Published 14 years ago, updated 6 years ago

Demand From Cruisers Drives Extra Dates

World Cruising Club are delighted to announce that from 2014 the World ARC round-the-world sailing rally will become an annual event; starting every January from Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia.

World ARC is currently a biennial event, starting in January and finishing 15 months later. The current event started in January 2010 and the next will start in January 2012.

Demand for Organised Cruising

Joining World ARC provides practical support in port and at sea, the camaraderie of a close group of fellow cruisers, and a structure that provides peace of mind. Interest in the World ARC has increased in the last year, with over 30 boats ready to take part in World ARC 2012.

Demand from sailors for a rally in the “off” years has to lead to the decision to make World ARC an annual event. This will make it easier for cruisers to sail half the rally, then take a year out to explore on their own, before rejoining the subsequent rally to complete their circumnavigation. An annual event also enables more people to join the rally.

Who Sails on World ARC?

World ARC is a multicultural event, with participants drawn from all nationalities. Participants are drawn from many backgrounds: some are taking a sabbatical before returning to work, while others are enjoying retirement. There are usually family boats sailing with children.

The boats themselves are a cross-section of popular cruising designs, from proven blue-water marques like Hallberg Rassy, Oyster, OVNI and Amel to production cruisers from high volume builders such as Bavaria, Lagoon and Jeanneau.

A Rally with History

World Cruising Club organized the first-ever circumnavigation rally, Europa 92. Since then, the company has organized seven successful circumnavigations. The first World ARC was held in 2008-09, and he current edition, World ARC 2010-11, is drawing to a close in the Caribbean after 26,000Nm and 15 months.

World ARC follows a route that makes the most of the Trade Winds and seasonal weather systems, whilst enabling the participants to enjoy some of the most beautiful and remote cruising destinations. From the first World ARC, World Cruising Club made a decision to follow the classic sailing route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, avoiding areas of political instability and piracy.

Since 1992, World Cruising Club has enabled over 200 boats and 950 people to realize their dream of sailing safely around the world.