Oman Sail’s A100 trimaran, Majan, departed Kuwait City on Tuesday, 10th November, on the first leg of the new Tour of Arabia race. Kuwait is the start of the five-leg Tour of Arabia which will link together the GCC countries. As the tour travel southwards it will stop in Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and finally, home to Muscat and the Oman Sail project.
Majan wass berthed in The Yacht Club Kuwait run by the government-owned Touristic Enterprises Company that offers berthing for 390 boats. As this is a public marina, Majan has enjoyed many visitors dropping by to talk to the crew and have a tour. Further along the coast is Al Kout that is home to the annual Kuwait Boat Show.
Majan, Oman Sail’s new A100 trimaran will be tracing out the route of this new professional sailing event organised by OC Events. Majan skipper, Paul Standbridge, commented: “It is an exciting prospect to be tracing out this new route which is really covering unchartered territory in terms of professional racing. Myself and all the Majan crew are really looking forward to this new adventure together, setting the reference times for other boats to challenge in the future years of this race. When we leave Kuwait City we will track east to avoid the oil fields and wells and other restricted areas. The total distance of the leg from Kuwait to Bahrain is 270 miles but the wind conditions here are light so we won’t be breaking any speed records! Nevertheless, sailing in light winds can be just as challenging as sailing in strong winds, as you have to work hard to keep the boat moving and making the most of the breeze when you have it. It’s good to be in a new country and the people are really friendly and helpful.”
Majan will be crewed by seven in total including skipper Paul Standbridge, and Oman Sail’s Mohsin Al Busaidi who become the first ever Arab to sail non-stop around the world in March this year. Two other Oman Sail trainees will join Paul and Mohsin alongside two professional crew and Mark Covell, a highly accomplished offshore sailing reporter as an onboard media crew member.
Kuwait is developing its modern sailing programme but it was Kuwait’s pearl industry that laid the foundation of its rich maritime history. Dhows, large wooden ships made from teak wood imported from India, became a distinct part of Kuwait’s maritime fleet and dhow building is still practiced in the state. Sailing is in its infancy in the country but the warm sea and flat waters are conducive to its development. The Kuwait Offshore Sailing Association and the Fahaheel Offshore Sailing Club promote sailing in Kuwait and run regular races and sail training programmes.
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab emirate bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. The name is a diminutive of an Arabic word meaning ‘fortress built near the water’ and home to a population of nearly 3 million. Kuwait City was first settled in the early 18th Century by the Al-Sabah clan, later the ruling family of Kuwait and a branch of the Al-Utub tribe (that also included the Al-Khalifah clan, the ruling family of Bahrain), and their leader, Sheikh Sabah.
Tour of Arabia:
Kuwait City, Kuwait
In port 7th-9th November
Depart 10th November
Manama, Bahrain
In port 12th-14th November
Depart 15th November
Doha, Qatar
In port 16th-17th November
Depart 18th November
Abu Dhabi & Dubai, United Arab Emirates
In port Abu Dhabi, 19th-20th November
Depart 21st November
In port Dubai, 21st-26th November
Depart 27th November
Muscat, Oman
Arrival end of November, 2009