UPDATE: Recent statements from World Cruising regarding ARC Rally:
Ocean Breeze statement December 3rd: “It is with great sadness that World Cruising Club confirms that 33-year-old Swedish sailor Dag Eresund was lost overboard from yacht Ocean Breeze on Monday 2 December at 02:27 UTC.” Read More
Crew member reported overboard from the yacht Ocean Breeze – Dec 2nd, 2024
Swedish Leopard 45 Karolina Viking issues MAYDAY with a leak in her starboard engine compartment – Dec 2nd, 2024
By Theresa Nicholson, photos by Theresa Nicholson, except where noted
Light southeasterly breezes lifted 140 yachts from 42 nations across the start line of the 2024 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers Sunday, November 24, off Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The course is set for St. Lucia, 2,700nm across the pond along the historic transatlantic route, a passage that’s expected to take 18-21 days.
The multihull division took the first of three starts with Britain’s Mark and Penny Belcher’s Lagoon 400 Two Hoots leading the fleet. “The transatlantic passage is a bucket list for me,” said Mark Belcher. The Belchers and sea dog Benji plan to head north through the Caribbean after the ARC and then on to the Bahamas and the US East Coast.
This year’s fleet includes a record-breaking 46 multihulls. Two trimarans join 44 catamarans, including eight Fountaine Pajot models. Among the 62 different builders and manufacturers represented in the fleet, Beneteau is the most popular with 13 entries.
The 11 yachts in the IRC racing division took Sunday’s second start with Jean Philippe Blanpain’s Vismara 62 Leaps & Bounds 2 (MLT) crossing first. The wind increased slightly for the final gun, giving the cruising division a white sail start.
Paul Tetlow, World Cruising Club managing director, bid the fleet a final farewell from the committee vessel, the Spanish naval patrol ship Relámpago. “We hope you’ve enjoyed your time in Las Palmas. We wish you safe sailing to St. Lucia, where we look forward to welcoming you when you arrive,” Tetlow said.
The World Cruising Club was formed in 1987 by Jimmy Cornell, following the success of the original 1986 rally. The organization is now owned and run by Paul and Suzana Tetlow.
The 820 crew members in this year’s rally range in age from three to 83 years old. Thirty-year-old Curtney Thomas, sailing on Dario Calogero’s Swan 56 Whynot, is the only St. Lucian sailor registered. “I’ve crossed the Atlantic four times, but this is my first time doing the ARC,” Thomas said.
After a week of seminars and sundowners, provisioning, repairs and parties, cruisers packed the room Saturday prior to the Sunday start for the final skippers’ briefing. Weather guru Chris Tibbs offered up the latest forecast and suggested routes, while Tetlow reviewed race start times and protocol. Although the ARC is a rally and not a race for the bulk of the fleet, the informal and friendly competition between yachts is high. In that spirit, the crowd got a good laugh when informed that any yacht crossing the line before their official start time would receive a three-hour penalty.
Now, after a (few) days at sea, the fleet is keeping in touch through WhatsApp chat groups, Starlink and SSB. Most yachts are headed south toward Cape Verde, flying headsails, looking for wind and waiting for those trades.
