(Muscat, Oman)- After three and a half days of racing the prestigious
Dubai to Muscat Race came to a conclusion with all yachts accounted for
on the morning of Thursday, 22nd November. Racing under the RORC’S IRC
Rule, one of the sailors commented, “We stayed out of trouble and kept
going, it was as simple as that. We stayed offshore at the start in the
Arabian Gulf, to keep away from fishing nets and we got the added bonus
of more wind than the yachts that chose the inshore option. Later in the
race, after we rounded Khasab (the "horn" of the UAE that creates the
Strait of Hormuz), we could see a terrific storm ahead and we prepared
to reef and eased sheets to avoid it, this good seamanship was rewarded
as we managed to skirt around the edge of the storm." Another sailor
commented that "..we experienced a huge range of conditions, probably
the most bizarre was a series of water spouts, which caused very
confused winds."In the end, Matt Britton from the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club sailed his J/92 PRIVATEER double-handed for the 360nm race. As the smallest yacht in the class they claimed third overall-- it would have been tough going on their 30-foot yacht in the raging storms and wind they encountered along the way.
With all of the yachts in the Dubai Muscat Race finished, attention in Muscat turned to two days of inshore racing. Hundreds of sailors from Oman and overseas took part in the regatta. For more sailing information about Dubai-Muscat Race Dubai Offshore Sailing Club has a great Facebook page.
