A
angelsson
Guest
Is it the case that alongside those who sign up to the ARC there are independant sailors who follow or join in without the support, and cost etc the ARC affords.
ffiill
Well-Known Member
I always wondered this as I cannot see anyone stopping you sailing at the same time in the knowledge that there will be a lot of boats out there with whom to communicate.
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
colloquially known as NARCs
samwise
Well-Known Member
You would think that with 200 plus yachts all heading for the same place, plus the NARCS, you would always be in sight of somebody. Having done the ARC, I can tell you that within a couple of days the fleet is scattered far and wide. In our crossing, after clearing the Canaries, we only saw one other ARC boat close enough to take pictures until we closed St Lucia -- although we did have a successful VHF game of Trivial Pursuit with another crew but we never actually saw them. That said . the ARC communication arrangements are excellent and every day we were able to hear how the others were doing and plot positions on the chart.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
The Atlantic is a big place
As far as I'm aware the ARC organisers have not booked the entire North Atlantic for the exclusive use of ARC participants.
When I crewed on an ARC yacht a few years ago we didn't see any yacht (or other vessel) after we had been at sea for a day or two until we went looking for one that had asked for help after its rudder fell off.
So remote is the chance of seeing anything, let alone hitting it, that we sailed at night without lights in order to save electricity.
As far as I'm aware the ARC organisers have not booked the entire North Atlantic for the exclusive use of ARC participants.
When I crewed on an ARC yacht a few years ago we didn't see any yacht (or other vessel) after we had been at sea for a day or two until we went looking for one that had asked for help after its rudder fell off.
So remote is the chance of seeing anything, let alone hitting it, that we sailed at night without lights in order to save electricity.
Ludd
Well-Known Member
Why would you want to leave Gran Canaria that early in the season,before the trades have properly settled in? 
Neil_Y
Well-Known Member
Most choose to go later, Jan is a good time I've found. I think many boats go at a similar time aiming for Christmas in Carib and don't have long range comm's, so they couldn't enter, possibly they feel safer as there is a slightly higher chance of being within vhf range of other boats, but you'd have to be mid fleet and quite lucky, it doesn't take long to get 40-50 miles from other boats on a 2700nm passage.
sailor211
Well-Known Member
This is often said. However before the ARC prople crossed at that time. Some prople complain tha the ARC has closed some ports and formed a log Jam, hindering those doing their own thing.
If I wanted to be in st Luvia for Xmas and had to start from Gran Canaria, I would go by the weather not a fixed start date. But then because of the ARC this is a route I would avoid. So the ARC is an inconvenience to me
If I wanted to be in st Luvia for Xmas and had to start from Gran Canaria, I would go by the weather not a fixed start date. But then because of the ARC this is a route I would avoid. So the ARC is an inconvenience to me
tomdmx
Well-Known Member
I'm thinking of doing the NARC thing too....and thats probably due to the fact that I may not have long range comms...may have a sat phone but not sure as to email capability...my liferaft is also not fit out to SOLAS standards, its ORC...
Is anyone else thinking of doing similar? I think from my point of view the psychological comfort that one could talk to somebody else on a first crossing is potentially worthwhile the fee but rather than spend a few thousands to get ARC compliant, I'd rather spend that money on food and drink in the Caribbean
(though obviously not compromise on safety in any way)
Is anyone else thinking of doing similar? I think from my point of view the psychological comfort that one could talk to somebody else on a first crossing is potentially worthwhile the fee but rather than spend a few thousands to get ARC compliant, I'd rather spend that money on food and drink in the Caribbean
(though obviously not compromise on safety in any way)
Neil_Y
Well-Known Member
In three crossings I've always come across at least one ship who we've talked to on VHF and they have either faxed or e-mailed details of where we are back home.
The psychological comfort for me came from meeting other more experienced skippers and comparing notes on kit and boat set up, and then we headed of in a small group and kept vhf contact as long as we could, we also had and ssb for weather so we could listen in to their chats to other boats.
We always had an epirb if things got really bad.
The psychological comfort for me came from meeting other more experienced skippers and comparing notes on kit and boat set up, and then we headed of in a small group and kept vhf contact as long as we could, we also had and ssb for weather so we could listen in to their chats to other boats.
We always had an epirb if things got really bad.
alteredoutlook
Well-Known Member
Generally more yachts cross the pond without being part of the ARC. This is because it can be SAFER to do so as ARC boats leave on a specified date come what may.
I did an Atlantic Circuit in 2001 without the support of ARC. On the outward crossing the weather patterns were such that I just chose to leave the Canaries (albeit from a different island) on the same day. On the return crossing we left Bermuda 4 days before the ARC because the weather was right. Those that left with the ARC had a F8 hammering immediately they left.
I did an Atlantic Circuit in 2001 without the support of ARC. On the outward crossing the weather patterns were such that I just chose to leave the Canaries (albeit from a different island) on the same day. On the return crossing we left Bermuda 4 days before the ARC because the weather was right. Those that left with the ARC had a F8 hammering immediately they left.
tomdmx
Well-Known Member
Fair points...so I'm guessing that there is more than one yacht that will go across 'at the right time' rather than with ARC?
We'll be doing this on my yacht (a stell 31 footer) and we'll be short handed (my mate and I) maybe one more person but thats only a maybe...so keen to be in touch for as long as we can with anyone...and my experience dictates that we'll definitely be leaving at right weather not right date...(i've made that mistake once)
We'll be doing this on my yacht (a stell 31 footer) and we'll be short handed (my mate and I) maybe one more person but thats only a maybe...so keen to be in touch for as long as we can with anyone...and my experience dictates that we'll definitely be leaving at right weather not right date...(i've made that mistake once)
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AIDY
Well-Known Member
As other's have said it's the wrong time to go you need to go dec / jan for the trades.... in the last few years arc boats have been known to beat to windward for the first week and also stop at cape verdes !
only advantage of arc is cheaper marina both ends, if your not an arc boat you wont get into the marina's.
only advantage of arc is cheaper marina both ends, if your not an arc boat you wont get into the marina's.
onesea
Well-Known Member
From the same poster...
".........As far as I'm aware the ARC organisers have not booked the entire North Atlantic for the exclusive use of ARC participants...........
........So remote is the chance of seeing anything, let alone hitting it, that we sailed at night without lights in order to save electricity....."
Please leave some lights on you said its not exclusive to ANYONE. Think of the effect of the OOW on the other ship, boat, yacht MOBO should the worst happen...
You might think you are out of the shipping lanes but there only needs to be one. Can you be certain your crew really keep a good full 360 lookout all night?
".........As far as I'm aware the ARC organisers have not booked the entire North Atlantic for the exclusive use of ARC participants...........
........So remote is the chance of seeing anything, let alone hitting it, that we sailed at night without lights in order to save electricity....."
Please leave some lights on you said its not exclusive to ANYONE. Think of the effect of the OOW on the other ship, boat, yacht MOBO should the worst happen...
You might think you are out of the shipping lanes but there only needs to be one. Can you be certain your crew really keep a good full 360 lookout all night?
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Wandering Star
Well-Known Member
I'd agree with this, modern LED lights consume minimal power so it's really quite selfish to sail without at least one masthead light even if it's an allround white.
Cheers, Brian.
Neil_Y
Well-Known Member
Funny, I also felt a little uncomfortable hearing that a yacht would sail without lights, part of preparing a yacht for a passage is to ensure that safety systems can operate. Lights are there for your and others safety. Fair enough if you have a failure problem but any vessel should be able to run nav lights at night. We didn't have led lights just a towed generator which ran all the electrics.
KellysEye
Well-Known Member
>I'm thinking of doing the NARC thing too....and thats probably due to the fact that I may not have long range comms...may have a sat phone but not sure as to email capability...I think from my point of view the psychological comfort that one could talk to somebody else on a first crossing is potentially worthwhile
Unfortunately if you only have VHF the chance of being within 25 miles of another boat are almost nil after the first day. That's why the ARC net is on SSB.
Unfortunately if you only have VHF the chance of being within 25 miles of another boat are almost nil after the first day. That's why the ARC net is on SSB.
tomdmx
Well-Known Member
Yep, I agree with that (the ability to raise anyone on vhf on ocean passage)..I'm contemplating an SSB setup but not really sure on how to achieve this on my yacht,still researching the topic...the other option is a sat phone...
ChrisE
Well-Known Member
Why not consider going a bit further south and leaving whenever you like?
We crossed via Cape Verdes to Brazil in Sept/Oct and had an extra two months on the far bank visiting relatively unexplored Brazil, Devils Island etc en route.
I don't understand why we wait until late in the year when there is plenty of great sailing to be had by going further south than the usual coconut route.
We crossed via Cape Verdes to Brazil in Sept/Oct and had an extra two months on the far bank visiting relatively unexplored Brazil, Devils Island etc en route.
I don't understand why we wait until late in the year when there is plenty of great sailing to be had by going further south than the usual coconut route.
A
angelsson
Guest
I'm thinking of doing the NARC thing too....and thats probably due to the fact that I may not have long range comms...may have a sat phone but not sure as to email capability...my liferaft is also not fit out to SOLAS standards, its ORC...
Is anyone else thinking of doing similar? I think from my point of view the psychological comfort that one could talk to somebody else on a first crossing is potentially worthwhile the fee but rather than spend a few thousands to get ARC compliant, I'd rather spend that money on food and drink in the Caribbean
You echo my reasons for my question in the first place, spending, which I admit I would have to do to be compliant, puts me off the ARC route, but like you would value the company of others similar, who also not compromising the level of safety they have complied with over many years and found to be adequate to their needs. I have certainly considered it for a number of years and think it is time to stop considering and do it.
