ComBank funds eco-friendly boat

The winner of the inaugural 'The Ray' award for invention presented in 2012 by the Ray Wijewardene Charitable Trust with the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission and the Commercial Bank, Indresri Karunatilaka launched his eco-friendly boat on the waters of the Beira Lake recently.

The 12-foot, blue and white craft, Nadee Yathra, can seat four people and has a mid-mounted 15hp motor.

As principal sponsor of this life-time award, the Commercial Bank provided a grant of Rs. 1 million to enable Karunatilaka to prepare the invention for commercialisation.

Representatives of the three organisations that supported its fabrication, from an award-winning prototype to a commercially viable conveyance were also present.

An accountant by profession, inventor Indresiri Karunatilaka inherited a dormant passenger and cargo transport business from his grandfather, but could not resume the service along the Kalu Ganga because present environmental regulations prohibit motor boats on rivers due to damage caused to riverbanks and riverbeds by the waves they generate.

This inspired him to design a rectangular boat with a revolutionary hull shape that can travel at speed without creating a wave, and even minimises ripples, an invention that was chosen from six short-listed for the prestigious 'The Ray' award in October 2012.

Commissioner, Sri Lanka Inventors Commission, Deepal Sooriyarachchi said, "It is only through innovation that we can win economic prosperity."

Presented in memory of Ray Wijewardene (1924-2010), the Ray Award is open to all Presidential Award winners of the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission, in the categories - sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, engineering and aeronautics.