrace the rigorous physical demands and strict discipline of traditional sailing, the gap between generations is widening. This reality makes experienced, dedicated veterans like Edi truly impossible to replace.

Sailing Aboard Mutiara Laut

Mutiara Laut Exterior | The Yacht Club Indonesia

Today, as a senior leader on the ship, Edi works perfectly alongside his longtime friends, Arie Pagaka and Tony. Together, these three experienced men run the Mutiara Laut yacht, making sure every guest has the best possible luxury sailing Indonesia trip and a truly authentic Mutiara Laut sailing experience.

The Mutiara Laut yacht itself is a beautiful mix of different cultures. Edi points out that it is not just a regular Indonesian boat (Phinisi), nor is it just a Western sailing ship. It is a unique blend: the body and ropes are inspired by classic Dutch design, but it was built using local skills. It is truly a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Edi has spent 25 years working just on the Mutiara Laut yacht. In that time, he has shown guests some of the most amazing underwater spots in Southeast Asia, sailing beyond Indonesia to the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Whether you are embarking on a Komodo boat charter aboard this renowned Luxury yacht Komodo or heading out for a secluded Raja Ampat trip, his favorite places are still in the eastern part of his home country. He names Labuan Bajo, Ambon, and Raja Ampat as the absolute best spots in Indonesia for diving and sailing.

However, for Edi, the most beautiful place on earth is Papua. He loves its endless islands and steep, rocky cliffs that stay bright green all year round because of the constant rain. The area is also packed with untouched wildlife, both in the sea and on land.

In these wild, faraway places, Edi’s skills are at their best. He does more than just get guests to these untouched natural wonders safely; he helps them truly connect with the power of the ocean and the joy of discovering nature.

Navigating Paradise: The Sail Specialist Behind Every Journey Aboard Mutiara Laut

From The Sea to The People

Starting Career as Yachting Crew

More Than Just a Workplace, It’s Home

Challenge of Regenerations

Sailing Aboard Mutiara Laut

Frequently Asked Questions

Starting Career as Yachting Crew

More Than Just a Workplace, It’s Home

Challenge of Regenerations

Sailing Aboard Mutiara Laut

Frequently Asked Questions

Navigating Paradise: The Sail Specialist Behind Every Journey Aboard Mutiara Laut

From The Sea to The People

Starting Career as Yachting Crew

More Than Just a Workplace, It’s Home

Challenge of Regenerations

Sailing Aboard Mutiara Laut

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a sail specialist?

2. How does a traditional sailing yacht work?

3. What makes traditional sailing different?

4. Who operates a luxury sailing yacht?

5. How are sails controlled on a traditional yacht?

6. What is lifelike working on a sailing yacht?

Starting Career as Yachting Crew

More Than Just a Workplace, It’s Home

Challenge of Regenerations

Sailing Aboard Mutiara Laut

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a sail specialist?

2. How does a traditional sailing yacht work?

3. What makes traditional sailing different?

4. Who operates a luxury sailing yacht?

5. How are sails controlled on a traditional yacht?

6. What is lifelike working on a sailing yacht?