Oman Tri Attempts Nonstop Circumnavigation

The list of nonstop circumnavigators grows longer every year. But no such campaign has ever been launched from an Arab state — until now. The 75-ft trimaran Musandam is poised for departure tomorrow from Muscat, in the Sultanate of Oman, on an around-the-world romp via the three great capes.

Although Oman Royal Navy officer Mohsin Al-Busaidi, 33, is the sole Omani within the five-man crew, in the near future the campaign’s government organizers intend to train a team of Omani sailors to represent the Arab nation at future world-class events. If successful, Al-Busaidi will be the first Omani to circumnavigate, nonstop or otherwise.

You might say that Musandam already knows her way around the planet, as she is the same boat sailed ’round by Ellen MacArthur in 2005 (then B&Q/Castorama). At the campaign’s website you can follow Musandam’s progress as she races against theoretical 80-day and 100-day pace boats.