One of the good news of this new-year is that the sail-making loft created by BAF became a member of the famous UK Sailmakers Group. This will allow our motivated team members to become talented professionals in view of transforming the sail-making loft into a hub for the production and repair of sails in the region (Sri Lanka, Maldives, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Seychelles, Mauritius).  www.uksailmakers.com/Basis.aspx?Lid=39&Lit=VIEW&Loft=72

3440PikeHeadOnWaveSm In 2008, a sail making loft was created with 7 Sri Lankan youth who were trained at the Clothing Industry Training Institute of Sri Lanka as well as at the export oriented sail making company Aqua Dynamic (Group Doyle) which allowed the trainees to follow all the processes of sail production from cutting to finishing’s. This was all made possible thanks to the financial support of the city of Hamburg.

Today, the fully equipped sail making loft is moving into a new building of 2700 m2 that will allow its further development.

The other promising ventures are found in the activities set up by the 7 SME’s and the 2 associations created at BAF’s initiative with a “multiplying-effect” in the water based sector.

1/ Mirissa Water Sports:

10403179_750971591617316_8327947157326855805_nCreated in 2005, the MWS is a pioneer in whale watching in the island and was winner of a certificate of excellence from TripAdvisor in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Following MWS’s success, about 30 fishing boats on 300 in Mirissa Harbor were retrofitted into whale watching boats, a more lucrative activity. During the good season, hundreds of tourists gather at dawn in the colorful and picturesque Mirissa harbor to embark and observe these impressive cetaceans.  WEB: www.mirissawatersports.com/2013/                     FB:  www.facebook.com/mirissawatersports

 

2/ Blue Water Cruise: 

Created in 2014, the BWC proposes deep-sea fishing as well as whale watching for TOPAZ-SAILING-02lr-230114tourists. FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Water-Cruise-Pvt-Ltd/291928394289748

3/ Sail Lanka Charter: Sail Lanka Charter and Sri sail merged in 2015 and now operate under Sail Lanka Charter’s umbrella.

Created in 2013, SLC proposes sea trips on board of Topaz, a 14 m catamaran (designed by E. Lerouge). Two French skippers manage the boat on a day-to-day basis and train young future Sri Lankans skippers to the job of skipper as well as to the good maintenance of the boat. The catamaran was built by one of the SME’s created at the initiative of BAF in Sri Lanka. WEB: http://www.sail-lanka-charter.com   FB:  www.facebook.com/saillankacharter

1488043_792562300789860_2871876909801266609_nCreated in 2014, Sri Sail is the first sailing school on the southern coast of the island. It proposes sailing lessons and sea trips on 6,5 m monohulls (designed by Sabrosa Rain).  The lessons are provided by young Belgian and French professional skippers who also train local future skippers in order to allow them to take over the activity one day and to open Sri Sail’s future antennas along the coast.   Sri Sail also proposes sea trips on ribs manufactured by one of the yard of BAF, which also manufactured the Minibees and the Pearl, a 14 m charter catamaran.   WEB: www.srisail.com    FB:  www.facebook.com/srisaillanka

4/ Sabrosa-Rain:

Created in 2012, Sabrosa-Rain is an antenna of the French naval architecture bureau created by François Rougier and Olivier Gouard. Among other leisure boats, Olivier Gouard designed the Minibees that are exploited by Sail Lanka Charter WEB : www.sabrosa-rain.com/fr  FB : https://www.facebook.com/sabrosarain

5/ Auto Motive Components (PVT) Ltd.:

Established in May 2012 to provide engineering services with presently a workforce of 60 employees.

6/ Solar Impulse (PVT) Ltd.:

Created in 2011 is specialised in marine electronics, composite works, mast, boom and sails making, ribs boat manufacturing for the local market and supports both the Sashimi project and the water based leisure developments. The company manufactures water based products (canoes, RIBs,…) distributed locally by ONDA RIB.

7/ BAFF Polymech (PVT) Ltd.:

Created in 2009 manufactures rubber and polyurethane industrial products, sails, mechanical engineering and composite products for export and marine and mountain ropes for local and foreign clients.

2 ASSOCIATIONS

1/ Ruhunu Sailing Association

l_22Created in 2006, the Ruhunu Sailing Association is a free of cost sailing school that provides theoretical and practical sailing lessons to underprivileged son and daughters of fishermen. Races are regularly organised with the Colombo Yacht Club to familiarise young skippers with competitions and regattas. The lessons are supervised by Sri Lankan as well as Belgian and French skipper teachers.  FB: www.facebook.com/ruhunusailing

 

2/ Ruhunu Dragon Association

1463106_544289345657809_314396222_nCreated in 2012, the Ruhunu Dragon association was created by the Ruhunu Sailing Association and a few passionate of dragon sailing boats from Oostende. The RDA has been created to promote this elegant keel wooden boat and to organise regattas in the Mirissa harbour. FB: www.facebook.com/RuhunuSailingAssociation

 

With all the acquired skills, the Group now works towards the local construction of a residential charter boat and to the further development of chartering activities. More news on Facebook :

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Building-A-Future-Foundation/197757376912578?ref=br_tf