Article Posted on : - Aug 11, 2009

A File Photo of the yacht Mhadei which received a rousing welcome at the Naval dockyard and Donde

GOA (ON BOARD INSV MHADEI) (PTI): The journey has begun for India's first-ever solo voyage on the yacht Indian Navy's vessel 'Mhadei' circumnavigating the globe with the yacht already started sailing towards Mumbai on Monday from where it will herald its journey of a lifetime.

Eight days from now, on August 19, the yacht will leave for the global tour traveling for about 21,600 nautical miles spanning around nine months under various trying conditions.

The yacht specially made for the purpose in Goa is 56x15 feet and has triple skin, a combination of fibre glass, wooden core and fibre glass again.

"Of the total journey, the INSV Mhadei will cover 13,000 nautical miles of Southern Ocean which has herculean natural hurdles like extreme wind condition, weather and at times icebergs floating in it," Vice Admiral (Retd) Manohar Awati told reporters at Chicalim jetty here from where the yacht sailed from Mumbai.

The 56-ft yacht is indigenously made and fitted with state-of-the-art navigation & communication equipment. Nicknamed ‘Mhadei’ after the ancient name of the river Mandovi in Goa, the yacht would travel 21,600 nautical miles to and from Mumbai to Freemantle (Australia), Christ Church (New Zealand), Port Stanley, and Cape Town (South Africa).