Current practice

Only three boats finished the 2008 Dubai to Muscat race. Dogged by high seas, light winds and fishing nets AGMC BMW took line honours.

Planning, preparation and the development of a solid strategy are important for success in all facets of life; in offshore sailing they are imperative.

Covering a distance of 380 nautical miles through the shallows of the Arabian Gulf, threading the Straits of Hormuz and out into the deeper waters of the Indian Ocean, the Dubai to Muscat Sailing Race is no exception.

The 2008 competition represented the 15th running of a race inaugurated in 1991 and whilst the current record stands at 51 hours, 52 minutes and 31 seconds, most boats spend considerably longer at sea before finishing under the rugged mountains of Muscat.

On Friday 18th January 14 yachts headed for the start line in front of the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club. Ahead lay a gruelling 90 mile beat into 20 knots of wind and Christophe Vanek, skipper of AGMC BMW was pragmatic about what lay ahead.

"Our co-skipper Yousef Bin Lahej gave us a great start and after 30 minutes we were holding third position behind the two favourites, YO! and Faith. We knew however that with 15-20 knots of wind coming in from the North-northeast we were going to have to work hard. Nobody was going to sleep as everybody was needed on the rail for the next 24 hours."

As twilight fell on the first evening AGMC BMW's fortune took a turn for the worse. An abandoned fishing net wrapped the keel, snagging itself around the Beneteau First 34's bulb and rudder.

Grabbing a knife and knotting a rope around his waist Gerard Mussard plunged overboard and spent 45 minutes in the inky blackness freeing the net. Exhausted by his exploits Gerrard was eventually hauled aboard and deservedly spent the next few hours recovering in his bunk.

Despite being one crew member light on the rail AGMC BMW continued into the night, fearing how the lost time would affect their position. After losing sight of Faith at sunset the previous evening the crew were delighted when she was spotted just six miles ahead off Khasab at daybreak.

Christophe puts this down to the commitment of his crew. "The boat was running well with full main and Jib #3 and we really had her in the groove. To get the most out of it the crew stayed on the rail all night. It was cold and wet but they demonstrated what it takes to go yacht racing. No pain no gain!"

As the boats entered the Straits, wind over tide conditions created standing waves up to a meter and a half high. Racing through such conditions on a 34ft boat was a true roller coaster ride.

With the strong tidal rip in their favour AGMC BMW's speed over ground increased to nine knots but it was not to last. After exiting the Strait of Hurmoz at 1pm and carrying the current for another two miles, the wind began dying from the North East.

In order to build speed and create apparent wind the decision was made to make a heading straight for Iran. With the masthead 0.6oz spinnaker up, the boat was running at around four knots in a shifty wind that resulted in the boat heading dead east at times.

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