KOCHI: To foster interest in sailing, the Indian Navy is hosting an inter-command ocean sailing race from Kochi to Goa from November 22 to 26. Thirty-two Navy personnel, including eight women officers, will form four teams, each representing a Navy command, and race 360nm to Goa.
The race is one in a long string of sailing events that the Navy has been organising in recent months. “Glad to see offshore racing becoming a constant part of the Indian Navy’s sailing calendar,” says Cdr Abhilash Tomy (retd), the first Indian to circumnavigate the world solo, unassisted, and without stops.
“The crew was selected from a pool of volunteers with adequate sea sailing experience. The senior-most participant is of the rank of a Commodore, and the junior-most is an Agniveer,” reads a Navy statement.
Four 40-footer sailing vessels of the Navy, namely Bulbul, Neelkanth, Kadalpura, and Hariyal, have been
employed for the race. which begins from the Naval Base in Kochi. The five-day event comes close on the heels of the Sailing Championship, which was held in Mumbai from November 5 to 9. With more than 100 participants, it was one of the largest sailing regattas hosted by the Navy.
These two events align with the Navy’s recent efforts to promote watermanship activities to inculcate a spirit of adventure and instil the “indefinable sea sense” and respect for elements of nature, which are inseparable from safe and successful seafaring.
The races also serve to impart the values of courage, camaraderie, endurance, and “esprit-de-corps” amongst budding naval personnel. “The last two decades have seen India carve its due space in the global sailing ecosystem. In this short time, eight of its sailors have earned a place on the world circumnavigators list. Their journeys have inspired a new generation of youngsters to cast their eyes on the horizon and sail,” explains Cmdr Srikant Kesnur, the former director of Naval War College.
The race, held under the aegis of the Indian Naval Sailing Association, is being organised by the Southern Naval Command. Kochi’s Offshore Sailing Club and Ocean Sailing Node, Goa, are tasked with coordination work.
Thrust for sailing
The event aligns with the Navy’s efforts to promote watermanship activities to inculcate a spirit of adventure and instil the “indefinable sea sense” and respect for elements of nature, which are inseparable from safe and successful seafaring.