Indian Naval Sailing Vessels arrive at Visakhapatnam for President's Fleet Review 2022
India Today
Indian Naval Sailing Vessels arrived in Visakhapatnam on Friday for the President's Fleet Review 2022.
Six ocean-going Indian Naval Sailing Vessels (INSVs) Mhadei, Tarini, Bulbul, Hariyal, Kadalpura, and Neelkanth arrived in Visakhapatnam from Goa on Friday to participate in the President's Fleet Review 2022 (PFR 2022) Sail Parade.
All six boats form part of the Ocean Sailing Node at INS Mandovi at Goa, which is under Southern Naval Command and are being manned by six naval officers drawn from three Commands of Navy, ANC and IHQ MoD (Navy). The crew also includes six women officers.
The expedition began in Goa on January 12 and ended on January 22. The INSVs travelled 1,600 nautical miles (almost 3,000 kilometres) from Goa to Visakhapatnam under the auspices of the Indian Naval Sailing Association (INSA), which is based at IHQ MoD (N), New Delhi.
The Indian Navy uses these yachts for ocean sailing to instil a sense of adventure, improve risk-taking abilities, and hone essential seamanship skills such as navigation, communication, technical operation of engines and onboard machinery, operation of Inmarsat equipment, logistics planning.
It also strengthens the Indian Navy's ability to project a benign presence around the world by participating in sailing expeditions such as the Sagar Parikrama and Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro races, as well as the IONS sailing expedition.
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INSV Mhadei had previously completed a solo circumnavigation of Sagar Parikrama with Captain Dilip Donde in 2010 and Commander Abhilash Tomy in 2013. She also ran the Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro race in 2011, 2014, and 2017.
