Azhar is happy he made the entrepreneurial leap to pursue his passion, as it has enabled the crafter to focus on a job that brings him happiness. Photos: KL Chong
Azhar Kamaruddin, 57, has carved a reputation for himself as one of the few miniature shipbuilders in the country. In the last 25 years, the passionate woodworker has crafted 60 scale models of classic ships, including British warships, sampans, carracks, junk ships, and clippers.
His replicas range in size – from the smaller ones that measure about 12 inches (30.5cm) to ships that are about five feet (1.5m) in length.
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Azhar is happy he made the entrepreneurial leap to pursue his passion, as it has enabled the crafter to focus on a job that brings him happiness. Photos: KL Chong
A self-confessed history buff, Azhar says he’s always been interested in ancient ships.
Photo: KL Chong
'I do all the processes, from A to Z. I'm building a replica, not a model ship,' says Capt Jack.
Azhar first does a manual drawing of the ship he is recreating before he makes a template using cardboard. Then the woodworking process begins. Photos: Azhar Kamaruddin
Capt Jack hand-carves and handpaints each decorative item on his classic ship replicas.
A handcrafted figurehead sits beautifully on the HMS Victory 1775 British Royal Navy ship.
‘I’m just an artist who enjoys building ships,’ says Azhar.
Whenever Azhar accepts a new project, he researches the history and technical details of the subject matter before he gets started.
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