2013 Oyster World Rally

by Nancy Knudsen on 5 Dec 2011 There's nothing more rewarding than sharing the joys, the issues, the solutions and the sheer camaraderie of swapping information and friendship with those who have the same boat as you - and when you add excitement, achievement and exhilaration to that it's a potent mixture. So it's calling all Oyster owners...What you do next could change your life forever and there's plenty of time to plan.

For this is your chance to add ‘circumnavigator’ to your name, and with it all the excitement and intrigue that very word inspires.

Conceived as an event to celebrate Oyster’s 40th Anniversary, the 2013 Oyster World Rally promises endless adventure, camaraderie and unforgettable experiences.

The Rally, which will set out from Antigua on Sunday 6 January 2013 and return to the Caribbean in April 2014, has already attracted entries from over 30 Oyster owners, some of whom are joining and leaving in ports other than Antigua.

The Oyster World Rally is being organised in-house by Oyster’s own management team and will be led by Oyster Project Manager, Debbie Johnson who will be supported by Customer Care Manager Eddie Scougall. Both Debbie and Eddie have completed circumnavigations on board Oyster yachts and their wealth of experience make them the ideal team to support owners on this journey of a lifetime.

If you are starting in the Caribbean, the rally will get the Oyster fleet through the Panama Canal and into the Pacific fairly quickly, maximizing the time visiting the Galapagos Islands and the beautiful Society Islands including Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea.

From the Pacific the fleet will head to the Great Barrier Reef, round the top of Australia, partying in Bali and heading west for Cape Town for Christmas and on to Brazil for carnival before joining up for a final grand party with the Oyster Caribbean Regatta in April 2014.

Two-day seminars have been planned to help participants prepare for the rally, taking place in London. The seminars will include key speakers on meteorology, downwind sails, medical and first aid, insurance, communications and electronics.

The seminars aren't compulsory though they are very popular with rally participants. For those unable to attend the organisers have had made arrangements for videos of the events and these can be sent by DVD.

A series of practical workshops are also being run to help people to prepare for their voyage, whether it be one leg only, or they will be completing a full circumnavigation. Lewmar has already done a great hands- on session on servicing and repairing their winches, windlasses and hydraulic equipment, and early next year Dolphin Sails will be doing a session on sail-repair, Seafresh will run a watermaker workshop, and Mastervolt will hold one on their battery charging equipment.

These workshops, whether taken live or by DVD, but will give participants a very high level of understanding of their systems on board before setting off. The organisers are also arranging sea- survival and yachtmaster training with Vortec Marine, and first aid courses run by MSOS (Medical Support OffShore), both organisations provide very high levels of useful training as well as good opportunities for crew team- building.

For more details about the Oyster World Rally please contact Debbie Johnson by emailing: debbie.johnson@oystermarine.com