More than 1,000 sailors prepare to cross Atlantic

ARC gets ready

More than 240 boats and 1,200 people, including 34 children aged

under 16, will take part in the 29th Atlantic Rally for cruisers, which

sets sail from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, heading 2700 miles across the

Atlantic to Saint Lucia in the Caribbean.

The first ARC race

left Las Palmas in 1986 and has run ever since. However,a high demand

from crews wishing to take part in the rally means that the ARC sailors

will have a choice of two routes this year,with the introduction of ARC+

Cape Verde. Two starts are planned, and a fleet of 52 boats will depart

Las Palmas marina two weeks ahead of the larger ARC fleet  which is 190

boats.

The ARC fleet represents almost every principle sailing

nation. This year boats are registered across the globe from Australia ,

Canada, Italy, Norway, UK, USA and a variety of other nations-making 36

in total. The first fleet will depart on 9th November, the second fleet

following behind on the 23rd.

Each year the ACR sailors can

choose to compete against each other by comparing the passage times of 

different types and sizes of cruising boats. However the ARC racing

division will be striving to beat the record set in 2013  which is 10

days, 21 hours, 25 minutes and 10 seconds by Max Klink’s Knierim 65

Caro.

Read more at http://www.yachtingmonthly.com/news/537564/more-than-1-000-sailors-prepare-to-cross-atlantic#oDfvycGcCqIX53mL.99