"We are often asked whether sailing around the world is dangerous," says Miguel Garcia, owner of the Oyster 595 "Aliena". "The answer is quite simple: if you choose a safe route and try to minimise the risks, it's not dangerous." For owners dreaming of sailing around the world for the first time, the 70-year-old Spaniard, who has already travelled around the globe three times on his own keel with his wife Carmen, recommends taking part in the Oyster World Rally, "because the shipyard takes care of all the planning and guides novice circumnavigators along the safest routes to the most beautiful sailing paradises imaginable."
What sounds like a dream has just one catch: to take part, you must be the owner of an Oyster yacht that is at least 45 feet long. The year of construction doesn't matter, the boat just has to come from the shipyards in Southampton. "We've already had a number of customers who have bought a yacht from us just to take part in the rally," says shipyard manager Ashley Highfield.
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