After sailing more than 26,000 nautical miles around the world, 17 boats completed their World ARC and became circumnavigators when they crossed their outbound tracks in Saint Lucia in the Caribbean this month.

Published 7 months ago

World ARC 2023-24

Source:  World Cruising

The 17 boats taking part in World ARC 2023-24, completed their round-the-world adventure with a ceremonial parade of sail from Marigot Bay to Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia.

The sailors celebrating their achievements are aged between seven and 77 years, and this edition of World ARC has hosted 10 children aged under 16, with the family boats contributing to the warm, friendly and supportive atmosphere. For the Wennberg family on Sara of Sweden (SWE), this is their second circumnavigation with World ARC, and ‘the most special’ according to Louise Wennberg.

At a celebratory and sometimes emotional prizegiving event, Geraine Goerges of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority said: ‘We admire the journey that you embarked on, your ability to endure more than we can even imagine and your camaraderie. As a mom, I see so many young faces and think, wow you did that! Parents, thank you for giving them such adventures, you’re training the next generation of ARC leaders’.

Within the fleet, some boats sailed double-handed with two people, others invited family and friends to join them on the adventure. In total, 263 people sailed one or more leg of the rally. Double-handers included Eric and Yung Devaney on Outremer 51 Leviathan (USA), although they had eight paws of help from their two tiny canine crew.

2023-24 has also been one of the most diverse World ARC rallies, with 21 nationalities sailing in the fleet. The Luisa Arroyo family on Lagoon 53S Maroro (MHL) proudly flew a huge Mexican flag in the parade of sail, celebrating joining a very small number of Mexican circumnavigators.

The supportive ethos of the rally was demonstrated by the crew of Fat Kat II (AUS). Owners Walter and Caroline Kimble had decided to ship their Lagoon 46 from South Africa, but instead invited Chris and Karen Parker to sail the multihull to the Caribbean. Chris and Caroline had to leave their Oyster 56 Mistral of Portsmouth in Australia, so not only could they help the Kimbles, but they were also able to finish their rally participation on a high. Mistral of Portsmouth will be joining the 2024-25 edition of World ARC from Australia to Saint Lucia.

‘You can be so proud of your achievement’, said World Cruising Club managing director Paul Tetlow to the participants. ‘Every one of you is a winner, replete with the most amazing memories that will last a lifetime. It has been our pleasure to support you on your adventure.’

World ARC – a 15 month Odyssey

In total, 30 boats sailed in the twelfth edition of the World ARC rally, 14 sailing all the way in a 15-month odyssey. World ARC offers flexibility, so some boats sailed the first half to the South Pacific and Australia, while others joined in Australia or Indonesia to sail to the Caribbean.

Along the route the sailors have visited Colombia, Panama, Galapagos, Marquesas, Tuamotus, Society Islands, Bora Bora, Niue, Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, Indonesia, Christmas Island and Cocos, Mauritius, Reunion, South Africa, Namibia, St Helena, Brazil, Grenada and Saint Lucia. During the independent cruising stages of the rally, the boats have split up and explored Colombia, Galapagos, French Polynesia, Australia, South Africa and Brazil.

World ARC 2024-25

The 25 boats in World ARC 2024-25 are currently enjoying independent cruising in French Polynesia ahead of the next rally rendezvous in Bora Bora. In total, 38 boats will take part in the 2024-25 edition of the rally.

World ARC 2026-27

The next edition of World ARC will set sail from the Caribbean in January 2026 and 43 yachts are already signed-up for all or part of the journey.

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World ARC 2023-24 Entry Statistics

• 30 boats sailed in World ARC 2023-24, some sailing all the way round, some joining for a half rally to Australia, others completing their circumnavigation from Australia.
• 23 monohulls and 7 catamarans.
• Smallest boat: 13.45 Cepa (DEU) a Fountaine Pajot Elba 45 (circumnavigated)
• Largest boat: 23.6m Isabel (GBR), an Oyster 725 (Caribbean to Fiji and joining World ARC 2024-25 to complete their circumnavigation)
• Boat brands: 4 Oyster, 4 Hallberg Rassy, 3 Lagoon, 2 Island Packet, 2 Hylas, 2 Fountaine Pajot, 2 Jeanneau.
• Boat flag nationalities: 14 in total. Including 7 UK, 6 USA, 4 Sweden, 2 Netherlands, Canada, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Italy and Norway.
• Crew come from 21 nationalities – Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA and Uruguay.
• Sailors on the rally aged between 9 years and 77 years, including 10 children aged under 16.

General Information

• World ARC 2023-24 is the twelfth edition of the rally and the fourteen round-the-world rally organised by World Cruising Club.
• Start: World ARC 2023-24 started from Rodney Bay Saint Lucia on 7 January 2023.
• Finish: The rally concluded in Saint Lucia on 13 April with a parade of sail to Rodney Bay.
• Route: The fleet left Saint Lucia to visit Santa Marta, Colombia, before transiting the Panama Canal and into the Pacific. There are a mix of rally legs/stages and independent cruising, covering the Galapagos, Marquesas, Society Islands including Bora Bora and Taihiti, Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu before making landfall in Queensland Australia. The yachts cruised the Great Barrier Reef before departing Darwin to Lombok Indonesia, then across the Indian Ocean to Cocos, Mauritius and Reunion to South Africa for Christmas 2024. In January 2024 the fleet departed Cape Town to cross the Atlantic to Brazil (some boats stopped in St Helena and Ascension), cruising the Brazilian coast during carnival season before sailing to Grenada then to the finish in Saint Lucia.
• Boats can join for the whole circumnavigation or for half a rally to and from Australia or Indonesia.
• World ARC 2023-24 is supported by tourist boards and organisations around the world and is run in conjunction with Yachting World magazine.

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General Enquiries:

For information about participating in the ARC or other World Cruising Club rallies, please contact mail@worldcruising.com or call +44 (0)1983 296060

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Related Links

• World ARC Fleet website
• World Cruising Club

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