Adventure on a off-duty ship

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WATCHING movies such as the Pirates of the Caribbean and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, stir up a longing for adventure on the high seas. Many wonder what life as a sailor of the world’s oceans is like.

However, for land lubbers who are not equipped with a seaman’s knowledge to navigate a course on the Seven Seas or the stomach to set sail for months at a time, the Rahmat Maritime Museum offers a unique experience that gives a taste of life at sea.

Docked at the Marina Wing, Lumut, the museum is actually a decommissioned warship, the KD Rahmat, which had served for several decades in the Royal Malaysia Navy since she was commissioned in 1971.

Serene: The view of the open gun deck seen from the bridge at the Rahmat Maritime Museum in Lumut.

Its service had been long and distinguished, being the first frigate designed to the requirements of the navy and the first in the region to be fitted with a quadruple Sea Cat Surface to Air Missile (SAM) launcher — a complex weapon system at the time.

As a class-leading vessel among naval forces in South-East Asia, the ship’s design emphasised high levels of automation and simplicity, reducing the need for a large crew.

Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders in Glasgow, Scotland, the ship was initially called the KD Hang Jebat, but after a run of unfortunate events in the 1970s, she was renamed KD Rahmat, which means blessings in Malay.

Originally configured as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigate, the ship was also used as the navy’s second training vessel, having transformed into a training platform for commissioned officers and men after a routine refit in 2000.

To enhance its role as a training vessel and to provide more accommodation space for trainees, its weapons and sonar systems were removed during the refit. The frigate was decommissioned in 2004 and handed over to the Perak government in 2008.

Intricate: Controls behind the menacing 4.5” MK V Gun on board the main deck of the decommissioned KD Rahmat.

The 93.8m-long vessel still strikes an imposing presence as a historical monument, with three of its decks open for guided tours, which take up to 90 minutes to complete.

Walking along its tight passageways, visitors may feel claustrophobic and come to appreciate the sacrifices of the nation’s naval personnel, who have to live and work in such cramped environments round the clock in order to protect our waters.

On the second deck, visitors get to visit the laundry room, the sick bay, the crew’s mess hall, officers’ cabins, galley (kitchen) and also the crew’s berthing cabin.

In the crew’s berthing cabin, three beds are stacked on top of each other to maximise space while storage lockers for the crew’s belongings fill up the remaining free space.

Climbing up the steep and tight stairs and hatches and navigating the maze-like corridors is certainly a challenge but gives a further glimpse into the living conditions of the naval forces.

Listen up: A funnel like speaker which allows the bridge to communicate with other parts of the ship.

On the main deck is a large 4.5” MK V anti-aircraft gun, which has a rate of fire of 24 rounds per minute and was used with remote power control during its heyday.

On this level, the helideck is also open to visitors, while at night, tables and chairs are set up in a café-like setting to provide light refreshments.

Not to be missed is the bridge, where with a commanding view of the ship and the open seas, is bound to make anyone’s dream of wearing the captain’s uniform and directing the ship’s course, come true.

For visitors prone to seasickness, they can rest assured that the ship is safe from rough seas, while those who are more adventurous can opt to stay overnight in the refurbished quarters fitted with air-conditioning.

In a recent tour of the museum, State Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Hamidah Osman said the museum was an excellent tourism product for the state.

“It gives visitors a glimpse into the lives of our sailors, how they lived and worked at sea, their hardships and the ship’s history, This provides visitors with valuable insight.

“I hope this ship will be an iconic product and it certainly will be included in Visit Perak Year 2012,” she said.