Neptune
Neptune Phinisi
A 40 m hull in plain numbers
Updated 4 November 2026
What makes a phinisi high-end is measurable: Neptune is 40 m long, 8 m across and 260 GT, with seven balcony cabins and a liferaft for 50. This note reads those numbers for you. Hold them against any boat before you pay a deposit.
What forty metres means on the water
Forty metres is the first number to hold. Neptune Phinisi is 40 m long, 8 m across and 4 m deep, built of ulin (ironwood) and teak in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, in 2022. The boat is a Buginese schooner with two masts, and it moves at 6 to 10 knots.
Those numbers set the pace of the voyage. At 6 to 10 knots the boat covers the short stages between stops in a morning or an afternoon, which is why the 3D2N route fits Sebayur, Manta Point and Taka Makassar into day 1.
Seven cabins sit along 40 m of hull. With 14 guests on the base price, each guest has just under 3 m of hull. With 18 at most overnight, it is just over 2 m. That ratio tells you how a deck feels with the party aboard.
What 260 GT and an 8 m beam mean
Gross tonnage is a measure of enclosed volume, not weight. A figure of 260 GT says how much closed space the hull holds: cabins, lounge, dining room, engine room and stores. It is the number to compare between boats, since it does not depend on how the boat is loaded.
The beam is 8 m. For a cabin, that decides how much of the width a balcony and a bathroom can share. What the plan gives is the count: seven cabins, seven bathrooms, seven balconies.
Stores matter on a long voyage. The boat carries 5 tonnes of fuel and 10 tonnes of fresh water, and two water makers produce 9 m³ a day each. Two Mitsubishi generators of 30 kVA each supply power. Set side by side, 10 tonnes of tank and 18 m³ a day of production mean the two makers could fill the tank in under a day.
Balconies, bathrooms and ventilation: what to check in any cabin
Any cabin can be judged on five checks: is there a private balcony, a bathroom of its own, hot water, air conditioning, and how many beds. Every Neptune cabin has the first four, and each has one double bed. Three upper cabins, Mansard I, Mansard II and the Junior Suite, take an extra bed for one or two guests. The four Deluxe studios, on the main deck, take none.
Cabin floor area is not part of the specification. Ask us about any other detail, and we confirm in writing before you sail.
On seasickness, the evidence is common sense. The middle and the low parts of a boat move least, so a main-deck cabin suits a nervous sailor. Look at the horizon, take fresh air, eat lightly, and bring tablets or patches from home, because the pharmacies in Labuan Bajo are limited.
No hull is promised to feel steady.
Safety kit you can check
No voyage is free of risk. Boats need a valid sailing permit and a seaworthiness certificate. We watch the BMKG weather and sea forecasts daily, and no boat departs when conditions are unsafe. If a boat cannot sail, we supply a boat of the same or higher class on the same date at no extra cost, or a full refund within 2 days.
Neptune carries a liferaft for 50 people, two lifeboats, 40 life jackets, 10 ring buoys, 10 fire extinguishers, AIS, a radar SART, flares and SOS signals. Navigation is Garmin and Furuno GPS with a compass and VHF radio, plus CCTV.
Set the numbers against the party. Forty life jackets serve the 18 guests who sleep aboard at most. On a day charter of 30, the same 40 serve the guests and the crew together.
| System | Status | |
|---|---|---|
| Air conditioning (all cabins) | Fitted | In every cabin |
| En-suite bathroom with hot shower in every cabin | Fitted | 7 cabins, 7 bathrooms |
| Main engines | Fitted | 2 x W Marine 8D16 |
| Generators | Fitted | 2 x Mitsubishi 120 PS, each driving a 30 kVA generator |
| Fresh water tank | Fitted | 10 tonnes |
| Water makers | Fitted | 2 units of 9 m3 per day each |
| Fuel tank | Fitted | 5 tonnes |
| Navigation: Garmin, Furuno GPS, compass | Fitted | Plus VHF radio |
| CCTV | Fitted | On Neptune's published equipment list |
| AIS and radar SART | Fitted | Safety electronics |
| Liferaft for 50 people | Fitted | With 2 lifeboats |
| Life jackets and ring buoys | Fitted | 40 life jackets and 10 ring buoys |
| Fire extinguishers and flares | Fitted | 10 fire extinguishers; flares and SOS signals |
| Guide and documentation (drone, GoPro, DSLR) | On request | Open trip: included. Private charter: on request, quoted separately |
Five checks for any boat
Ask five questions of any boat before you pay a deposit. First, who holds your money, and under what name? Second, does the boat hold a valid sailing permit and a seaworthiness certificate? Third, what safety gear is aboard, item by item? Fourth, what happens if the boat cannot sail? Fifth, who decides when weather stops a voyage?
Ask for the answers in writing. A reply that names the boat's gear is worth more than a reply that says the boat is safe. For Neptune, the replies are in this note: PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia, NIB 1805260128363, the listed gear, the replacement-boat rule and the captain and harbour authority deciding on the day.
Then compare the numbers: length, GT, cabins, bathrooms, balconies and beds.
FAQ
Is the trip safe, and do boats sink?
No voyage is free of risk. Boats need a valid sailing permit and seaworthiness certificate. We watch BMKG forecasts daily, and no boat departs when conditions are unsafe. If a boat cannot sail, we supply one of the same or higher class, or refund in full within 2 days.
Which cabin is best if I get seasick?
The middle and low parts of a boat move least, so a main-deck Deluxe studio suits a nervous sailor. Ask us before booking where along the hull each Deluxe studio sits, and we answer in writing.
Will the hull feel steady in a swell?
No hull is promised to feel steady, so we give the hull's numbers instead: 40 m long, 8 m across, 260 GT. Take a tablet or a patch from home if you are prone to seasickness, since pharmacies in Labuan Bajo have limited choice.
Do I need medicine for seasickness?
Bring your own tablets or patches. Pharmacies in Labuan Bajo have limited choice, and the islands have none. Look at the horizon, take fresh air and eat lightly before and during travel. A pharmacist at home can advise on the right product for you.
How many meals a day are served aboard?
Three meals a day, plus an afternoon coffee break with a snack. The menu is confirmed closer to the date. Tell us your needs in writing, and we pass them to the kitchen; nothing is certified.
Check availability — Neptune
Neptune sails with its own crew and captain; Komodo Explorer plans the voyage, takes your payment and answers every message before you board.