The Trimaran “Qingdao China” in Mirissa
View(s):As part of the project “Guo Chuan Racing” to sail across the “21st Century Maritime Silk Route”, the 29.7 m trimaran “Qingdao China” called over to the fishing harbour of Mirissa on November 16, 17 and 18, 2015 and was welcomed by officials of Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation, Board of Investment and Sri Lanka Coast Guard.
Sri Lanka and Qingdao in China share a common dream, the development of sailing and environmentally friendly recreational activities.
The Building a Future Foundation (www.baflk.org) and its spinoff company Sail Lanka Charter (www.sail-lanka-charter.com) have been playing a pioneering role in the development of yachting- and water based tourism in Sri Lanka, together with the tremendous support from CFHC, EDB and BOI.
The arrival of such an exceptional racing catamaran is only the beginning of more yachts that will include Sri Lanka on their route.
To achieve this BAFF has built the first mini-marina’s in Sri Lanka and has been trying hard to link up with other yachting hubs in the world.
In response to the warm welcome received in Sri Lanka, Liu Yu, Director of the Qingdao Administration Centre of Sailing Sport has decided invited 6 kids and 2 adults to participate in the next Qingdao sailing games in August 2016.
They will bear all local expenses (accommodation, food, transfers, boats, equipment), while BAFF will try to find a sponsor for the flight tickets.
The trimaran “Qingdao China”, now belonging to the Chinese skipper Guo Chuan, has in the past posted several race records under command of the French sailor Francis Joyon.
The boat will further proceed along the silk route with stops in Mumbai, Alexandria and Monaco where it will participate in major sailing events, to showcase that Asian countries like China and Sri Lanka are ready and keen to develop this kind of activities.
In this frame Sail Lanka Charter will join the effort by representing Sri Lanka as a yachting destination at the number 1 international boat show “Nautic” in Paris from December 5 till 13, 2015.
The Building A Future Foundation founded in March 2006 in order to train youth into innovative activities and new skills which have an economic development potential, aims to promote and establish a boating and sailing culture in Sri Lanka, which in the long run will create a leisure boating market, with thousands of sustainable employment opportunities for the youth, in boat building as well as in chartering operations.
We believe that Sri Lanka has the potential to become the global yachting destination in South Asia. Thailand, which began incentivizing yachting just 10 years ago, now has a thriving industry that employs over 30,000 people directly and indirectly supporting thousands of livelihoods.
Sri Lanka is even better positioned than Thailand with excellent sailing conditions year round and the ability to leverage Sri Lanka’s unique tourism potential to offer a diverse range of packages.
BAFF’s milestones in the water based tourism sector development:
2005: Mirissa Water Sports, first whale watching entity: www.mirissawatersports.com
2008: BAFF Polymech state of the art BOI yacht and boat building facility
2008: Operational sail making loft. 2011: Rigid inflatable boat manufacturing through Solar Impulse: www.onda.lk 2012: Modern boat design office Sabrosa-Rain: www.sabrosa-rain.com 2012: Ruhunu Sailing Association: Sailing classes for youth: www.facebook.com/ruhunusailing
2013: Opening of the first mini-marina in Mirissa followed by Beruwela and Hikkaduwa 2014: Establishment of yacht charter company Sail Lanka Charter: www.sail-lanka-charter.com