Question 1

Atlantic Rally For Cruisers

Accepted Answer

World Cruising Club

The World Cruising Club are the organizers of the ARC. They organize various forms of sailing events around the world. But are perhaps best known for the Atlantic crossing events. The events have been designed for 'average' cruising boats and crews who want to do long distance sailing. The World Cruising Club makes it possible for several boats and crews to complete the voyages together. This creates a great sense of community and security for everyone involved while enabling people to realize their dream of a long ocean sail.

Jimmy Cornell founded the World Cruising Club in 1986 following the success of the very first ARC event. Since Jimmy's retirement in 1998, the company has been run by Andrew Bishop.

Other cruises organized by the World Cruising Club

The World Cruising Club also organizes other sailing trips in addition to the Atlantic sailing. These include ARC Europe, which runs from Tortula via Bermuda and the Azores to Lagos in Portugal. Then there is also ARC USA, which is several different voyages starting from the Caribbean and finishing at various destinations in the USA. The ARC Around the World long-distance race takes 18 months to complete.

Every year, around 1800 people from over 20 different nations take part in one of the World Cruising Club's rallies. The ages of the participants vary, from young children to over 80 years old. Some are making their first long-distance sail while others are repeating a favorite adventure. Some of the participants come to enjoy their retirement while others take a sabbatical from work. While some choose to start a whole new life filled with adventure.

Question 2

Frequently asked questions about the Atlantic crossing

Accepted Answer

What kind of boats do you sail?

Across the Atlantic we sail with large and beautiful catamarans that have plenty of space on board.

What is required of me as a participant to sail across the Atlantic?

As a participant, you need to have a good sailing experience so that you have an idea of what a longer sailing trip means. Since it is required that everyone on board participates in all activities such as sailing and cooking, you need to have good sailing skills. Equally important is that you have a good physique as it is a demanding sailing. On board the boat there is a well-trained skipper and assistant skipper, they will go through the boat and the technical bits to make everyone feel confident in driving the boat. Finally, it is important that you are open-minded, you will be living close to other people from different backgrounds for several weeks.

What should I wear to sail across the Atlantic?

When sailing across the Atlantic, you should be prepared for large variations in temperature. Initially, temperatures tend to be around 20 degrees during the day and 15 degrees at night. Add to that the fact that the wind tends to be very strong. All these parameters will make it feel much colder than it actually is. Therefore, prepare yourself with clothes for temperatures down to 5-10 degrees.

As you sail south, the temperature will also rise. Eventually, swimwear will feel the most appropriate. A pair of light-soled shoes and sandals are recommended. Boots can also be useful if you are able to take them with you.

To protect your head from the strong sun, we recommend bringing a cap. During the colder nights, a hat is preferable, especially during the day. During Atlantic sailing, your hands wear out, so a pair of comfortable sailing gloves is recommended. Also remember that the sun is very intense at sea and you can easily burn yourself. You should therefore wear a high factor sunscreen. We also recommend a pair of polaroid sunglasses as there is a lot of glare at sea. Please bring two pairs as it can be annoying if you lose the only pair of glasses you have with you.

Will I get seasick?

Seasickness can affect anyone, even the most experienced. So make sure you bring your own supply of seasickness medication. There are many different forms of medication, pills in different strengths, patches, chewing gum and bracelets that can relieve seasickness.

It is worth emphasizing that seasickness is not a symptom in itself but a result of several factors. The most common factors are dehydration, lack of energy and sleep disturbances. That's why it's a good idea to bring a hydration pack. You don't need to worry about food, it will of course be on board. But a few packets of dextrose can come in handy. To cope with sleep, earplugs and eye masks are recommended.

How long will I be away?

It is not possible to say how long it will take to sail across the Atlantic. This is mainly determined by weather and wind, among other things. But expect the whole adventure to take about five weeks. About a week is spent on site in Las Palmas for preparations for the sailing.

The sailing takes between two to three weeks in most cases. One week before the start of the ARC, everyone should be in Las Palmas. You have accommodation on board the boat for five weeks from the day of the inauguration of the ARC in Las Palmas.

What is the security around the event?

In order for the boat to participate in the ARC, the boat must meet the requirements set by the World Cruising Club. The skipper is responsible for ensuring that the boat meets the requirements. What the participant must undertake to have is the personal equipment:

The participant must have a personal life jacket and the life jacket must be equipped with:

Lanyard
Sprayhood
Safety line with safety carabiner at both ends, 3 hooks
Reflectors
Whistle
Lamp
Have the name of the participant and the name of the boat
Spare kit with cartridge

One piece of technical equipment that the participant can purchase is a personal locator beacon. There are two different personal locator beacons, namely PLB which transmits via satellite and MOB which transmits via AIS/RADAR transmitter. This type of equipment is not a requirement but it is recommended to have. Other equipment that is good to have on your life jacket is a knife or multi-tool. A small flashlight and a headlamp with a red light are also preferable.

What is ship's cash?

All participants on board the boat put money into a ship's fund. This is to cover expenses for food and household items. The ship's fund is usually around 300 euros per person. The skippers are outside the ship's fund.

Question 3

Before an Atlantic crossing

Accepted Answer

Before you set sail across the Atlantic

As a participant, you need to start by reviewing your sailing wardrobe. You should ensure that functional clothing and equipment are in good condition. Another thing to bear in mind is that the boats have limited communication facilities. You need to make sure that you inform your loved ones that you will not be available for the duration of the sailing.

Preparatory meetings

Before departure down to Las Palmas, we arrange preparatory meetings at More Sailing's office in Gothenburg. The meetings are not mandatory but we recommend that you participate in these. If you do not have the opportunity to participate physically, you can participate via a link. During the preparatory meetings, the crew will, among other things, have the opportunity to get to know each other and to get help with ordering the necessary equipment.

passport

You must be in possession of a passport valid for 6 months from the date of return. For security reasons, take copies of important travel documents. Visas are not required for EU nationals. For other nationalities and non-EU nationals, please check what applies in your specific case.

Allergies or personal impairments

If you have any allergies or physical disabilities, it is important that you make this known to the rest of the crew. This is because everyone should know how to help if a situation arises.

Security documents

For security reasons, we recommend that you make copies of passports, bank cards, airline tickets and other important documents. It is always good to have a copy of these documents both in your bag and at home.

Travel insurance

You need to review your travel insurance policies and ensure that you have full cover. It is also possible to take out both travel insurance and cancellation insurance through More Sailing.

On the ground in Las Palmas

The preparations in Las Palmas start with an opening ceremony. Only participating boats and crews are invited. The inauguration then ends with a ceremonial flag raising of all participating national flags.

After the inauguration, the preparations begin. First, the boat will be prepared and stowed, the food will be purchased, prepared and cooked and much more. During the week, the crew will sail together and practice various maneuvers before the actual sailing. During the week, the World Cruising Club also holds lectures on various topics. Some of these include weather conditions, sail trim and medical care. These are usually much appreciated by the crews.

Question 4

date

Accepted Answer

date

DATE ARC 2024
Inauguration - November 17
Launch - November 24
Disembarkation in Grenada - December 22

Sailing across the Atlantic

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