Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, or the ARC, is a true blue water classic. It’s the easy way to the Caribbean combined with a seriously fun off water scene. It’s the perfect setting if you are looking for an interesting and safe way to cross an ocean without getting involved in the all the hassle of putting together a project of your own.
Cruising or Racing
This is our fifth ARC with Eira and the previous trips have taught us several good lessons. We are going to be 8 persons on the boat (two professionals) and our aims in the race will be discussed and agreed among the crew prior to start. At the moment we are announced in the cruising division. If the crew have the appetite for racing we can always switch over to racing division. We have previously done two racing and two cruising division ARC:s.
Crew Competence
We have no actual formal requirements for crew, but we expect you to have been on a boat before and carry some basic sailing skills. The one thing to look out for is a possible leaning towards motion sickness, or seasickness, as we call it. If you, for example, easily get car sick it would be a indicator that this might not be a trip for you. Most of us get seasick or have feelings of nausea from time to times, but if the option is to be ill for the whole trip or stay ashore the latter would be advisable.
If you already have experience we can easily allow you more responsibility and find tasks that suite your level of knowledge and skills. Usually crew step up along the way and get involved in various tasks. We plan together and decisions under way have transparency for crew to understand what and why we are doing things the way we are.
Provisioning is a big part of the prep work
Boat Setup
This will be Swan 51 Eira:s fifth ARC and 10th Atlantic crossing. She is laid out with all necessary equipment for an ocean passage. During years at sea she has proven a functional boat even in difficult conditions.
In later years there has been incidents of rudder failure and other constructional problems among boats during the race. Luckily Swans are built in a way that should eliminate some problems other models might suffer. It is good to keep in mind that, after all, this still is an ocean crossing. Safety and situation awareness needs to be on a high level.
All crew will be involved in running the boat. It concerns all aspects and we will also give people special tasks depending on their appetite for learning and based on their experience. Such roles could be navigator and weather analyst, radio and communication or maybe watch leader. We can also rotate roles if there is a wish for it. If you have any special requests concerning position on the boat we are glad to hear about it in advance.
Provisioning
Provisioning is done on the spot and everyone has a saying on the content of our purchases. Our aim is to point as high as possible under circumstances. We usually house several different nationalities and it usually contributes for quite a mix of different dishes.
Skipper & Mate
The skipper and the mate (cook) are both experienced sailors carrying the necessary tickets. The skipper has done 10 previous ocean crossings with Eira and knows the boat inside out. The mate is responsible for provisioning and the galley during the trip.
Time Schedule
Sailors Bar – The Waterhole on this side of the pond
The race starts at the 19th of November from Las Palmas De Gran Canaria. The boat will be placed in Marina Muelle Deportivo well in advance before people arrive. You are free to move in on the boat four days prior to start. The idea is to give everyone a possibility to suck up all the interesting pre – race vibes and maybe attend some of the courses facilitated by the ARC organisation.
We are also happy to receive some help during provisioning and of course it would be practical for crew to get to know the boat as well as each other before the race. The same concerns on arrival to St Lucia. We can not give any exact date for arrival but our previous crossings have lasted between 15 and 20 days and we are expecting this one to fall somewhere in that bracket as well.
You are free to stay on the boat as long as four days after arrival. Usually crew move over “naturally” to the comfort of land based accommodation quite soon after arrival. Prizes are handed out on the 16th of December.
The Costs
The complete sailing fee for the whole event is 6800€ per person divided into a 30% joining fee and the rest of the balance due by the end of May 2023.
The sailing fee includes:
– Participation fee for race
– All personal safety gear + foul weather gear (+life jackets and PLB:s)
– Full board on the boat
– Events housed by the ARC organisation included in the boat participation fee
– Boat + crew of two
– Bed and linen + towel
– Boat insurance
– All costs for boat (harbour fee:s, fuel, gas etc)
– Free usage of boat email + emergency phone calls
Not included is the flights + other transportation to and from destination, personal insurance and what each spends ashore.
19.11 + 15 - 20 days — 6800€
