So Now You Know … !

I am now busying on-site at MIFF, Putra World Trade. Check back for more MIFF setup photos. 

Surfing my old archives at the older days online photo album - fotopages, I found these photos, a memorable photos and my experiences sailing on the KLD Tunas Samudera.

Me & Partner at Game

In the year 2000, my uncle passed me a form for this leadership sailing training and I filled it up and submitted via post. Surprisingly an officer called me and I was informed that I am one of the lucky chosen one to represent the Selangor State to join this “Kapal Layar Diraja Tunas Samudera (KLD Tunas Samudera)”.

Me at back row in red shirt

Some facts about KLD Tunas Samudera:-

• 1 of the 2 ships in the world
• 6 Main Sails
• Accommodating 40 trainees and 20 trainers
• Managed, handled and trained by the Malaysian Royal Navy Seal Armies
• Sailing thru & flo takes one week
• There is a Reverse Osmosis System on the ship (To convert sea water to drinking water)
• Sailing speed up to 9 knots or more
• Equipped with Radar System

Me at ‘1st floor’ middle
I have this experience where I boarded onto the ship at 12 April 2002 - 19 April 2002. I went into the base of Malaysian Royal Navy Seal to undergo this training. It’s a leadership training.

In case of emergency, everyone was given with an Harness to safeguard on the railings and sails to prevent falling onto the deck or falling into the sea.

Activities on the ship:-

Every morning, we have to workout on the deck by running circling the deck and climbing up the poles reaching the top and coming down again, repeating that for 2-3 times per day. Secondly, the ship has to be cleaned nicely and to be polished with WD-48 to allow it to shine through the day.

In the afternoon, there are so many things to learn, including the knots, shooting the floating target with Steyr-Aug as each of us has 6 real bullets! Every single shot is so precious and everyone has to do swearing not to steal any of the bullets before shooting.

To navigate the ship, we have to read the radar, and to think about the speed, wind, storm and rain. Different sails will be used for different kind of wind and storm. For your information, the ship can be navigated by using the sails or even the engine! It’s a pretty powerful ship and even if the wheel has already broken, it has a spare navigator in the deck.

Must Know

We name the left side of the ship as “Port” and right side of the ship as “Starboard”. When you are doing nightshifts looking around using the binoculars, you will noticed ships sailing around. If you see green light at the ship, it means you are looking at their Port Side. If you see red, you are looking at their Starboard Side.

Besides, if you see a yellow light on top blinking, they are sailing. If it’s an idle light, it is anchoring.

Thing must share

By sailing from the Malaysian Royal Navy Seal (Ipoh Base) - Malacca Straits - Malaysia Royal Navy Seal (Ipoh Base), you can even see Dolphins swimming side at the ship. It’s pretty cool I’d say, no joke.

Me - Back row, 7th from left

Last but not least, this is a very precious thing to own, a certificate.

If you wish to join this, I believe it is also opened for public. Feel free to google about it.

More about KLD Tunas Samudera

1. http://www.navy.mil.my/tunassamudera/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=32〈=
2. http://www.navy.mil.my/content/view/58/180/lang,en/
3. http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedysta:Dreamer/KLD_Tunas_Samudera

So Now You Know … !