Q:	Can I obtain visas in the countries on arrival?
A:	All the Countries, except India for this country arrange a visa in the Indian Embassy in Thailand, Sri Lanka or Maledives if coming from the far East. Coming from the North Yemen (Sanaa) or Oman (Muscat). For the Europe Union Countries the max. stay in one year is 3 months. See Noonsite.com (News) EU regulations.
Q:	I heard some yachts had some problems on the Vasco de Gama Rally 2005-6. What happened and how can I ensure this doesn't happen to me?
A:	Three yachts had problems: The first yacht caught fire due to an electrical problem which could have happened at any time. Luckily they were part of the Rally and both crew were able to be rescued by other participants. If they had not been part of the Rally, it would have been much more serious. The second yacht hit reefs several times because of lack of experience in navigation and cruising. The third yacht hit a reef because the skipper did not realise that the wind speed behind him had increased his overall speed by 4 knots and was sailing too fast between the reefs which meant that he was unable to react in time to avoid a collision.
Q:	How dangerous is the Rally?
A:	Sailing in the Rally is no more dangerous than sailing in the Med. In both cases the captain has to be knowledgeable and experienced in sailing and navigation and the yacht must be well equipped and maintained.
Q:	What has been organised to maximise safety of the participants through the Gulf of Aden?
A:	Lo Brust has had several meetings with the Coastguard, Navy and Harbour Authorities in Aden. They advise us to sail no further than 10 miles from the Yemen Coast. They now have many speedboats to protect the coastline. During the Rally they will be alerted as to the whereabouts of the yachts. Also the Dutch Embassy in Oman informed the Operational Centre for the International Coalition Fleet about the Rally with a request to keep an eye on all the yachts.
Q:	I have read in a forum in the German magazine "Yacht" that John and Jolanda were Co-organisers and left the organisation during the Rallly?
A:	This must be a misunderstanding as they left the organization in May 2006 in Goa, after the rally had finished (see website for the first Rally updated June 2006).
Q:	How certain is it that the Vasco da Gama Rally will run?
A:	There are now 25 yachts subscribed for the Rally and it will definitely start on the 30/09/07.
Q:	What can I do after the rally? Can I leave my boat in India?
A:	After arriving in Mumbai end April last year, 3 yachts left from there to Langkawi in Malaysia. 2 weeks later 2 others yachts left from Goa in the same destination. In September, 5 yachts left Goa heading for Langkawi and 3 yachts to Chagos. The 6 last yachts sailed to Cochin, and 5 yachts left in January 2007 to the Maledives and are on this moment sailing to Langkawi. The Mistral sailed back to Turkey and is now in Finike. During the monsoon time from June to September, several people flew back to their home country. Other people traveled trough India, and enjoyed this very much. So you see there are many options.
Q:	What is the total duration of this Rally?
A:	This depends on where you start or leave. Turkey- India will take about 6 months, it's possible to join and leave the rally at many different places.
Q:	What about health, do I need vaccinations?
A:	This depends entirely on your own attitude to possible risks. I would recommend that you make your own risk assessment. A site that may be helpfull is www.cdc.gov/travel/
Q:	Do you have some info of the countries visited?
A:	Usefull sites are: www.noonsite.com earth.google.com encarta.msn.com Universal Currency Convertor
Q:	My question is not posed, what now?
A:	We try to give you an answer as soon as it is possible. Original and frequently asked questions will be placed on this page. You can also make your comment on the Questions or Comments section on the Entry Form when you join the Rally.