Vice-Admiral flags off Offshore Sailing Rally

Mumbai, Jan 15 (UNI) Flag-Officer and Commander-in-Chief of the western Naval Command, Vice-Admiral Sangram Singh Byce today flagged off the National Offshore Sailing Rally from the Naval Sailing Club here.

Speaking on the occasion the Vice-Admiral said the rally was a part of spreading maritime awareness in the era of globalization wherein the sea will make a crucial difference.

''If India aspires to be counted among the developed nations, the country has to look towards the sea, as 90 per cent volume of it's external trade is through sea 70 per cent of which is of valuable assets,'' he pointed out.

A total of eight teams comprising 40 naval persons and various member clubs across the country are participating in this rally.

Some of them are WTCs Chilka, Goa, Kochi, Mumbai, Shivaji, Vulsara and Visakhapatnam.

In addition, Naresh Yadav, who is an international sailor with many medals to his credit, is the skipper of one of the teams representing Mumbai.

The expedition will set sail in two legs, the first from Mumbai to Goa covering a distance of 225 nautical miles (NM), which is expected to be covered in two to three days.

The second leg will comprise of a distance of 375 NM from Goa to Kochi expected to be covered in four days.

Out of the 40 participants from the Navy, 35 are freshers and have not participated in any long distance sailings.

The boats which will be used in the rally are all of J-24 types.

UNI