Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC ) is an annual competition taking place for cruising and racing sailor. The aim of the ARC, the Atlantic crossing to the output point of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria and the destination port Rodney Bay ( St. Lucia) in the Lesser Antilles.

The ARC is different (mostly amateurs with their own or chartered boats ) and racing yachts between cruising yachts. For the group of cruising yachts, the ARC provides primarily the ability to cross the Atlantic in a safe community. In the racing division is mainly the competition property in the foreground. The boats are assessed according to the international IRC rating, which makes the sailing performance of the various yachts comparable.

For the 2700 nm long haul the boats need, depending on boat size and wind strength 12 to 24 days. Will be sailed on the barefoot route in the North Equatorial Current to the northeast trade winds. The rally starts with onset of monsoon in late November and ends before Christmas in the Caribbean.

The rally has been held since 1986 and attracts annually since then more than 200 participating yachts. Organizer of the ARC is the World Cruising Club in England, part of the Yacht Racing Challenge agency of the British sailing pioneer Sir Chay Blyth.