Life After Cruising: The Legacy of the BRally

By Capt. Silvio dos Passos Ramos (Brazil)

After more than 100,000 nautical miles logged aboard my RO-400 Matajusi, I have learned that the sea eventually gives back everything you put into it; patience, humility, and a deeper understanding of yourself.

Crossing oceans was never just about reaching a destination – it was about discovering what kind of person returns from the voyage.

A Journey That Became a Movement

Between 2008 and 2013, during my circumnavigation via the Great Capes, I began to notice how little visibility Brazil had on the global cruising map.

Foreign yachts often sailed past our 7,000-kilometer coastline – from the Amazon delta to the south of Santa Catarina – without stopping, mostly because of fragmented information, unclear procedures and language barriers.

While crossing South Africa in 2012, the idea was born: to create a bridge between the Brazilian coast and the world’s cruising routes.

That was the moment when the BRally (Brazilian Rally) took shape, not as a race or commercial event, but as a community-driven initiative to welcome visiting sailors and connect them with local cruisers, marinas, and authorities.

Building a Network Without Sponsors

From the beginning, BRally grew organically, without corporate backing or political influence.

Everything was built through collaboration: sailors sharing anchorages, marinas offering support, and volunteers translating port procedures and customs requirements for foreign yachts.

The first years were slow, almost invisible, yet the impact was real.

By 2021, BRally organized the first large-scale inland expedition ever attempted by cruisers in Brazil: BRally Amazon 2021 – a flotilla of 11 sailboats that navigated the Rio Amazonas up to Alter do Chão, deep in the rainforest.

It was a journey that combined adventure, logistics, and diplomacy – showing the world that Brazil’s rivers could be as captivating as its coastline.

Since then, regional editions like BRally Angra Bay, BRally Bahia, and BRally Ubatuba, have helped unify sailors and marinas that once operated in isolation.

The motto has always been simple: “Sail together, learn together, grow together.”

Beyond Bureaucracy – Cultural Navigation

BRally has also served a cultural mission: to introduce Brazil to visiting cruisers through genuine connection rather than tourism marketing. Participants are invited to meet local families, visit shipyards, and experience traditional communities along the coast and rivers.

The initiative has also supported international sailors in practical ways; helping with local clearances, contacts for repairs, and safe anchoring advice.

Each rally generates a wealth of shared data: charts; routes; and first-hand reports – now published openly on www.brally.com.br.

In many ways, BRally has become the “missing link” between Brazil’s sailing potential and the international cruising world.

Writing the Wake

As BRally expanded, so did my wish to document the journey that inspired it.

I started writing a five-volume series titled “A Volta ao Mundo no Veleiro Matajusi” (Around the World on SV Matajusi), blending technical narrative, poetry, and the humor of life at sea.

The series is being revised and translated into English, with the first volume already available on Kindle.

The project will later merge into a single print edition to preserve the full story for readers and fellow sailors.

Through writing, I found a new ocean – one of words, memory, and reflection.

“Life after cruising,” for me, is not about leaving the sea behind, but transforming its lessons into something that others can navigate.

Passing the Torch

Today, my role has evolved from full-time cruiser to mentor, writer, and bridge-builder.

The website www.brally.com.br and WhatsApp group, continue as hubs for international sailors, while the YouTube channel Papo de Circunavegador (“Sailor’s Talk”) shares technical discussions, interviews, and stories from those who have rounded the world under sail.

I’ve learned that many sailors dream of exploring Brazil, but hesitate because of uncertainty or lack of guidance.  BRally was created to remove those barriers, not through bureaucracy, but through friendship and first-hand experience.  It’s not a company, it’s not an association, it’s a movement built on trust.

A Vision for the Future

As Brazil gains more visibility among international cruisers, I see BRally evolving into a broader open network where local sailors and visiting yachts share logistics, data, and cultural experiences in real time.

The long-term goal is to formalize public and institutional recognition of this community effort – not to commercialize it, but to preserve its collaborative spirit.

If there is a legacy in what we built, it’s that sailing can unite people who might never meet otherwise, and that Brazil deserves a permanent place on the world’s blue highways.

Life After the Wake

Many ask what happens after crossing every ocean.  The answer, I’ve discovered, is simple: you start helping others cross theirs.  My wake on the sea has become a path for others to follow – and that, perhaps, is the truest reward of a lifetime under sail.

Fair winds and calm seas,

Cap. Silvio P. Ramos
Circumnavigator,
SV Matajusi

………………………

About the Author

• BRally and Task Force Founder
• OCC Regional Rear Commodore Brazil (Member 3433)
• CA HLR – Honorable Local Representative (Member 56238)

………………………

Related Links

• BRally website

………………………

© 2025 Noonsite. This content was edited by Noonsite. Do not reproduce without permission. All rights reserved.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.

If you have found this information useful, become a paid member to enjoy unlimited use of Noonsite plus many other perks. Your membership fees really help our small, dedicated team keep country information up-to-date in support of cruisers worldwide. Find out more about Noonsite Membership levels and benefits here.

Subscribe to our FREE monthly newsletter: https://www.noonsite.com/newsletter/