Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

Most probably the ultimate challenge and dream for the amateur sailor. The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (or ARC) takes place in November each year and involves some +200 boats of all shapes and sizes gathering together in Gran Canaria, Las Palmas in the Canary Islands in preparation for the 2,700 mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean to Rodney Bay Marina in St. Lucia, West Indies.

It is quite simply the largest ocean-crossing event in the world. The Canary’s has been the traditional point of departure ever since Columbus first provisioned there 500 years ago. While Columbus had no idea what to expect on the other side of the ocean, today’s adventurer knows that winter in the Caribbean beckons with perfect sailing, steady trade winds and fine weather. However, you cannot help but imagine how each crew must feel when they finally sight land - not unlike their European predecessors some 500 years earlier.

Every Year as the cruising season in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe comes to a close; hundreds of boats prepare to leave on the long transit to the Caribbean. From almost every country in Europe, sailors will be setting off either on a circumnavigation or on the increasingly popular one-year circuit of the North Atlantic. Typically, large proportions are Americans and Canadians returning home after cruising in Europe, whilst a few will be Australians or New Zealanders in the midst of a world voyage. The atmosphere among these sailors as they prepared for their voyage – the excitement, apprehension and camaraderie – is electric!

The racing division of the ARC was established in 1986 and is run under the auspices of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and organised by the World Cruising Club. There are two classes, Class A for the larger yachts and Class B for the smaller yachts and all race under IRC.