On 22 November, hundreds of sailors will leave Las Palmas de Gran Canaria behind and point their bows west. Destination: Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia. Distance: approximately 2,700 nautical miles. Time at sea: somewhere between 18 and 21 days, depending on what the Atlantic decides to do.
The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers has been running since 1986, and it remains one of the great events in ocean sailing. What makes it special isn’t the distance, it’s the community. Families, solo sailors, seasoned bluewater crews and first-time offshore adventurers, all sharing the same stretch of ocean at the same time, all chasing the same trade winds south.
If you’re taking part this year, we hope the passage is everything you’ve been planning for.
Before You Leave the Dock
An Atlantic crossing takes months of preparation: provisions, safety equipment, communications, crew briefings. Insurance tends to get left towards the end of that list, but it’s worth checking before you go.
For the vessel, confirm that your yacht insurance covers the intended voyage, including your cruising limits and any specific conditions around offshore passages. Don’t assume an existing policy automatically covers an Atlantic crossing. The details matter.
For crew, a sailing travel insurance policy is worth having in place. Medical emergencies and repatriation at sea are complicated and expensive. A policy designed for offshore sailing can cover things a standard travel policy won’t, subject to its terms and conditions.
If you have questions about either, our team is happy to talk through what you need.
From Everyone at Topsail
We’ve been part of the sailing community since 1996, and there’s something genuinely exciting about this time of year: the ARC fleet gathering in Las Palmas, the pre-departure atmosphere, the moment the trade winds fill the sails and the crossing begins.
To every skipper, crew member and family setting off this November: fair winds and following seas. We look forward to hearing about it when you reach Saint Lucia.
