Trishna (yacht)

Trishna is a Swan 37 yacht belonging to the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The name Trishna means “to thirst for” in the Sanskrit language.[1] The 1970-vintage boat, earlier known as Guinevere of Sussex, was purchased in 1984 from the United Kingdom. The yacht has since been used for long distance ocean sailing and training. The first of the yachts' journeys after it was acquired was its voyage from Gosport to Mumbai, India. Subsequently, the yacht embarked on its most notable voyage, the circumnavigation of the globe from 1985 to 1987. This was the first such achievement by an Indian crew.[2] In subsequent years, the yacht has been used for international cruises primarily in the Indian Ocean region and is currently still operational.

Yacht Trishna begins its epic circumnavigation.
History
 IndiaIndia
Name: Trishna
Owner: Sapper Adventure Foundation
Operator: Indian Army Corps of Engineers
Port of registry: Mumbai, India
Builder: Nautor's Swan
Launched: 1970
Christened: Guinevere of Sussex
Acquired: 1984
In service: Yes
Renamed: Trishna
Homeport: Mumbai
Identification: BOM 109
General characteristics
Class and type: Swan 37
Type: Yacht
Tonnage: 10.5 tonnes
Length: 36 ft 6 in
Beam: 10 ft 9 in
Draught: 6 ft 1 in
Sail plan: Sloop
Crew: 6

Background

The Indian Army Engineers have been in the forefront of adventure activities in the Country, whether on land, sea or air. They have been the pioneers in Ocean Cruising in India.[3]

The Sapper Adventure Foundation had sponsored a sailing expedition from Bombay to Bandar Abbas, Iran in 1977[4] in an 18-foot 1909-vintage wooden Seabird[5] Class sailboat Albatross. This was an exercise to test the sailing capabilities of the sailors of the Corps of Engineers and a precursor to the circumnavigation of the globe by the Sappers on Trishna.

Purchase of boat and sail from Gosport, England to Bombay, India

[6] The planning for the circumnavigation commenced in early 1980s and finally took off in 1984 when a team of officers from the Corps of Engineers flew to the U.K. to buy a boat and sail it back to India. Limited funds dictated the Sapper Adventure Foundation to opt for the purchase of a second-hand sailboat for the venture. After an extensive survey of the second-hand boat market in the U.K., the 1970-vintage Swan 37 boat Guinevere of Sussex was shortlisted, which was based at Brighton.[7] After purchase of the yacht, it was sailed by the crew to the Joint Services Sailing Center, Gosport, U.K., now known as the Joint Services Adventure Sail Training Center,[8] where it underwent minor repairs and partial essential re-fit to make it sail-worthy for the voyage back to India. The crew also underwent sail training, which was organised under the aegis of the Royal Engineers. Major Ron Gravels, ex-Royal Engineers, was engaged and he undertook a month-long sail training program for the crew on the Solent, English Channel crossings to Cherbourg culminating in a sail to the ports of Guernsey and Alderney in the Channel Islands.[9]

Trishna entering Gibraltar harbour

Trishna set off on her first long distance voyage from the Joint Services Sailing Center, Gosport, U.K. on 12 October 1984. With the onset of winter, the crew had a rough passage, especially in the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. With halts at Alderney (14 October), A Coruña (20 October), Lisbon (26 October), Gibraltar (1 November), Ibiza (7 November), Malta (17 November), Iraklion (24 November), Port Said (1 December) through the Suez Canal to Port Suez (7 December),[10] Port Sudan (15 December), Aden (30 December), Salalah (10 January 1985), Muscat, Oman (19 January) and Bombay (1 February 1985).[11][12][13]

Team

The team to sail the boat back from Gosport, United Kingdom to Bombay, India consisted of the following members:[7]

  • Maj K. S. Rao, SC, SM, - Skipper
  • Maj Amreshwar Pratap Singh, SM (Bar), VSM
  • Maj A. K. Singh, KC, SM
  • Capt Sanjeev Shekhar, SC
  • Capt Chandrahas Bharti, SC
  • Col T. P. S. Chowdhary, AVSM, Team Manager - sailed from Gosport to Port Said
  • Capt M.S. Pillai, SM - sailed from Port Said to Mumbai

Maj A. K. Singh was handicapped. His leg had been amputated above the knee after a hang gliding accident in 1981.[14]

Voyages by Trishna
See also: First Indian circumnavigation

Note: The Goodwill Sailing Expedition 1994-1995 was the first occasion when a lady member, 2/Lt. Deepanita Dass, was included as a crew member in any Indian sailing expedition.[18]

Silver Jubilee Anniversary

The Indian Army Corps of Engineers celebrated the silver jubilee of the historic completion of the First Indian circumnavigation on 10 January 2012 by again sailing Trishna across Mumbai harbour to the Naval Sailing Club, Colaba, Mumbai, the place from where she had set off on its journey in 1985.[23]

Gallery: Gosport-Bombay 1984-1985
  • Puja on board after taking possession of Trishna at Brighton Marina
  • The team at the Joint Services Sailing Center, Gosport with Maj Gen HK 'Harry' Kapoor, Maj Gen Neil Carter, RE and Maj Ron Gravels
  • A training sail along the Solent
  • Working on the boat at the Joint Services Sailing Center, Gosport
  • Invoking the Sea Gods for a safe voyage before sail off from Gosport
  • Boat maintenance at La Corona after battling storms during the Bay of Biscay crossing
  • A relaxing moment with the Portuguese Army Commandos at Lisboa
  • Sailing out of Lisboa
  • Crew at the Royal Navy base at Gibraltar
  • Battling the seas during storms in the Red Sea
  • Cleaning up during Mother's Watch routine
  • A calm moment in the Arabian Sea

References
  1. "An Epic Circumnavigation by Sail Comes to an End". Transportation History. 2019-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  2. Banerjee-Bey, Yana (29 October 2005). "An epic voyage". The Telegraph.
  3. "Corps of Engineers - Adventure Activities". Official website of the Indian Army.
  4. "35 days in an open boat". Tehran Journal. Tehran. 1 December 1977.
  5. "Bombay Sailing Association". Bombaysailing.com. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  6. "'Sappers' cruise round-the-world". The Patriot. New Delhi. 21 February 1985.
  7. "Sappers to go on World cruise". Maharashtra Herald. Bombay. 7 February 1985.
  8. "JSASTC".
  9. "Indian Army team sails around the World". India Weekly. London. 11 October 1984.
  10. "The Egyptian Gazette 20 Dec 1984". The Egyptian Gazette. 1984-12-07.
  11. "Unique sailing experience". Blitz. Bombay. 9 February 1985.
  12. "A big yachting adventure". Evening News. New Delhi. 15 February 1985.
  13. "Rousing reception to yacht Trishna". Free Press Journal. Bombay. 2 February 1985.
  14. "On a global feat". The Sun. Bombay. March 1985.
  15. "The Call of the Sea". Delhi Recorder. Mar 1985. p. 43.
  16. "Indian Army Engineers gear up to sail around the World". India Today. Mumbai. 15 April 1985.
  17. ""Trishna" is back". The Daily. Bombay. 23 April 1985.
  18. ""Trishna" to sail on Goodwill Mission". The Times of India. Mumbai. 20 October 1994.
  19. "Trishna millennium expedition – VSNL sponsors sailing expedition". Inmarsat.vsnl.com. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  20. Chowdhury, Nandita (31 October 1996). "Indian Army Engineers Corps sail all around World in just two years". India Today, Mumbai.
  21. Nasry, Laila (12 March 2000). "Breaking waves in little yacht". The Sunday Times, Colombo.
  22. "Sappers Adventure Foundation". Ash.marinebiztv.com. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  23. "Army men relive historic moment". Zeenews.india.com. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
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