SAIL MANUFACTURING TRAINING FOR YOUTH
Description of the Sail Making Project
In parallel to the boat building, BAFF also started training in sail manufacturing, in first instance to serve the Sashimi Project and later for the leisure and boating industry. Sail making is introduced in collaboration with an export oriented sail manufacturer operating in Sri Lanka: Aqua Dynamics. This illustrates how a private company can also support the project on a practical way, by sharing its knowledge and expertise. The first batch of trainees, 16 youth, has been trained at Aqua dynamics.
After about 3 months, Building a Future completed its sail making facility in Pelana. On the 30th of October 2007 a traditional opening ceremony was held where milk was boiled to celebrate the opening of this facility with 8 sewing machines. Since then the trainees have started their commercial activities gradually. In April 2008 a French student arrived for 6 months to learn sail making and to improve the functioning of the loft. Currently they can make easily an optimist, laser sail and catamaran sail and a batten making unit is being set up.
As the reintroduction of sails in Sri Lanka is a major objective of BAFF, being able to make sails locally is an absolute necessity
1) Sashimi Project with the use of sail power:
The first objective of the Sashimi Project is to fight the present over-fishing situation close to the shore by concentrating on the fish reserves 200 miles away and by utilising more ecological sustainable fishing methods.
For this purpose 2 prototype fishing boats will be developed and tested with:
better storing facilities so that the fishermen can go out in the deep-sea,
* higher speed potential,
* lower energy consumption,
* reintroducing the sail for fishing boats,
* suitable for longer distances.
2) Mirissa Water Sports
BAF conducts specially designed training courses, aimed at developing the water based leisure sector and to provide the seeds for water based leisure and water sports in Sri Lanka. The foundation will assist the youth to organise themselves in cooperatives or partnerships to develop the following 4 activities:
Sailing,
* Water sports centres,
* Building and repair of boats,
* Sail manufacturing.
These small enterprises will stimulate the employment of youth as a result of trainings, infrastructure and the necessary know-how. Such leisure sailing companies could be set up to cover the area from Kirinda to Kalutara. The first spin-off is based in Mirissa on the Weligama bay under the name of Mirissa Water Sports (MWS) and has already started activities since December 17, 2005. The water sports centre proposes sport fishing, sailing, coastal cruises and snorkelling. MWS was formed through a partnership of 12 young Sri Lankans after completing a specific training of about 4 months including first aid, fire fighting, survival, swimming, ?
3) Sailing Training for the Youth
This project aims at developing the sailing sport at grass root level to the benefit of young boys and girls affected by the tsunami on the South coast of Sri Lanka and to develop in them a passion for this sport giving them guidelines and the character or discipline to build their own future in what ever discipline.
For this purpose the BAF Foundation aims at facilitating to establish Ruhuna Sailing Club which will become a member of the Yachting Association of Sri Lanka which is the official authority in Sri Lanka to select sailing teams to participate in international sailing events. The Ruhuna Sailing Club will be the non-commercial structure through which the efforts of the BAF Foundation will be channelled. On the long term basis this initiative will generate interest for sailing from other villages along the South Coast under the Ruhuna Sailing Club umbrella and expand with new training programmes.
4) Local Boatyards
Presently there are about 40 boatyards in Sri Lanka and all of them want to diversify into the leisure sector creating a potentially very big demand for sails and sail rigs.
Training of the Youth in Sail Making
Over a period of 3 years 30 youth will be trained in sail manufacturing. For this purpose a special training unit, fully equipped with the necessary machines, will be set within the premises of Loadstar (Pvt) Ltd.
Last updated 26/02/2007
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