SOLO UNDER SAIL

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. -- Robert Frost SOLO CIRCUMNAVIGATION UNDER SAILS

 Should start and finish in the same Port

 Should not pass through any Canals or Straits

 Should cross all meridians at least once

 Should cross the Equator at least twice

 Should be more than 21600 Nm

 Should go round the three great capes viz Leeuvin, & SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS

 Number of people gone in Space – Approx 600

 Number of people climbed Mt Everest – Approx 5000

 Number of Solo Circumnavigators – 170

 No Indian 

Building the Yacht

HULL OUT OF AC TENT FOR UPRIGHTING

First boat of her kind in the country, constructed by Mr Ratnakar Dandekar of Aquarius Fibreglas, GOA

Length – 17.1 m Beam – 5 m Draft – 2.7 m Air Draft – 25.1 m Displacement – 23 T Material – Wood core epoxy Sails - 06

Goa-Mauritius-Goa May 09

GETTING READY FOR MAURITIUS Goa-Mauritius-Goa May 09

OFF TO MAURITIUS Goa-Mauritius-Goa Jun 09 MHADEI RETURNS TO GOA AFTER 14 DAYS OF AND 2400 NM FLAGGED OFF BY CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF ON 19 AUG 09 LegMumbai I - toMumbai Fremantle to Fremantle Aug – Sep 09 5400 Nm & 35 days

Erratic winds before the Equator and in the subtropical high

Equatorial squalls

SE Trade winds forcing a course towards instead of

Mainsheet padeye uprooted Mumbai to Fremantle Aug – Sep 09 EQUATORIAL SUNRISE Mumbai to Fremantle Aug – Sep 09

EQUATORIAL SUNSET Mumbai to Fremantle Aug – Sep 09

UNEXPECTED VISITOR Mumbai to Fremantle 31 Aug 09

MHADEI UNDER SCRUTINY………. Mumbai to Fremantle Aug – Sep 09

………BY THE ENTIRE FAMILY! Leg II - Fremantle to Lyttelton Nov 09 3100 NM & 19 Days Genoa shredded on the first night due to a large wave hitting it and snapping the clew ring while negotiating big head seas

Stbd steering gear uprooted in 9 mtrs swell and 55 kts winds

Worst weather in the entire trip south of

Introduction to the !

Iceberg warning LANDFALL AFTER 18 DAYS – SNARES ! FAN FOLLOWING! ARRIVAL AT LYTTELTON PORT OF CHRISTCHURCH TRADITIONAL MAORI WELCOME – A RARE HONOUR … ADM MEHTA NOW AS THE INDIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER HEADING STRAIGHT 1200, 12/12/09 INTO A GALE 12 months after the boat was launched Leg III - Lyttelton to Port Stanley Dec 09 – Jan 10 5100 nm & 34 days of Pacific crossing

Both autopilots failed within 30 mins of each other

Genset unserviceable, no heater without genset

Frequent uprooting of windvane wheel attachment causing crash gybes & damage to vang

Strong easterly winds few days before Cape Horn forcing a course towards Antarctica

Roaring 40s, furious 50s & Cape Horn lived up to their reputation! ROUNDING THE HORN – THE EVEREST OF OCEAN SAILING A ROYAL ESCORT - HMS YORK SAIL PAST OFF THE WATERFRONT SAMMY THE SEAL FALKLANDERS! ESCORTED OUT BY HMS YORK LegPort Stanley IV - Port to Cape Stanley Town to Cape Town Feb 10 3700 nm & 24 days of Atlantic crossing Big weather systems forced a more northerly course than desired

Strong SE winds & Agulhas current short of Cape Town made getting to port difficult

Water paddle of Windvane fell off at night in bad weather

Genoa & Stay sail tore before entering harbour

Main halyard damaged forcing to sail with one reef or more RECEIVED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN NAVAL YACHT DENIZENS OF CAPE TOWN THE MUCH FEARED CAPE OF GOOD HOPE AU REVOIR CAPE TOWN LegCape TownV - Cape - Mumbai Town to Mumbai Apr – May 10 5800 nm & 45 days

Genoa & spare Genoa tore in freak gales

Onset of winters made the roaring 40s roar louder & till 35 deg South!

Nil winds followed by strong head winds in the subtropical high south of Madagascar

Cooking gas leaked out

Light - shifty winds & extreme heat North of Equator OUT OF THE ROARING 40S CROSSING MAURITIUS YET AGAIN! WITHIN A YEAR! ROMPING HOME! RECEIVED BY THE VICE PRESIDENT ENTERING CAPE TOWN FOR CAPE TO RIO RACE - 2011 RACE PREPARATIONS – JAN 2011 MENTOR FOR SAGARPARIKRAMA II – NOV 2012 CAPE TO RIO RACE – JAN 2014 ANDAMANS – DEC 2014 TRANS ATLANTIC RACE - 2015 TRANS ATLANTIC RACE - 2015 FIRST ALL WOMEN OCEAN SAILING TEAM - 2016 Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain While the questions pop up .....