The Malay term ‘perahu lambo’ is used to describe sailing boats that have Western influences in their hull design and sail rigs. Instead of having the smooth, curved hull of a traditional perahu, the hull of a perahu lambo is similar to that of European sailing vessels, with the stem-post and stern-post meeting a straight keel at an angle. It is also common for perahu lambo to employ gaff-rigged sails, similar to those found on the English North Sea herring drifter, which is a fishing craft dating from around 1890. The Western-inspired boat designs are believed to have been acquired by Indonesian shipbuilders in the late 19th century through their experiences building vessels for the Australians and English in regional ports such as Broome, Thursday Island, Ambon and Singapore. Various versions of the perahu lambo are still used today by different ethnic groups throughout the Indonesian Archipelago for transport and fishing purposes.
