Length 17.1 meter
Length of Waterline 14.40 meter
Beam 5 meter
Displacement 23 tons
Draft 2.7 mtrs
Material Wood Core Fibreglass
Height of Mast 21 mtrs from the waterline
Design By Van De Stadt
INSV Mhadei made history by successfully completing the 'Sagar Parikrama' project for the Indian Navy, a Goa built yacht manufactured by Aquarius Fiberglas Pvt Ltd. Commander Dilip Donde became the first Indian to sail solo and circumnavigate the world. Goa has a special meaning for the boat and its crew, not only because it was built on the island of Diwar, but also because it gets its name from the ancient name of the Mandvi River.
The Sagar Parikrama program, which literally means 'circumnavigation by sea' in Hindi, is the Indian Navy's first solo circumnavigation operation. This ambitious project was conceived and overseen by V Adm (Retd) MP Awati, his VrC himself an avid sailor and receiving active support from the Indian Navy and Ministry of Defense. After researching various yacht designs, the Indian Navy focused on the Vandestadt Tonga 56 and the contract went to Aquarius Fiberglas Pvt Ltd. The boat was completed 13 months later and underwent intensive sea trials in the Arabian Sea off Goa. The boat proved to be, in the words of Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, 'a suitable boat for round-the-world trips without major drawbacks'.
Mhadei is a 56 foot sloop with a displacement of 23 tons of wood core fiberglass construction, equipped with all the necessary navigation and communication equipment for a solo circumnavigation. The boat has her suite of 8 sails, consisting of 2 mainsails, 2 genoas, 1 staysail each, 1 storm her pegs, and 2 genakers. She is also equipped with the latest communication and navigation equipment and is equipped for paperless navigation, internet broadband and worldwide telephony. During her voyage of more than 21,000 miles, the ship stopped at only four of her ports: Fremantle, Christchurch, the Falkland Islands and Cape Town. She was valued in all ports for its strong and sturdy build. Soloist Commander Dilip Donde praises the boat. "You can only think of sailing around the world when you have a strong ship and Madei lives up to your expectations."
The boat was flagged in Mumbai on 19 August 2009 and after a successful voyage she returned to Mumbai on 19 May 2010.
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