While August is a quieter time at World Cruising Club and staff take the opportunity to enjoy a bit of sailing themselves, the 2025 rallies have just been launched including the 40th edition of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) which has run every year since 1986.

Published 3 months ago

Celebrating 40 Years of ARC

To celebrate the 40 years, WCC is offering discounts for boats under 40 feet and for any boats or skippers who sailed in the original ARC in 1986. Plus, £40 from every entry fee will be donated to the new World Cruising Positive Impact Fund which will support charities and communities on rally routes.

Fabulous Forty!

On 25 November 1986 a fleet of 209 yachts from 24 countries set sail from Las Palmas in the very first Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. 2025 will be the 40th edition of the ARC, which has run every year since 1986.

For ARC 2025 we’re celebrating our forty years with discounts for boats 40 feet and under, and for boats or skippers who sailed in 1986. We’re also donating £40 from every entry fee to the new World Cruising Positive Impact fund, to help support charities and communities in our rally ports.

Request a brochure to find out more.

So far, 7656 boats have crossed the Atlantic east-to-west with the ARC rallies. We’d love to hear your memories and stories of your adventure and what it led to. Share your story here or email media@worldcruising.com.

Caribbean Catastrophe from Hurricane Beryl.

The Caribbean is both the destination and departure for many of World Cruising Club’s rallies and we were horrified by the destruction caused by hurricane Beryl in July. We work closely with MAYAG (the Marine & Yachting Association of Grenada) to deliver ARC+, and would encourage anyone to support their gofund.me appeal. Tourism is vital to the local economy, and ARC+ will visit St George’s Grenada, this December as usual with the full support of all local authorities.

2025 Rallies Are Open! – Start your adventure now

All our 2025 rallies are now open for entries. We already have 29 entries for ARC 2025 (the 40th edition!) with Contessa 32 Teela (GBR) being the first boat to enter – congratulations to Ellen and Mark Catherall! We also have a healthy entry list for ARC+ 2025.

World ARC 2025-26 is now full, but we still have spaces on World ARC 2026-27.  Want to find out more? Click the links below and enter your email.

• Request a Brochure
• Join a Rally

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Shoreside Events

Preparing to sail the ocean requires a lot of thought, preparation and learning. Our shoreside events will help you to make decisions, meet fellow cruisers and answer your burning questions.
Events are in-person and online – see www.worldcruising.com/training for more.

September Seminars during Southampton Boat Show

No boat show ticket required – our free knowledge-sharing events for cruisers are held within walking distance of the show. Register in advance – places are limited for all 3 events.

• Cruisers’ Question Time:  14 September – 09:00-12:00
  • Register

• World ARC Seminar:  15 September – 09:00-13:00
  • Register

• Sailing South Seminar:   21 September – 09:00-13:00
  • Register

October – Annapolis Sailboat Show – Booth O28

Meet the World Cruising Club team at booth O28 at the 2024 Annapolis Sailboat Show. Paul and Kim will be there to talk everything rallies and ocean sailing, plus Noonsite and Ocean Crew Link.
Alongside the show we’re running two presentation breakfast events:

• World ARC Breakfast:  October 12 – 08:30-10:30
  • Register
• Sailing an Atlantic Circuit:  October 13 – 08:30-10:30
  • Register

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World ARC Update

The World ARC 2024-25 fleet has now made landfall in Mackay, Australia. This is the half-way point in the circumnavigation, and some boats are taking the opportunity for a ‘year out’ for exploration of Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia or the Arafura Sea.

The rally resumes in September in Darwin after six weeks of independent cruising up the Barrier Reef and across Australia’s ‘top end’. The fleet will be joined by new faces, including crews from the 2023 rally, and some joining their first World Cruising Club event.

Thank you to Jane Ogilvie of yacht Dilema (GBR) for the photo (below) of a sunset party on Yadua, Fiji.  The ARC 2025-26 fleet are now only six months from the start of their adventure in January – those boats not already in the Caribbean will be planning their voyage from the US or Europe to the start in Saint Lucia. Exciting times!

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Sailing South to Lagos

“An ideal combination of cruising, culture and fun” is how Bernard and Marleen from yacht Eland (BEL) described their ARC Portugal experience this summer.

The rally sails across the Bay of Biscay from Plymouth to Baiona, then down the Portuguese coast in a series of day sails, finishing in in Lagos on the Algarve. Spread across a month, there is time ashore for guided tours to local historic sites, rally meals, independent exploration and relaxation.

Sailing in a group with the support of the rally team not only creates new cruising friendships, but also peace of mind when dealing with local authorities, weather and wildlife.  Marina de Lagos is the ideal base for fly-sail holidays, or a staging point for a cruise to the Mediterranean or to the Canary Islands for the start of the ARC or ARC+.  Interested? Click below and enter your email.

Request a Brochure

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Diary Dates

Our non-rally events are designed to help you prepare for ocean sailing, whether you’re already booked for a rally or still at the dreaming phase. The schedule includes:

September 2024

• 14 September: Bluewater Cruisers’ Question Time, Southampton UK
• 15 September: World ARC Seminar, Southampton UK
• 21 September: Sailing South Seminar, Southampton UK

October 2024

• 10-14 October: Annapolis Sailboat Show, booth O28
• 12 October: World ARC Breakfast, Annapolis MD
• 13 October: Atlantic Circuit Breakfast, Annapolis MD

November 2024

• 10 November: Start of ARC+ 2024
• 24 November: Start of ARC 2024

January 2025

• 11 January: Start of World ARC 2025-26
• 18-26 January: Boot Dusseldorf, Germany

March 2025

• 22-23 March: Ocean Sailing Weekend, Guildford UK

For more details of our land-based events, click on the Training page of the World Cruising Club website . More info coming soon…

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