A new way to cross the Atlantic

HoratioHB

HoratioHB

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Thought the forum might be interested in the latest Atlantic Rally idea. The Caribbean Christmas Rally (CCR) is going to do a Canaries to Antigua crossing for the first time next year, starting in mid December. The idea is to go when the Trades have fully set in and also when peeps who have trouble getting away from work might find it all a bit easier. The idea is; leave Lanzarote, have Christmas at sea (one way of getting away from all the hype!) and then arrive in Jolly harbour Antigua before New Year for a beerio or two. It is also planned to help with the preparation and lectures etc before leaving UK/Europe. Obviously not a new idea but as there are currently more boats wanting to do this sort of thing than there is capacity elsewhere, it will hopefully be successful. Anyone interested should look at: http://www.sailingrallies.com/
 
Yup - The organiser, John Simpson has crossed the Atlantic both ways twice, he's an RYA YM Ocean with over 35,000 miles logged. Me (strange thing) I'm a YM ocean as well with 20,000 miles and ex RN, I'm also an Instructor. I've done the Atlantic twenty times in everything from an aircraft carrier to a Lagoon 380. Other team members have all done over 15,000 miles and we've sailed with them. For the prep we have several well known authors of books about sailing long distance as well as Meteorologists from Germany and the US to help with briefings and routing forecasting etc. Other staff will be recruited as the year progresses. Hope this gives some confidence. We are sailing people who've done this before and want to help other share in the adventure.

Oh and the full breakdown of charges is in the 'Rally notes' at the bottom of the main page.
 
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moodyNick said:
I'm still a virgin when it comes to crossing the pond so may be missing something. I understand the benefit of going a little later and over Christmas, but not why I would pay two and a half grand for a 'cruise in company' ?
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It's more than just a 'cruise in company'. As social and gregarious animals we like to feel part of something and a sense of shared endeavour.

The reality is that once you leave port you are on your own, however you will have had an opportunity to mix with, gain encouragement from and speak to other skippers of varying experience.

I suspect that organised rallies such as this one have provided the impetus for hundreds, if not thousands of people to cross an ocean who would have been terrified to undertake such a passage if left to their own devices. That can only be a good thing.

Only you can put your own monetary value on that but most people are prepared to pay a decent wedge for something which, after all is said and done, is an extraordinary achievement.
 
Sensible question and loads of people are happy to do it on their own. But for the money you get a lot of expert help and advice which many find very useful, especially if it's their first long distance voyage. The marina discounts themselves amount to a large saving when set against the entrance fee. On the Atlantic leg many people like the security offered by other boats in company - radio nets and support as well as dedicated weather and routing information. I can quote an example for instance, where a boat urgently needed diesel to make St Lucia, as there was no wind and five boats were able to offer aid. The social side is great and there will be a lot of free parties sponsored by marinas and tourist boards. This leads to the best bit in my view, which is simply making friends through a shared experience and I'm sure many others would agree. I know that many stay in touch and sail together for a long time afterwards.

And 'what he said' above!!
 
moodyNick said:
I'm still a virgin when it comes to crossing the pond so may be missing something. I understand the benefit of going a little later and over Christmas, but not why I would pay two and a half grand for a 'cruise in company' ?
Click to expand...

I did the ARC in 2011, I could list the reasons I thought it was a great trip, but I think Matt (of Mojomo fame) sums it up best in his blog entry here . A friend of mine sailed the atlantic, back from the carribean 20 years ago with sextant at the ready. He is doing the ARC next year.

Good luck to the CCR, it sounds a good idea, especially now that the ARC seems at its limit.
 
Three kings said:
What a superb blog entry from Mojomo. Any doubts I had about signing up for ARC 2013 have been dispelled.
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I suspect that you will find that TCM has changed his tune about ARC and it's organisers? He's currently at sea so cannot reply to this thread, so speaking on his behalf, without his consent, IIRC this is what happened on his last ARC crossing (circa Dec 2011) ... he requested URGENT medical advise via email for one of his crew. ARC did not reply to any of his requests. Once he arrived in St Lucia, he threatened legal action and was refunded his ARC fees in full within about a nanosecond. I am fairly confident that if you read through the hundreds of his blog entries, you will find the story.
 
I'm sorry to hear that TCM needed to request urgent medical advice and hope the situation was not too serious in the end.

Do the ARC actively promote themselves as a point of contact for medical matters?
 
As fars as I know the trades blow year round. though they do move further N in summer. The primary reason to avoid the trades during summer. is TRS season. which is over by November. The traditional time to head for caribean.
The ARC always seamed like a good idea for the interaction and particularly the comfort of some one knowing where you are and how you are doing.

If christmas is more convenient I expect it will compete well with ARC.
Long ago when navtex started. I used to see sad little notes repeated daily for a month or so. Sailing vessel over due. Left X for Y and a description. I don't recall many happy endings.

I expect the ARC has reduced the frequency of those sad little notes.
 
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>he requested URGENT medical advise via email for one of his crew. ARC did not reply to any of his requests.

Our intention if we needed to make that call was to call Falmouth coastguard who put you straight through to a doctor, callinging the ARC is just wasting time. However maybe he didn't have an SSB radio.

One thing about the new rally leaving at the time they plan is almost every year you get Christmas winds in the west Atlantic and Caribbean that are stronger than normal that last for about a month. Every third or so year they are very strong. One year we were out there they started in mid December and went on to March. They were so strong, and the seas so big, that no boat moved in the Caribbean in that time and it ruined the cruising season.
 
Yes - the Christmas winds are a standard feature of mid Dec to end of Jan. They are the trades fully re-established. I was caught trying to get to Antigua from Guadeloupe last winter and turned back. But in the Islands most people are trying to go roughly North/South and you have to clear the acceleration zones around the tips of the islands and in the channels. I've been on the southern tip of Dominica and seen some incredible eddies. However, coming across the Atlantic they will be well behind the beam and a good steady twenty to twenty five knots up the chuff is a good way of making a fast passage. Most people who cross go from mid Dec to early Jan its only the ARC who go early for good reason but not because its the best time for consistent weather.
 
Just wondering how do all these rally boats come back?
Is there a return rally?
Or does the caribean jut fill up with ARC boats.?:D
 
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