World Cruising Club: August Newsletter
As the summer sailing season fades into Autumn, World Cruising Club is gearing up for the winter Atlantic crossing season and preparing for in-person get togethers at boat shows in the UK in September and in the US in October.
Published 1 year ago
Two World ARC fleets have been enjoying their time cruising in the Pacific, with the circumnavigators having safely arrived in Australia and the World ARC Pacific fleet exploring Fiji before heading towards Vanuatu and the finish of their rally in late September.
Registrations for the 2025 edition of World ARC are now open and it is likely to be popular so if you are planning to sail with us in 2025, register your boat right away.
Winter is always our busy time as boats and crew gather in Las Palmas to prepare for “ARC Season”, the transatlantic migration from Europe to the Caribbean in November and December.
Once again we have a full fleet, but are working hard with the marina team in Las Palmas to find extra berths for boats on our wait list. Registration for the 2024 editions of ARC and ARC+ will open in early September. Do look out for our update emails or register your interest here to make sure you receive the ‘registration open’ email on launch day.
Our online seminars and events are great for reaching a worldwide audience of sailors, but nothing beats a face-to-face conversation so in September WCC will be holding events alongside the Southampton Boat Show in the UK and in October look out for a World ARC meeting at Annapolis MD in the US. Full details of all activities are on the WCC website.
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Live Presentations in September/October
Come and meet the World Cruising Club team and learn more about our rallies; chat with former rally skippers and learn how to prepare for your chosen route. World Cruising Club are holding in-person presentations at the Boat Shows in Southampton UK and Annapolis USA.
- Your chance to meet and discuss the rally in person with the World Cruising Club team.
- Meet other like-minded cruising sailors and previous rally skippers for lunch or breakfast, conveniently located for the Southampton Boat Show and for the US Sailboat Show at Annapolis MD.
- The presentations are free to attend with pre-registration.
- Ideal for ARC, World ARC, and ARC Portugal future participants
Click here for details and to register
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ARC Skippers Share Their Experiences – 16 September
The ARC Ocean Sailing Forum held in Southampton UK on Saturday 16th September is your chance to learn directly from a panel of former ARC skippers. The forum, which is a two-hour long panel discussion, will give you a good understanding of how to prepare your boat and crew for an ARC transat. In addition to a briefing on weather, routing, timetable and programme for the ARC, the skippers will share their personal experiences and top-tips for boats and crews. The forum is free to attend.
Meet the Skippers
Chris & Penny Manley
Karma Daze, Elan 434,
ARC 2012 and ARC Europe 2019
Chris and Penny have owned boats for 20 years, enjoying extensive sailing in the Mediterranean before sailing to the Caribbean with ARC 2012. Whilst on their extended Atlantic circuit they cruised widely in the Caribbean and US east coast before returning to Europe with ARC Europe 2019, having covered 30,000NM in their 2008 Elan 434, a production aft-cockpit cruiser.
Gary O’Grady
Katy, Westerly Konsort,
ARC 2022, ARC Portugal 2022
Sailing double-handed on his 1983 Westerly Konsort, skipper Gary O’Grady sailed south with ARC Portugal, then transatlantic with the ARC in 2022. Following her sail as the second smallest boat in ARC 2022, Gary competed in the Cruiser Class at Antigua Sailing Week. Gary will be aboard Katy during the Southampton Boat Show with the Westerly Owner’s Club in the marina.
Jim MacDonald
Summerwinds of Cuan, Moody 419
ARC 2019, ARC Europe 2022
A keen sailor for over 30 years Jim and his wife Ann decided to take a ‘year out’ in 2003 to make an Atlantic circuit with their children Elizabeth & Emily on Helice, their Westerly 33 ketch, sailing more than 11,500 miles. The MacDonald’s are also the sole UK distributors for Schenker Watermakers. Jim and Ann repeated their Atlantic circuit in 2019 – 2022 on their Moody 419, often sailing double-handed.
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Portugal Cruising Forum – 23 September
Offering wonderful sailing, superb seafood, and friendly beachfront ports, exploring the Portuguese coastline has long been a popular cruising location for those getting their first taste of the liveaboard lifestyle. World Cruising Club’s free seminar on “Cruising in Portugal” will be held alongside the Southampton Boat Show on Saturday 23 September. The seminar will have a special emphasis on ARC Portugal, which has been run annually by World Cruising Club for twenty-five years. As well as looking at weather and routing to cross Biscay, we will look at some of the ports visited, and finish up with a tour of the Algarve as a cruising destination.
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World ARC Presentation and Lunch – 23 September
Your chance to meet the World Cruising Club team for lunch and a chat about the World ARC rally. Join other like-minded cruising sailors and previous World ARC rally skippers for lunch, conveniently located for the Southampton Boat Show. The presentation will cover the route and rally programme; options for splitting over more than one season, and the key safety equipment requirements that your boat will need to sail around the world. Our former World ARC skippers will share their experiences, tips and advice as well as answering your question
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World ARC Presentation – Annapolis MD 13 October
We are hopping ‘across the pond’ to repeat the World ARC presentation alongside the USA Sailboat Show in Annapolis MD on 13 October.
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West to East Transat – May 2024
ARC Europe 2024
- Entries Now Open
- Start: 11 May 2024 from St Maarten
Our Caribbean to Europe route – ARC Europe – has been running almost as long as the original ARC, helping get cruisers from West to East across the Atlantic. It kicks off from Sint Maarten in the Caribbean Leeward Islands and heads to Bermuda where boats from the US and Bahamas can connect with the fleet. The 1800NM passage from Bermuda to the Azores takes around two weeks and the rally includes a chance to explore these beautiful Atlantic islands before the final stage to Lagos in southern Portugal.
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Crossing Biscay to explore Spain & Portugal – June 2024
ARC Portugal 2024
- Entries Now Open
- Start: 9 June 2024 from Plymouth UK
Credited each year with introducing sailors to cruising friends for life, ARC Portugal departs from Plymouth, UK on 9 June 2024 and crosses the Bay of Biscay to Bayona then down the coast of Portugal stopping at Póvoa de Varzim, Figueira da Foz, Nazare, Oeiras and Sines, before finishing in Marina de Lagos just over three weeks later. This scenic and social rally promises much more than a delivery trip to the Med – visits ashore to explore historic cities, excellent meals with breathtaking views and the World Cruising Club team on hand in every port make the rally a real holiday.
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Around the World – January 2025
World ARC 2025
- Entries Now Open
- Start: 11 January 2025 from Saint Lucia
Arriving in the Caribbean after an ARC transatlantic may just be the beginning of your bluewater adventures. World Cruising Club’s annual World ARC helps cruisers live the dream of a World circumnavigation, heading via Panama to cross the wide Pacific Ocean to Australia and on around the world. Its flexible itinerary is designed to suit both those who want to sail around in a single circuit, as well as cruisers wanting to spend longer in the south sea islands, perhaps with a visit to New Zealand on their wish-list.
Entries for the 2025 World ARC are open and filling fast. To find out more, or book your space, click below.
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ARC 2024 – Entries open in September
Entries will open in early September for the November 2024 editions of the famous Atlantic Rally for Cruisers with two route choices available. Sail in early November from Gran Canaria to Grenada via Cape Verde with ARC+, or the traditional direct route from Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia departing two weeks later. Demand from the global cruising community is strong so we recommend early registration to secure your spot for next year.
Information packs will be available in September when the online entry list opens. To receive full details, please follow the link below.
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Rally/Start Dates for 2023/2024
2023
- 16 September: ARC forum, Southampton Boat Show
- 23 September: World ARC & ARC Portugal forums, Southampton Boat Show
- 13 October, World ARC forum, US Sailboat Show, Annapolis MD
- 05 November: ARC+ Cape Verde Start, Las Palmas
- 19 November: ARC (Direct) Start, Las Palmas
2024
- 13 January: World ARC 2024 Start, Saint Lucia
- 20-28 January: Boot Düsseldorf, Germany
- March: Ocean Cruising Seminar
- May: ARC Europe Start, Simpson Bay, St Maarten
- June: ARC Portugal Start, Plymouth UK
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Related to the following Cruising Resources: Atlantic and Caribbean, Caribbean, Cruising Information, General, Northern Europe, Pacific, Planning and Preparation, Rallies
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