Atlantic Crossing: Announcing ARC January

Demand from cruisers to sail across the Atlantic this fall under the ARC banner has been so great that World Cruising Club have added a new route – ARC January. The rally will set sail from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in early January 2022, following the classic trade wind route to Saint Lucia. The route, which was announced in early February, is proving popular with one third of the 75 spaces already taken and it is expected to be fully subscribed by April.

Published 4 years ago

Three yachts sailing
Yachts at the start of a previous ARC.

Demand from sailors worldwide for spaces in the 2021 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC 2021) has been unprecedented in the 35 year history of the world’s largest offshore cruising rally. All spaces on both existing routes (ARC direct and ARC+ Cape Verde) setting sail in November 2021 were fully subscribed in just 3 months of opening, resulting in World Cruising Club reluctantly closing the entry list in early December 2020.

Having considered many options of how to satisfy the wishes of sailors to take part in this international cruising rally, and listened to feedback from them, World Cruising Club has launched a new, later start date as an alternative to the classic November departure.

Follow the Classic Trade Wind Route:

ARC January will set sail from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands on Sunday 9 January 2022, allowing crews to enjoy Christmas and New Year in Europe before setting off on that Atlantic adventure. Following the classic trade wind route, direct from Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia, boats can expect a fast passage in well-established trade winds, with less risk of calms during the crossing.

Cruising sailors joining ARC January will benefit from all the discounts associated with participating in the ARC and World Cruising Club’s extensive experience of delivering transocean rallies. The programme includes a full week of activities, seminars, and social functions before the departure in Las Palmas, weather forecasts and tracking during the crossing and arrival activities providing a warm welcome to the Caribbean in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia, all included in the entry fee.

ARC January will be limited to 75 cruising boats, and will be run very much in the spirit of the ARC, maintaining the unique atmosphere that has developed within the rally over the preceding 35 years. On this new route there will be no competitive racing, only fun results calculated for those who’d like to join in.

ARC January 2022 Itinerary:

Date and Details for ARC January

  • 30 December 2021 – ARC Office opens in Las Palmas
  • 2 January 2022 – Last date for boat arrivals in Las Palmas
  • 9 January 2022 – Start day!
  • 28-31 January 2022 – Majority of ARC January boats arrive in Rodney Bay
  • 4 February 2022 – ARC January finish line closes
  • 5 February 2022 – Prize giving ceremony

Find Out More:

Click here to request an information pack with full details of the rally benefits, itinerary, costs and safety equipment requirements.

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Other News from World Cruising Club:

Free Online Seminars
Our regular spring seminars on all things connected with bluewater sailing are being offered online this year, with cruisers able to join from around the world. Taking place on Saturdays during February and March, upcoming topics include “Choosing and Using Satellite Communications” on Feb 27, and “Sail Selection for Cruisers” and “Windvane Self-steering” both on Mar 06. Registrations for these and future seminars at worldcruising.com/training
Summer Rallies – Updated Program
Uncertainty around international travel this summer has led to changes to our 2021 program with ARC Portugal (UK to Portugal) rescheduled to start on July 25th from Plymouth on England’s south coast. ARC Baltic (six country tour of the Baltic) has been postponed from summer 2021 to now start in summer 2022
ARC Europe – Set to Sail in May
Plans are in place to switch start ports for ARC Europe (West to East transatlantic) if it proves impossible to start from Tortola BVI in early May. The rally will still run and our team are working on ways to deliver the program despite travel and COVID restrictions. Crew bubbles and PCR testing will still be needed for the safety of crews on this transatlantic rally from the Caribbean to Europe via Bermuda and Azores, using experience gained running a COVID secure ARC last November. Request an Information Pack for more details.
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