The
Kerala houseboat, tourism's hottest new attraction, graces the
waters with a trail of history behind it. It is the
contemporary version of the "Kettuvallom" or
"boat with knots", the traditional country craft of
Kerala. 80 feet long, these giant boats were once built by
tying together massive planks of wood. Once used as rice
boats, a part of it was covered with bamboo and coir to be
used as a restroom and kitchen for the crew. A properly
maintainedKettuvallom lasted for generations. The
advent of road transportation of cargo pushed these ingenious
boats to the verge of extinction. Today this utilitarian
country craft has undergone an exciting evolution. Thanks to
an innovative holiday idea.
Scientifically
designed fibreglass houseboats
Samudra
Shipyard has been building boats for more than three decades.
Currently, true to its penchant for innovation, it is
replacing wood with fibreglass while making luxury houseboats.
These scientifically designed and tested holiday cruise boats
have become a benchmark in modern-day boat building.
The
luxurious furnished houseboat gracing the backwaters is the
hottest thing to happen to tourism in India. This exotic barge
meant for leisure cruises comes with 2 and 3 attached
bedrooms, modern toilets, a snug living room, an open lounge
and a kitchen. More than a house built to float on water, it
can actually be a cruise boat or a floating restaurant.
Age-old
tradition. New-age technology
Samudra
Shipyard has opened fresher insights into the making of a
modern houseboat. Earlier in the Kettuvallam, the hull used to
bear all the weight. But with the most notable addition of the
superstructure, the problem of stability has come up. Safety
too has been another problem all through. Samudra's pioneering
introduction of scientific design into its new-age fibreglass
houseboat tackles all these issues comprehensively.
The
making of a flawless houseboat
Running
on an inboard diesel engine, Samudra's fibreglass houseboat is
the result of extensive R&D. The hull is put through a
tank-testing facility at the Department of Ocean Engineering,
IIT Chennai, the only such facility in India.
The
best brains in India work behind the fibreglass houseboat. The
project is undertaken jointly with the Advanced Composites
Division of the Technology Information & Forecasting
Assessment Council (TIFAC), New Delhi. TIFAC is a division
under the Department of Science & Technology, forecasting
future technological requirements for all sectors. TIFAC's
Advanced Composites Division, earlier headed by Dr.
A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, the honourable President of India now
offers assistance to all composite-related sectors.
In
fact the President during his last visit to Kerala,
recommended a ten point programme for the development of the
state as a whole. One among them was tourism and Samudra is
trying to play a key role in its own inimitable manner.
The
hull of the houseboat, designed at IIT Chennai, is made by
virtually eliminating wood. Making it maintenance-free and
eco-friendly. Space-age technology, like the one employed in
the making of the fuselage of Boeing aircraft (vacuum
bagging), is pressed into use. The Industrial Design Centre, a
wing of IIT Mumbai, designs the entire fibreglass
superstructure. IIT Kharagpur and the Department of Tourism
Kerala are also part of the project along with Samudra.
Samudra
- Where technology modernizes tradition
Starting
as a small crafts company, Samudra has come a long way over
the years. It has been introducing lasting technological
advantages on an ongoing basis. At present it is the only ISO
9001:2000 certified company in its field of activity. At the
helm of the company are professionals with an enduring passion
for the tradition, art and science of boat building.
Today,
Samudra Shipyard, though it does not build bulk carriers, does
not just stop with small crafts either. It designs and builds
all-weather seagoing crafts as well as backwater and inland
crafts. From a 3 metre canoe to fibreglass houseboats up to 27
metres long, Samudra's product range includes power boats up
to 750 HP, luxury cruisers, catamarans, water sport equipment
{parasails, row / pedal/ canoes) and Life-saving
accessories.The fishing boat range starts from 3 metres up to
23 metres.
Samudra's operational
area is spread over 4 key sectors: Tourism, Defence, Fishing
and Water sports.
The major buyers are international
NGOs and Department of Science & Technology, Government of
India. Samudra is the major supplier of patrol boats to
waterborne police stations in Kerala.
One of
Samudra's major achievements in 2005 is the supply of 300
fishing boats to the tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu and
Kerala.
The sails are
unfurled, catching wind from wherever it comes. Setting out
toward ever-widening horizons, Samudra's glorious cruise is
on.
Sculpted
by tradition. Customized by 21st century technology
Samudra goes that extra
nautical mile while exploring the market trends and
requirements. From the making of hull, Samudra's fibreglass
houseboats are open to customization to a large extent. For
instance, a cladding can be put on top, if needed. And since
it is modular, the boat can be easily converted into a hotel,
library or a dance floor. The boat is ideal for day cruising
and also excels as a houseboat with 2 & 3 bedrooms.