This blog chronicals the voyage of Welcome, a purpose built boat, built in the UK, to join the Oyster World Rally for a 15 month west sailing, tradewind following circumnavigation from Antigua to Antigua. The OWR starts in January 2026 and ends April 2027. The rally distance is 27,000nm, with about 27 stopovers along the way. But first we have to get the boat from the UK to Antigua.

The boat

Oyster 595 extended transom
Hull # 595-20

Pumpernickel (dog) design used with permission from Author, Professor and friend to animals Alexandra Horowitz

• LOA 62’6”
• LoH 59’6”
• LWL  55’2”
• Beam 17’7”
• Air draft 90’
• Draft 8’10”
• Displacement 67,918 lbs
• Diesel tank 1,345 liters
• Water tank 1,000 liters

Sail wardrobe:

All sails by North Sails, all sails furl

• Main 3Di 956 sf
• Yankee 3Di 984 sf
• Staysail 3Di 367 sf
• Gennaker 2282 sf
• Tradewind sail 2791 sf
• Storm sail very small…

Power generations:

• Yanmar 150hp diesel
• Onan 11Kw generator
• Remoran 300-watt hydro generator (two)
• Solar panels 300 watts
• We carry 1300 liters of fuel

The passage

The (beneficial) owners

Jay and Liza Turley

First leg: Ipswich, UK > Guernsey > Las Palmas

Distance: 1800nm

Team:

• Mark Durham, captain
• Chef/crew Cat Vizor
• Crew & apprentice owners Donna and Jay
• Weather routing by Bill at PassageWeather

Second Leg: Atlantic Rally for Cruisers – Las Palmas, Canary Island > St.Lucia  

Distance: 2700nm

Team:

• Donna, co-captain
• Jay, co-captain
• Melissa Patel, crew
• Hiten Patel, crew
• Al Valvano, crew
• Weather routing by Commander Weather

Third Leg: Oyster World Rally – Antigua to Cartegena

Distance: ~ 1000nm

Team:

• Jay
• Liza
• Donna
• Andy
• Laura

Fourth Leg: OWR – Cartegena –San Blas – Panama Canal –Coiba – Galapagos – Marquéses – Tuamotu – Tahiti

Distance: ~5500nm

Team:

• Jay
• Liza
• Laura
• Andy
• Cat

We broadcast our position every hour when moving. The most direct was to see our position is here:

https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/SV-WELCOME/