A huge crowd gathers at the breakwater in Gran Canaria to bid farewell to the yachts. One by one, boats from 26 nationalities file out of Las Palmas marina toward the start line at the north of the Spanish island. Crews dance and cheer, and the music changes from Queen to ABBA as Swedish yacht Dawnbreaker docks out to the blare of an Alpine horn. The two white-haired children at the bow seem awed by the fanfare, but their brother, Alfred, waves furiously from the top of a Jacob’s ladder, looking more than ready to take on the Atlantic.

The Chuck Paine–custom-designed yacht is one of 83 vessels (six of them American) taking part in the 2,700-mile rally to Grenada, which has a stopover in Cape Verde. The direct ARC, which sails to St. Lucia, departs two weeks later.

It’s been 40 years since Jimmy Cornell launched the ARC, an event aimed at cruising enthusiasts, not “racing’s elite,” with a focus on safety. Back then, Dawnbreaker skipper Lars Alfredson was navigating with a radio direction finder. Even during his first ARC, in 2003, he was reliant on an SSB radio and a modem to stay in contact.

“You’d spend hours and hours trying to connect, but you got through sometimes,” he recalls. “You see the boats the first day and the last day, and in between it’s just empty sea.”

Now, sailing with his son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren, Lars has Starlink, enabling the family to run their online retail business at sea.

“I wouldn’t say things are better now, but for the young people who need to be connected all the time and have to report everything that happens, they like it,” says Lars.

At 64 feet, Dawnbreaker is one of the bigger entries in the fleet, with the average yacht being 48 feet. These days, over a third of participants are multihulls, and most are equipped with satcomms, autopilots, solar, lithium batteries and MFDs. But how would the crews feel if they were zapped back in time, Marty McFly–style, to 1986? Would they still do it? This is the question we put to them as they made their final preparations for their big adventure.

Almond angst

“Yes, I’d still go, because I wouldn’t know any different,” says Richard Cropper, skipper of Beneteau 60 Salty Rascal. “You’d just get by with the tools you’ve got.”

The British dad’s decision to embark on a yearlong adventure with wife Louise and sons Jake (9) and Harry (11) was inspired by a Secret Santa gift, a book entitled Sail Away: How to Escape the Rat Race and Live the Dream. Though the idea took hold on Christmas morning 2014, it would be over a decade before that dream became a reality, and only recently did they learn that the gift was from Louise’s sister.

“I think she wanted to get rid of us,” laughs Louise, a primary care physician. “For years afterward, Richard kept saying, ‘Would you do it? Would you do it?’ I only said yes because I never thought we’d go through with it. But I wouldn’t have done it 40 years ago, not without the technology. Everyone back home thinks we’re mad, but they can follow us using the YB tracker, and knowing we’re doing it in an organized group and can send pictures back home normalizes what we’re doing.”

Richard adds: “But the danger of being part of a huge rally is you can’t stop buying stuff. It’s like when you’re at school waiting to do your exams, and everyone’s talking about what they revised, and you’re thinking, ‘God, I didn’t do that.’ You start asking if you’ve got enough equipment. Did you buy enough toilet rolls? We had a panic about almonds, and Louise is like, ‘How many almonds have you actually eaten in the last year?’”

To ease the stress of the passage, the Croppers have hired Brazilian skipper Juan Manuel Ballestero, who made headlines during the pandemic when he sailed three months from Portugal to Argentina in order to see his sick father.

“I was in Porto Santo, and the borders closed. There were no flights, no ferries. I just decided right away, I’m going,” he says. “It was more than a sailing trip, it was an inner trip. I’m still trying to shape it, after all these years, asking myself what really happened. We love our families; that is what COVID taught us. I was going home, and I didn’t care how long it would take.”

Then it was a trip of solitude: a 29-foot yacht packed with 160 cans of food and a bottle of whiskey. This time, Juan’s looking forward to an altogether different experience, as was clear the night of his arrival in Las Palmas, when he was whisked to an ’80s party by a giddy Louise in luminous leggings.

“This family is lots of fun,” he says. “I’m pretty stoked about doing the voyage with the little ones. It will be unique.”

MOB rescue

Hoisting eight flags onto the forestay—an act counted excitedly by a group of boys fishing off the pontoon—is Swan 51 Eira. The monohull is doing the main ARC, and Finnish delivery crew Markus Leppanen and Vilhelm Sjöström are preparing her for the paying passengers.

“Sailing Eira wouldn’t have been much different 40 years ago,” says Vilhelm, tapping the elk-skin-covered wheel. “We have an autopilot now but hand-steer 95% of the time. We have a big racing rudder, which is really responsive, and people participate because they want to steer and sail. They want to learn something new.”

Markus and Vilhelm have tens of thousands of sea miles under their belts. Markus recalls that in the 1993 ARC, they didn’t have a sat phone—just GPS and a plotter. Instead of weather apps, they had a guy navigating onshore, giving instructions over SSB.

Back then they were “just a bunch of friends with the smallest, fastest Swan.” Now, Eira has 85,000 nautical miles on the clock and 15 crossings. She’s a veteran in every sense of the word.

“We use a traditional spinnaker,” says Vilhelm. “At first only in light airs until we know how experienced the crew are. Running it at night requires a bit of practice. The biggest risk is something happens, and the thing that should never happen is a man overboard.”

They reflect on the tragedy in last year’s ARC, where Swedish sailor Dag Eresund, 33, fell overboard from Volvo 70 Ocean Breeze.

“I was routing from Finland,” says Vilhelm. “I noticed all the fastest boats changing course and I knew, hours before it became news, that there was an MOB. It was around 0230, 20–25 knots. When it’s pitch black and a swell of about 6 meters, you know it’s really hard to get someone out of there. These old Whitbread boats don’t turn on a sixpence.”

Eresund was wearing a personal AIS beacon, a safety device that transmits your position to the mothership and nearby vessels, yet sadly he could not be located, reinforcing the fact that even the latest satellite technology is no substitute for lashing yourself to the deck, which people have done since the beginnings of sailing.

Markus recalls an MOB on his 1999 ARC, though happily that had a positive outcome.

“It was a Norwegian racing boat, sponsored by Jägermeister,” he says. “The spinnaker came down in a squall, and they gybed, knocking a crewmember into the water. Even when it’s warm, you’ll only last 24 hours, but here is this guy in a Hawaiian shirt—he takes off his life jacket and places it under his butt to stay out of the water. After 28 hours, a German boat passes and picks him up!”

It’s not the first time a sailor has been rescued by chance during a cruising rally. In ARC+ 2021, British catamaran Coco happened upon a dismasted yacht 140 miles from Grenada and towed it into port, to the relief of the distressed French skipper.

For crews’ safety, it’s a requirement of the ARC that all skippers have the ability to send and receive emails at sea, whether via SSB radio (via a free messaging program called Airmail) or a satcom device such as Iridium Certus 100 or Inmarsat Fleet One.

“We talked about getting Starlink,” says Vilhelm, “but the skipper doesn’t want it because the experience for the crew changes. We have satcomms and can make phone calls and emails, but we don’t want everybody hanging around the cockpit reading the news. You spoil the experience.”

It was during World ARC 2023 when Elon Musk’s low-cost, high-speed internet service took off among long-distance cruisers. While only two of the 20 boats leaving St. Lucia at the start of the rally had Starlink, by the time they’d completed a world circuit six months later, only two boats didn’t have it.

Medical backup

Onboard Frolic, a J/44, we find Rhode Island sailor HL DeVore opening the cava, having successfully Googled a fix for his B&G wind sensor, saving $3,000 in parts and labor. His ex–U.S. Coast Guard vessel is equipped with Starlink, a piece of kit HL wouldn’t sail without.

“I do love the romanticism of not being able to communicate other than with attempts at SSB,” he admits, “and I’m old enough to have sailed in those days, but being connected gives the family at home security, and means we can liaise with a medical team if needed—in fact, the same one used by round-the-world sailor Cole Brauer. We’ve got IV kits, medicines—everything you could possibly need—and with modern comms we have the comfort of knowing we can solve issues at sea.”

Meant to be?

Although Starlink draws a significant amount of power, the benefit of being able to make video calls and stream sports games or Netflix has made today’s cruising yacht a true home from home. It’s allowed Mexican family the Sidauys to sell their home and possessions and move onboard their Lagoon 52F catamaran Ruaj. This new wave of adventurous young families, who buy production catamarans and choose cruising as an alternative lifestyle, was rare in the ’70s, when the majority of ARC participants were older, wealthy couples.

For Gabriel Sidauy, the idea of taking on an Atlantic crossing was sparked during a chance meeting on a flight from Tijuana to Cancun.

“The man next to me was checking out boats and charts,” says Gabriel. “He was about to start this amazing adventure with his wife and three kids. I said to him, ‘That’s the best thing I heard in my life!’”

Gabriel’s children, Moises (now 14) and Natalie (10), loved the idea, but it took four years to persuade his wife, Victoria, to sell up and sail away. When finally she agreed and they shared their plans with neighbors, they were put in touch with a sailor who agreed to be their mentor.

It turned out to be none other than Emanuel—the guy Gabriel met on the plane.

“I told him he changed our lives, and he didn’t remember me,” laughs Gabriel. “But he was great. He told me about the ARC, what boat to look for, and he came several times to the house with his wife to tell us about his experience.”

The Sidauys bought Ruaj in Italy and spent a year sailing around the Mediterranean before making their way south to the Canaries. Thanks to Starlink, Gabriel can run his plastic recycling business at sea, while Natalie and Moises can be homeschooled, with regular calls to classmates and tutors.

“We have learned many things,” says Gabriel. “We used to live in a big house in Cancun with all the space we wanted, and now we learn to live with what is necessary.”

The bare(ish) necessities

One of the joys of the ARC is seeing what families deem “necessary” for their transatlantic, whether that’s a 50-inch TV, washing machine, coffee maker or, in the case of the Sidauys, “aerial silks,” which gymnast Natalie has tied to the forestay.

“Gymnastics is my passion,” she says breathlessly, while twirling and tumbling to the applause of neighboring boats. “I also love the night sky and can’t wait to see shooting stars, and play my ukulele with Moises on his guitar.”

So, a final question: Would they do this 40 years ago?

“No, it would not be possible,” confirms Gabriel, who has to cut short the interview to receive a video conference call.

Without modern tech, Gabriel would still be in Mexico dreaming of a long-ago conversation with a man on the plane. Most likely, the Croppers would be in drizzly Manchester, England, working long hours and doing school runs. Yet for experienced sailors such as Lars Alfredson, who has sailed to the Arctic and Antarctic, and HL DeVore, a navigator with 14 Newport-to-Bermuda races under his belt, waking up in 1986 in the middle of the ocean would pose no problem whatsoever.

The great thing about rallies such as the ARC+ is that these types of sailors can come together and cross the ocean in whatever way suits them, knowing that at the end of it all, in Port Louis Marina, Grenada, they’ll be sharing stories over a rum punch as the sun goes down over the Caribbean Sea.

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ARC+ 2025 concluded in Grenada with a festive prizegiving that marked the end of a two-leg Atlantic rally spanning more than 2,900 nautical miles and uniting sailors from around the world.

The rally brought together 84 yachts and more than 400 crew for a staged crossing that began in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, continued to Mindelo in the Cape Verde Islands and finished in Port Louis, Grenada. Along the way, crews experienced the blend of seamanship community and adventure that defines the ARC+ format.

The prizegiving opened with welcomes from Shanai St Bernard of the Grenada Tourism Authority and Zara Tremlett of Port Louis Marina, recognizing both the sailors and the shoreside teams that support the rally. Awards followed across cruising multihull and special recognition categories.

Multihull and Cruising Standouts

In the multihull division, Enjoy The Silence of Belgium took first place in Class A and multihull line honors, completing the second leg in 10 days 4 hours and 38 minutes. Kotare of Guernsey secured first in Class B.

“I still can’t believe that we’ve actually done it,” said Kotare sailor Dan Simpson. “It’s been two years in the planning and I’m so proud of us for seeing it through. It will be life-changing for us as a family.”

Cruising division honors went to Dawnbreaker of Sweden, which claimed Class A and cruising line honors. Ursa Major of Norway topped Class B, Lala Salama of Great Britain won Class C and Morning Bird of Great Britain led Class D.

“We are very very happy right now,” said Ursa Major skipper Raymond Saelen. “It was a really good experience and really enjoyable. We had nice conditions for the Atlantic crossing and it was so fun.”

Spirit Awards and Family Achievements

Beyond speed and standings, ARC+ also recognized the human side of ocean sailing. Fleet-nominated honors included Tangaroa for Most Beautiful Yacht, Dawnbreaker for Social Media Award and adversity awards for Canopus and Miss U. The Spirit of the ARC+ Rally went to Fortuitous for outstanding support of fellow sailors at sea.

Double-handed crews were also celebrated, including Eveline, whose crew completed the crossing in under 14 days. “It was too short,” Linn from Eveline joked. “We like to be out on the ocean.”

A record 48 children crossed the Atlantic with the fleet this year. Each received a medal and certificate, with special recognition given to Skye and Bee aboard Blue Ocean for caring for ARC+ mascot Archie the Monkey during the voyage.

Giving Back Along the Way

The prizegiving also highlighted the Positive Impact Fund, a World Cruising Club charity launched in 2025. In recognition of the 40th ARC anniversary, nearly £10,000 will be donated to projects including junior sailing in Carriacou, the Grenada SPCA and humanitarian relief efforts in Cape Verde.

What Comes Next

While the Grenada celebration marked the end of ARC+ 2025, many crews are far from finished. Some will cruise the Caribbean together, while others will continue on with World ARC or return to Europe with ARC Europe.

As World Cruising Club Managing Director Paul Tetlow summed up, “The prizegiving is all about celebration, but it’s also our opportunity to give thanks to the many organizations that help deliver ARC+ here in Grenada.”

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The first boat of the ARC 2025 fleet has arrived in Saint Lucia, with Nextgen by Jajo claiming line honors after a fast passage across the Atlantic from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The Volvo 65 completed the 2,700-nautical-mile crossing in 10 days, 48 minutes and 51 seconds, leading the fleet in the 40th edition of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. The crew was welcomed dockside at IGY Rodney Bay Marina by World Cruising Club officials along with representatives from the Saint Lucia Ministry of Tourism and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.

“Line honors is always a special thing and it’s never easy,” said owner and skipper Jelmer Van Beek. “We knew we had the fastest boat, but you still need to execute it, so I’m really proud of the team.”

Van Beek credited consistent conditions for the quick passage. “We had fast sailing day in, day out. There was so much downwind sailing and we’ve really enjoyed it,” he said, adding that the Saint Lucian welcome was well timed after more than 10 days at sea.

While the ARC is primarily a cruising rally focused on safe and sociable ocean passages, Nextgen by Jajo is purpose-built for speed. The fully carbon fiber Volvo 65 routinely sails at speeds exceeding 20 knots, demanding constant attention from the crew.

“A Volvo 65 is my favorite boat, and I have crossed the Atlantic eight times on this boat,” Van Beek said. “It’s fast and powerful, but you always have to be alert. There’s a lot of force in the boat and it’s never easy.”

Formerly known as Team Brunel, the yacht also set a benchmark in the ARC in 2015, when it claimed line honors and a rally record at the time.

With the Atlantic behind them, the team plans to continue sailing in warmer waters before turning north again. “We’re really happy to be back in the Caribbean,” Van Beek said. “As a sailor, you follow the sun.”

Nextgen by Jajo is expected to head on to Saint Maarten for the Caribbean 600 and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta before returning to Europe. Meanwhile, more ARC boats are closing in on Saint Lucia, where the docks will soon fill with crews celebrating landfall and reconnecting after weeks at sea.

With more than 800 sailors taking part this year, the 40th ARC promises a lively finish as the fleet continues to arrive ahead of the final prizegiving later this month.

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The port of Las Palmas was buzzing Sunday as more than 800 sailors aboard 145 boats departed Gran Canaria for the 40th running of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. The annual event sends an international fleet across 2700 nautical miles of open ocean to Saint Lucia, and this year’s milestone edition drew crews from more than 40 nations.

Spectators lined the breakwater waving flags and cheering as the fleet eased out of the harbor to music from the local band Banda Guiniguada. Light northeast winds of 5 to 8 knots set the tone for a gentle start, with stronger breeze expected offshore in the Canary Islands’ well-known acceleration zones.

Rodney Targa, sailing aboard Cut and Run, said the run-up to start day had been both social and informative. “It’s been a really enjoyable build up with very informative seminars that were on key with what people wanted,” he said. “We’re all ready to go. We’ve been here for three weeks now so we’re well prepared. The support of World Cruising Club has helped us get here so we have no apprehension about the start.”

The multihull division crossed first at 12:30, led by Sniky, a Nautitech 48, with Mathilda, an Outremer 51, and Cut and Run, a Lagoon 46, close behind. The racing division followed at 12:45, with the Swan 76 La Loévie first over the line ahead of NextGen by Jajo, a Volvo 65. The cruising division, the largest start with 103 boats, set off at 13:00, with the Swan 56 Azahar taking the early lead and Adrenalina, a J/130, breaking clear under code zero.

To mark the rally’s 40th year, organizers at the World Cruising Club expanded live coverage through daily ARC Live streams, giving families and followers around the world a view of the pre-start action and the fleet’s departure.

Most boats are expected to make landfall in Saint Lucia between 18 and 21 days from the start, depending on how quickly they reach the trades. For many participants, the crossing represents years of preparation and a chance to complete a bucket-list bluewater passage framed by Caribbean hospitality at the finish.

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With one week to go before the fleet sets off across the Atlantic, sailors in the 40th Atlantic Rally for Cruisers filled the Las Palmas waterfront with flags, music and celebration during the ARC 2025 Opening Ceremony.

More than 30 nations are represented in this year’s edition of the 2700 mile rally to Saint Lucia. The parade marked an important milestone in the lead-up to departure as crews complete final preparations for their offshore passage.

Participants gathered at the north end of the marina before processing along the promenade, carrying their national flags past cheering crowds. Local percussion groups added to the atmosphere, and officials from the City Council and Port Authority welcomed the sailors to Las Palmas.

A distinct Caribbean presence also colored the event. Representatives from the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and members of the Saint Lucian diaspora joined the parade in traditional dress, offering crews a preview of the warm hospitality waiting on the other side of the ocean.

“The opening ceremony was amazing. I loved how there were all the flags and everyone was in great spirits,” said Marley Tonkin of Aurelia T. “Crossing the Atlantic always felt like that next stage, but now it’s getting close I’m starting to get a little bit apprehensive. That said, I’m so excited for it. I think it’s going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I can’t wait.”

After the parade, the ARC Dinghy Race returned to the program for the first time in several years. Crews and local teams paddled a variety of small craft around the marina in a lighthearted competition that drew enthusiastic support from the waterfront. A short ceremony followed, with prizes for first across the line, best dressed crews and best spirit.

Throughout the coming week, participants will join safety demonstrations, ocean cruising seminars and social events that make the ARC a community as much as a passage. Most boats are expected to take 18 to 21 days to reach Saint Lucia once they depart on November 23.

For many sailors, the ARC represents a bucket list crossing, and the sense of achievement at landfall will be as memorable as the miles made along the way.

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The start of the 2025 ARC and ARC+ rallies has brought more than 1200 sailors and a diverse fleet of cruising yachts to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This year marks the 40th edition of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, a milestone in the world of oceanic sailing.

The ARC+ will depart on November 9, sailing 850 nautical miles southwest to Mindelo in the Cape Verde Islands. After resupplying, the fleet will continue on November 21 for the 2,150-mile leg to Grenada in the Caribbean. The rally includes 89 boats, ranging from the 20.36-meter Fountaine Pajot Alegria 67 Anastasia to the 10.77-meter Rustler 36 Restless of Stornoway. ARC+ participants come from 27 countries and range in age from 1 to 71, including 52 children, a record for the event.

The ARC will depart on November 23, covering 2,700 nautical miles to Saint Lucia. This year’s fleet includes 150 boats, from the 30.6-meter Wally Vantanera to the 10.34-meter JPK 10.30 Heartbeat2. Participants represent 31 countries with ages ranging from 6 to 80, and 802 sailors are registered to take part. The ARC remains the only World Cruising Club rally with an IRC racing division, which limits propulsion to sails only.

“The ARC is timed to follow Antigua Sailing Week, offering a safe and enjoyable way for yachts to sail north from the Caribbean,” says Race Chair Les Crane. “The course combines long Atlantic passages with the opportunity for tactical and strategic sailing, making it a unique experience for sailors of all ages and skill levels.”

To celebrate the 40th edition, World Cruising Club will host public events in Gran Canaria including opening ceremony parades, the return of the ARC dinghy race, and two new initiatives: ARC Radio, broadcasting news and interviews 24/7, and ARC Live, featuring daily 90-minute live events and coverage from the start line.

For many sailors, participation in the ARC and ARC+ is a bucket-list adventure, offering long Atlantic passages, tropical skies, and memories that will last a lifetime. The prize-giving ceremonies are set for December 11 in Grenada and December 20 in Saint Lucia.

For more information visit worldcruising.com.

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The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) marks a major milestone this year as World Cruising Club celebrates the 40th edition of its world-famous transatlantic rally. To commemorate the occasion, the organization is introducing two new media platforms—ARC Live and ARC Radio—that will connect sailors, families, and fans across the globe.

ARC Radio is a dedicated digital station that will broadcast 24/7, offering a mix of music, event updates, and interviews with participants from more than 30 countries. ARC Live will complement the radio coverage with daily video programming streamed on Facebook and YouTube, featuring 60- to 90-minute broadcasts from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the days leading up to the start. Viewers can expect behind-the-scenes footage, safety briefings, and highlights from the rally’s popular social events.

This year, approximately 900 sailors will take part in the iconic crossing from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, to Saint Lucia. The new platforms aim to capture not just the race itself, but also the camaraderie, preparation, and adventure that define the ARC experience.

“ARC Live and ARC Radio will make this iconic sailing event available to a global audience,” said Paul Tetlow, Managing Director of World Cruising Club. “By broadcasting the excitement and sailor stories from Las Palmas to viewers and listeners around the world, we’ll inform and inspire people and recognize the huge achievements and ambitions of our participants.”

Tetlow noted that the new initiatives will bring to life the personal stories behind the ARC—highlighting the motivations, challenges, and triumphs of participants from all walks of life. “It’s incredible to see how far the ARC has come over the past 40 years,” he said. “What started as an idea has grown into a global sailing community, bringing together thousands of boats and tens of thousands of people with a shared spirit of adventure.”

ARC Radio will begin broadcasting on November 10, with live “breakfast,” “lunchtime,” and “sundowner” shows beginning November 17 from the ARC village. ARC Live will start daily streaming on November 18, leading up to the much-anticipated start of the rally on November 23, when both platforms will provide real-time coverage.For live coverage and updates, visit World Cruising Club’s website.

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The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, known among sailors worldwide as the ARC, is celebrating its 40th year as crews prepare to cast off from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in November, bound for St. Lucia.

Some 7,890 yachts and more than 30,000 people have participated in the rally since 1986. This year’s installment is offering a discount for any yacht or skipper who sailed in the first rally, as well as for yachts smaller than 40 feet length overall.

The first boat to enter the 40th ARC was the Contessa 32 Teela, owned by Ellen and Mark Catherall. Teela is currently the smallest boat registered to participate. The largest so far is the 94-foot Free at Last.

The ARC was the brainchild of sailor Jimmy Cornell, who wanted to create a reason to depart for the would-be ocean sailors gathering in the Canaries every autumn. His focus on increasing safety and confidence has been the guiding principle of every World Cruising Club rally since.

The ARC’s original press release stated that the event was aimed “not for racing’s elite of semi-professional and sponsored professional yachtsmen, but strictly for true cruising enthusiasts.” That’s still true today. Late November is now widely known as “ARC season” in Las Palmas, and for many locals, waving the fleet off is an annual tradition.

After four years of finishing in Barbados, St. Lucia became the destination in 1990 and has remained so ever since. Another change involves participating boats. In the past 10 years, the number of multihulls has doubled and now comprises a third of the fleet. Meanwhile, the average age of boats has decreased, with around one in five launched in the previous 12 months.

In 2013, the ARC expanded with a sister rally, ARC+, starting in Las Palmas two weeks before the ARC and sailing for Mindelo in Cape Verde, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to Port Louis Marina in Grenada. ARC+ attracts a slightly younger demographic and a higher percentage of families and multihulls, the organizers say.

The makeup of the participants has also changed over the years. The first ARC in 1986 had 204 entries from 24 countries. In 2024, a record 46 nationalities were represented.

When does the ARC 2025 begin? The 2,700-nautical-mile rally is scheduled to start November 23, with prize-giving in the Caribbean on December 20.

Where to learn more: visit worldcruising.com

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A transatlantic crossing is a bucket-list voyage. For ­cruisers who spent a season exploring the Mediterranean, the crossing links them to the dream of spending winter in the islands. For sailors who bought their boats in Europe, the crossing might be the first extended offshore passage. For cruisers who began a circumnavigation along the US East Coast or in the Caribbean, the passage might complete the circle.

The western route across the 3,000-nautical-mile stretch between the European mainland and the Caribbean is a path sailed for centuries by explorers and pirates alike. The northeast trade winds and favorable current have defined the course taken by sailors from Christopher Columbus to today’s cruisers. The Canary and Cape Verde islands are an ideal jumping-off point for a passage to the Caribbean. The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers departs from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria each year, while the ARC Plus stops in the Cape Verde islands as its final port of call. 

I joined the 2024 fleet during preparations in Las Palmas’ Muelle Deportivo marina in late November. For many of the crews, the crossing was a culmination of years of planning and preparation. Here’s what I learned from them.

Know Your Boat

Before any major ocean crossing, whether your boat is ­brand-new or a longtime home, take it apart from top to bottom. Learn as much as you can about each piece, from the rigging to the sails, cylinder heads, fuel filters and ­watermaker. Take a course on marine diesel maintenance. Check and ­double-check each system for faults and potential failures. Invest in upkeep and maintenance, and keep good records of all repairs. Read your owner’s manuals, and keep them accessible.

Draw a map that identifies where spare parts, manuals and emergency gear are stowed, and share the map with ­crewmembers. ARC Rally sailor Christian Thjømøe also draws maps showing spots around his Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 62, Oda Julie, where safety and emergency equipment are stowed. He posts the map in the companionway.

If a professional services your boat, then make sure you’re present when work is being done. Observe and ask questions. Try to make yourself as self-sufficient as possible. Watch videos. Enroll in an offshore-sailing course. Consider getting a ­professional inspection of your boat, and then watch the ­inspector tear it to pieces. Make lists and compare them with other cruisers, especially experienced cruisers with similar boats and sailing routes.

Prioritize. It might not be possible to carry the number of spare parts needed to resolve every situation. But two ­autopilots? Yes. Spare headsails? Yes. You might not have the space to fit two of everything, but you can try.

Safety

At the bare minimum, every crewmember should have a Type 1 PFD with a spray hood and a harness, along with a personal locator beacon. All crew participating in the ARC 2024 were required to have an AIS personal locator beacon fitted to their life jacket. Ideally, individuals would wear PFDs whenever leaving the cockpit. Skippers can set onboard rules about life jackets: 24/7 during rough weather? At all times when going forward? 

Double-check all tethers, shackles and jack lines. Practice clipping in and running the lines while at the dock, and become familiar with the movements forward and aft along the lifelines, as well as the handholds. Practice moving about the cabin using handholds too. One hand for yourself, one hand for the boat.

The ARC fleet reported torn spinnakers and the loss of more than a few poles. One boat reported losing its code zero the first day.

Carry an ISO-approved life raft with an updated inspection. Attend a professional life-raft ­inspection and gather as much knowledge as you can. Stow the life raft in a readily ­accessible location—designated for the life raft only—and familiarize all crew with ­deployment procedures. Regularly check the painter and mounting points, and practice ­securing the painter to a ­dedicated mounting point.

Launching and boarding a life raft is much harder than it looks. Take an offshore seamanship course that includes the basics. The ARC holds an annual life-raft demonstration in Las Palmas, where sailors get the chance to launch and board a life raft. It’s in a swimming pool under supervision, and yet there’s still a fairly high level of anxiety. 

“We try to have a bit of fun with it, while at the same time providing everyone the opportunity to see how challenging it really is,” says Roger Seymour, the ARC’s chief of safety and senior instructor with the UK’s Hamble School of Yachting.

In terms of technology, there’s no law requiring 406 MHz EPIRBs, radar or AIS for boats smaller than 65 feet, but all of these devices can contribute to a safer ­voyage. The 406 MHz EPIRBs have become universally standard for­ long-­distance cruising. One with a fixed AIS transceiver is required for all ARC rallies. 

Single-sideband transmitters remain popular for those planning a circumnavigation too. Just make sure it’s professionally installed, and keep your license current.

The buzzword in offshore voyaging right now is Starlink. Constant connectivity to chat groups can help cruisers stay connected during long offshore passages, and can provide much-needed advice from other cruisers in a fleet. Sat phones with a Pactor modem such as Iridium and Garmin’s inReach provide portability options if you need to abandon your boat.

Starlink plans to have a 4G direct to cell (no dish necessary) available for standard smartphones in 2025. No matter which level of connectivity a boat has, make sure everyone on board knows how to use all of the equipment. Keep all registrations updated.

Also stay current with man-overboard equipment and drills. Keep MOB equipment secure, accessible and updated, and practice with the crew.

Try out storm tactics too, and practice safety maneuvers. Not all boats can ­heave-to without challenges. Develop a sail plan for extreme conditions that works with your vessel, and practice it.

Walk through the most likely gear failures, and plan for the high-stakes what-ifs. Set emergency plans, inform and educate everyone on board, and practice. If you have professional crew, account for language differences.

Headsails, Halyards, Chafe and Rigging

Sailing the classic route from the Canaries to the Caribbean means a couple of weeks running downwind. Know your headsails, watch your chafe points, and keep an eye out for squalls. 

The ARC fleet reported torn spinnakers, shredded parasails, and the loss of more than a few poles. One boat reported losing its code zero the first day, while another reported keeping a daily watch with binoculars on a halyard’s hotspot near the top of the mast. Fast-moving isolated squalls blew out gennakers, kites, yankees and an A3. Several halyards were lost to chafe.

“It’s important to do routine daily checks, along with specific weekly checks, with attention to detail,” says Nicola Orlandini, a professional rigger and owner of Easy Rigging, based in Cagliari, Italy. Orlandini is sailing the ARC aboard the Leopard 45 Elios 2. “The downwind course very often makes the sails flap for days or weeks, and stress on the equipment must always be kept under control. Always be ready with your Plan B to resolve damage.”

Orlandini recommends keeping blocks well-lubricated, and checking to make sure all shackles are tight. The gooseneck is an area subject to high loads of constant stress, he says, and must always be well-­lubricated: “It’s a good idea to change the position of the main and headsail halyards ­often, to avoid abnormal consumption of the ropes in the rubbing points.”

Reduce large headsails at night, and consider using a double halyard. Localized squalls can come on quickly. Keep a preventer on the boom.

Autopilots can struggle keeping a course dead downwind. Experiment with balancing the boat under self-steering, and ask other cruisers with similar boat models for advice on running downwind. 

Unexpected heavy gusts can stress the mast under any point of sail. Have a professional rigger check the rig before leaving port, and practice how you’ll climb the rig at sea, if necessary.

“Good-quality equipment and new shrouds instill confidence in a crew setting out on a long voyage,” Orlandini says. Bring a smart quantity of spare parts, including shackles, blocks, low-friction rings and lines, he adds.

Weather and Routing

The east-to-west Atlantic-crossing season falls between tropical hurricane season and European winter. Boats headed to the Caribbean get south of the Bay of Biscay early but wait for hurricane season to wind down in late November before crossing. Longtime sailor and author Jimmy Cornell advises cruisers to run the latitude down to around 20 degrees north and 30 degrees west before turning right, following the age-old advice to “head south till the butter melts.”

Weather guru Chris Tibbs of sailing-­weather.com runs a seminar in Las Palmas during the week before the ARC departure, and presents the final weather outlook at the skippers’ meeting. He also provides personal weather forecasting along the way. He advises skippers to use a variety of tools, including synoptic charts, forecast charts, GRIB files, local forecasts and daily ARC forecasts, along with discussions in SSB nets and ARC nets. 

Discussions within the ARC net can be particularly useful because the fleet is moving through the same locations at the same time with real-time information about windspeeds and squalls.

The transatlantic crossing from the Canaries to the Caribbean is defined by three basics, Tibbs says: trade winds, squalls and waves. Sailing south out of the Canary Islands, skippers should be aware of acceleration zones and downdrafts (katabatic winds); while on the opposite end of the crossing, remember to secure everything below before the final stretch around St. Lucia into Rodney Bay. 

“More than one yacht has turned up into the wind on a close reach after clearing the tip of the island, only to lose everything on the portside cabin,” he says.

Health and Well-Being

Allow the crew to find their sea legs during the first few days. Don’t drive the boat too hard. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Make sure everyone stays hydrated, active, and involved in daily routines. Set up and keep watches.

Carry an offshore emergency-medical kit, and take an offshore emergency-medical course. Seamanship on long passages can often come down to fixing things and mitigating problems. Diesel-engine maintenance, sail repairs and seasickness are common components of life offshore. The more training, knowledge and patience you bring with you, the better off you’ll be.

Celebrate milestones such as the arrival of the trade winds, birthdays, the halfway mark, and 100 miles to go. If the weather allows, enjoy fresh-baked cinnamon rolls at sunrise, and sundowners and meals in the cockpit. Listen to music and read.

“It’s a strange feeling, being offshore and away from people,” says Curtney Thomas, a St. Lucian sailor crossing with the ARC on the Swan 56 Whynot. “We try to stay present and not use our phones as much when we’re at sea.”

Although 24/7 connection is available, choosing to hit the off switch on a smartphone can be good. A long ocean crossing is rare. Don’t miss the sunrise because you’re scrolling on social media. Enjoy the ride.

Safety First

Yachts participating in the World Cruising Club’s ARC rallies are given a required safety list. Every person on board must have an inflatable combined life-jacket/harness with a spray hood, crotch strap, AIS personal locator beacon, and three-hook safety line. 

All boats are required to be able to send and receive emails at sea. This can be done with a satellite telephone, satellite comms (such as Starlink) or a single-sideband radio. In addition, all boats are required to have an installed 25-watt DSC VHF radio, and to have a waterproof handheld 5-watt VHF radio. 

Safety checks are scheduled for all boats in the fleet, and follow-up checks are made for all missing equipment. The safety equipment required on board includes: ISO 9650 Type 1 Group A life raft with an over-24-hour service pack and a current inspection certificate; 406 MHz EPIRB; man-overboard recovery equipment marked with the boat’s name; bilge pumps operable from on deck and belowdecks; emergency pump capable of 200 liters per minute, or 3,200 gallons per hour; life jackets with harnesses, marked with the yacht’s or crew’s name, and fitted with an AIS, a light, reflective tape, a crotch strap and a spray hood; emergency ditch bag; double lifelines and guardrails around the entire deck; emergency tiller; proven method of emergency steering. —TN

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