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(See here and click on Boats for the Tsunami for latest pictures)
Fortunately, we at Kondo Syokai were physically unaffected by the Asian Tsunami since our location on the South West coast of India was protected by the land masses of Sri Lanka and South East India. Experiencing no more than tidal surges we were mercifully safe in Cochin harbour, however like others the world over, we have been shocked to see the devastation brought to other areas of the Indian Ocean and were motivated to ask what we can do to assist those who have suffered loss?
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Cochin is home to many fishing communities and as a company of boat builders we have decided that we are best placed to assist with the replacement of fishing vessels in the affected areas of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and to make these on a non-profit basis. Our information is that somewhere in the region of 13,000 fishing boats have been lost to service - 3000 probably permanently. Replacing these vessels is essential if those fishing famillies who have suffered loss are to rebuild the economic basis of their lives. To ensure that everything is "correct" our UK director, Dr. John Crabtree, has arranged for a Rotary Club (see here for information about the Rotary organisation) based in England to collect donations from those people who would like to contribute, and for them to only release money once satisfied that a fishing family has received a replacement boat. Details of how to make a donation are here.
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The vessels we will build are the same as those used by the fishermen of Cochin. These are traditional sea-worthy craft, originally built in wood but now also in GRP. They are used in the main for long-lining and are fitted with a small outboard motor. They have integral fishing holds and flotation chambers to keep them afloat in the event of being swamped. Each vessel will be identifiable by a marking and number moulded into the hull thus ensuring accountability, and any organisation wishing to fund a complete vessel will have it's organisations name also moulded into the hull.
Details of the boats are shown below. In addition we will have transportation costs - but these are not high and several boats can be taken on one truck. Also at this moment in time there will be taxes to pay, but we hope that some of this will be waived.
| 5.5 Meter | 7 Meter | 7 Meter | 8.5 Meter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOA | 18 | 23 | 23 | 27 |
| Main Beam | 4 | 4 | 5,75 | 4.9 |
| Transom | 2.5 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 4 |
| Draft | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.5 |
| Fish Storage | 4 x 2 | 5 x 2 | 6 x 3 | 6 x 3 |
| Total Cost | 85,000 | 92,000 | 1,00,000 | 1,10,000 |
| Outboard Motors | ||||
| Power (hp) | 9.9 | 15 | 15 | 25 |
| Cost | 65,000 | 70,000 | 70,000 | 75,000 |
Arun Louis - our Ops Manager - visited localities just south of our location. Here is what he had to say:
Most casualities were in Chidambaram, Velankanni and Nagapattanam in Tamil Nadu, and in Kollam in Kerala. I went and visited Kollam. For more than 2 kilometers the costal area is destroyed all the houses were gone. It is really sad to see those things in life.
See also this link