ARC woes

[RJJ]

So there we were, bought the boat, spent last year prepping and learning to sail her, family is all ready to take a sabbatical Atlantic circuit starting in August.

Then this happened. Of course people are dying horrible deaths and I have a mere boating problem...but still. It's more of a whinge than a question I suppose, but suggestions welcome.

Plan A remains launch in May (July latest) and stick to original dates. That depends on releasing lockdown (with about six days work remaining to do on the boat before launch). Risks remain in event of renewed outbreaks, being stuck without a port, or struggling to make crew connections which we really want for longer passages given young children and level of experience of my DS wife.

Plan B is postpone to 2021. The major drawback is that's less optimal for the kids' education; daughter #1 would be doing 11+ very soon after our return in 2022.

Plan C is reduce the ambition and just do six months in 2021, missing the summer term only. Less ambition and less risk but boo-hoo to lose our ARC entry fee and not cross an ocean.

We have about a month before major decisions become forced in terms of work commitments. Anyone think Plan A is realistic, or should we just accept it's written off? Seems a guess whether lockdown is somewhat eased by May/June ... Or not.

 

[doug748]

As things stand. Plan B for me as long as 11+ daughter is reasonably happy and you can carry over your entry fee. You might get some good, local later season sailing in, might not.

Plan A could end up a shambles, too many variables/unknowns.

Plan C would always seem a bit of a letdown, I think.

 

[lw395]

I don't expect you'll be welcome anywhere abroad this Autumn.
There is much talk expecting the virus to have a second wave of cases over the winter.

 

[Pete7]

Plan C for me. Either Portugal and back, there is an ARC Portugal btw. Or how about Scotland, Faroes, Norway,? Or Baltic via the Dutch canals,Keil and back.

You will have the rest of this year to gain experience, then off on an adventure.
Pete

 

[[70521]]

I am afloat and not expecting to go anywhere before July at the earliest! Reading the reports from the Ocean Cruising Club there are no ports open for cruising yachts and I have friends who left Cuba about a week ago heading back to the UK.

Some American friends "home educated" their children on a three year voyage that took them from Norway in the north to South Georgia in the south. The voyage in itself was an education, an 11 year old doing astronavigation.

 

[RJJ]

[/QUOTE]

Plan C for me. Either Portugal and back, there is an ARC Portugal btw. Or how about Scotland, Faroes, Norway,? Or Baltic via the Dutch canals,Keil and back.

You will have the rest of this year to gain experience, then off on an adventure.
Pete

Plan C, to be clear, would be March - September so we'd miss a summer term. I'm thinking try to deliver her to Portugal / Maderia this late summer / autumn and leave her for the winter; then start from there in March and work our way back to UK. Would that work?

PS I'd love to circumnavigate UK or cross the North Sea, as you suggest, but SWMBO has a warm weather thing that is one of my immovable constraints. Now I do the navigation but I think she'll be able to tell the difference between the Norwegian and Galician fjords -

 

[RJJ]

I am afloat and not expecting to go anywhere before July at the earliest! Reading the reports from the Ocean Cruising Club there are no ports open for cruising yachts and I have friends who left Cuba about a week ago heading back to the UK.

Some American friends "home educated" their children on a three year voyage that took them from Norway in the north to South Georgia in the south. The voyage in itself was an education, an 11 year old doing astronavigation.

I have pals in Caribbean who are a year ahead of us; others who just arrived in Brazil. They are becoming acquainted with the 3 Fs: Food, Fuel and ….. off

 

[FlyingGoose]

Plan B education is nothing to experience and memories with the family your daughter can do some home schooling, and catch up no issues with a little work when you get back , Life comes along only once

 

[geem]

We are locked down in the Caribbean. We plan to sail back to the UK next month and park the boat up for 12 months until this improves. I cant see the islands here being open for cruising for the foreseeable future. Their economies will be in tatters as they rely heavily on tourism. Who is going to be taking a holiday in the Caribbean in the next 12 months?
I would defer for 12 months and see how all this develops

 

[Pete7]

Plan C, to be clear, would be March - September so we'd miss a summer term. I'm thinking try to deliver her to Portugal / Maderia this late summer / autumn and leave her for the winter; then start from there in March and work our way back to UK. Would that work? [/QUOTE]

Portugal to Canaries in the late Spring, up to the Azores mid summer and home early Autumn in time for tea

 

[RJJ]

We are locked down in the Caribbean. We plan to sail back to the UK next month and park the boat up for 12 months until this improves. I cant see the islands here being open for cruising for the foreseeable future. Their economies will be in tatters as they rely heavily on tourism. Who is going to be taking a holiday in the Caribbean in the next 12 months?
I would defer for 12 months and see how all this develops

...or they will be desperate to see visitors come back and wake up to the fact that people who have been at sea for three weeks have already been quarantined; maybe some hard currency will be warmly welcomed.

...or law and order may be the challenge and we might rather not be there.

 

[AlexKT7]

there is an ARC Portugal btw.

it's actually 50/50 . We paid for ARC Portugal and it is now rescheduled for mid-August with HUGE chance of being postponed until 2021. I would plan something in Europe for 2020 . Plan D?

 

[V1701]

Plan A definitely not you'd be fretting constantly as to when you might be able to set off and way too many potential confounding variables over which you would have no control whatsoever. Plan C to a lesser extent some of the same issues and a big compromise. Plan B has both the most chance of coming to fruition and is also the one which enables you to do what you really want to do. Once the decision is made you will have it all to look forward to, and having something to look forward to is more important than ever right now and take the pressure off which again would be a good thing right now. Good luck with whatever you decide...

I really sympathise having booked a 1 year sabbatical from work from June of this year to go sailing myself, now cancelled and hoping to do it next year...

 

[PhillM]

what about plan d,
do it in a few stages over a couple of years. If lockdown happens, why not go to the canaries, then leave the boat there and fly home. Pop back for some Christmas & Easter sailing. Go back in July after school and move down to Cape Verde. Decide to cross without the Arc, or not, then come back again, leaving the boat somewhere on the other side. Return at a convenient time and cruse the Caribbean. And so on.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I think there are too many unknowns to make a plan. The impact of this virus on the UK and abroad is not really going to be known for a while. If it was me I would strive to maintain the status quo until things improve, then replan from there. A lot of dreams are being shattered at the moment.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I don't think you've quite grasped what is happening.
1) you are going nowhere in may.
2) when measures are eased they will only be so fo as long as infection rates are low. They will then be tightened again.
3) The timings will be different in different countries.
4) This will go on long into 2021

take a look at the latest numbers from the mathematicians at imperial if you don't believe me.

 

[RJJ]

Thanks folks. I suppose you are helping my head get a grip of my heart which is appreciated.
another factor is we intend selling her on once finished. Another year might allow the boating economy to recover, a bit.

 

[Laser310]

Perhaps you are leaving some info out.., but I don't see why you have to be in the water by July at the latest...

If you want to get to the Caribbean for next winter's season, it would be nice to be in the canary islands by November some time.., but that leaves plenty of time.

Look.., nobody knows what's going to happen. My guess is you will be sailing by, say, September or earlier, and can get to the Caribbean by Christmas, if you wish to.

Keep your options open, and hope for the best.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Sailing by September ??????

 

[Graham376]

We have about a month before major decisions become forced in terms of work commitments. Anyone think Plan A is realistic, or should we just accept it's written off? Seems a guess whether lockdown is somewhat eased by May/June ... Or not.

My guess is that many restrictions will have been lifted by or during June but, you're planning on crossing international borders which may still be difficult for quite a while after. I would wait as long as you can to make final decision but, if you only have until early May, it may be too early to see what's happening.