Oman Sail - First Arab Around The World

First Arab Around The World

As part of a wider project to help reignite Oman’s maritime heritage and inspire youngsters to take up sailing, Mohsin Al Busaidi left Muscat, Oman on an attempt to sail non-stop around the world on January 8, 2009. 76 days later on 25 March 2009, the Sultanate of Oman welcomed him home as a hero as Mohsin entered the history books as the first Arab to sail non-stop around the world.

Musandam sailed over 24,000 nautical miles (44,000 km) during which Mohsin sailed deep into the harsh and hostile Southern Ocean as he passed the legendary capes of Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope. Since the start day on 8 January 2009 the crew have endured storms, freezing conditions, a diet of only freeze-dried food and, unless it rained, no showers and the tiny cramped conditions of a racing multihull.

Up until 15 years ago, no one had ever completed a non-stop round the world journey on board a racing multihull and still today it remains one of the hardest challenges a sailor can ever dream of tackling.

Start/finish: Muscat, Oman Boat: Musandam 75-foot (23 m) trimaran Distance: 24,287 nautical miles (44,980 km) Average speed over ground: 13.3 knots (24.6 km/h) Total journey length: 76 days, 1 hour, 12 minutes, 42 seconds Crew: Loik Gallon (Skipper) FRA, Thierry Duprey Du Vorsent FRA, Charles Darbyshire GBR, Nick Houchin GBR and Mohsin Al Busaidi OMA.