With today’s start of the 39th Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, there are 234 yachts crossing the ocean from Gran Canaria to the Caribbean with the ARC and ARC+ rallies.

At 12:30 local time today, Sunday 24 November, a record-breaking 45 multihulls were the first boats to cross the start line of ARC 2024, followed by the 11-strong IRC racing fleet at 12:45 and then at 13:00 the 83 cruising yachts.

The multihull division had a slow start in a flukey south easterly breeze, with Mark and Penny Belcher’s Lagoon 400 Two Hoots (GBR) crossing first, making Benji the sea dog first of the seven sailing pets in the fleet to start the 2,700NM adventure. Two Hoots was followed by Kenneth Frantz’s Fountain Pajot Elba 45 My Cherie Amour (USA) and the Neel 47 trimaran Ferdinand (FRA) of Francesco Rongoni. 

Jean Philippe Blanpain’s Vismara 62 Leaps & Bounds 2 (MLT) was first of the IRC racing division to cross the line, followed closely by three-times ARC racing division winner Jean Pierre Dick with his Swan 76 La Loévie (MLT), then the JV 43 Red 2 (CHE) owned and skippered by Mathias Mueller von Blumencron. Johannes Schwarz’s Volvo 70 Ocean Breeze (AUT) was fourth to cross the line.

By 13:00 local time the wind had increased to 10-12 knots and started to back, giving the cruising division a comfortable white sail start. As the gun was fired on Spanish naval patrol ship Relámpago, there was a close pin-end start between Bengt Lyckåsen’s Dufour 45e Performance Mormor Alice (SWE), Amedeo Gambino’s Alubat JPearl (FRA), Patrick Mulligan’s Rustler 42 Sini and the Grand Soleil 50 Juniper (GBR) owned by John Boughton.

There was a Finnish tussle at the committee boat end of the line between ARC regulars Another Brick (FIN), the Beneteau First 44.7 owned by Markus Renlund, and Sebastian Gylling’s Swan 51 Eira (FIN) with Nigel Lewis’ Jeanneau Yacht 55 Musketeer of Cowes (GBR) in close pursuit. After the ARC, Musketeer will be one of seven ARC yachts to be joining the World ARC circumnavigation starting in January.

Proof that the ARC is at heart a cruising rally was provided by Johanna Schalander, co-owner of Arcona 400 Greta (SWE), who baked and served fruit pies during the start sequence.

ARC weather-guru Chris Tibbs explained that the light southerlies would veer through Sunday. “The sailor’s choice will be the classic route towards Cape Verde, with initially less wind on the rhum line to Saint Lucia” said Chris Tibbs. World Cruising Club managing director Paul Tetlow added: “The ARC is a marathon, not a sprint. Use the lighter conditions to settle into your routine and enjoy the experience.”

The majority of the fleet are now heading south, hunting the stronger wind. Follow them on the YB Races app and on worldcruising.com.

After two weeks of Canarian hospitality and support, the majority of the 820 ARC sailors will be at sea for up to 21 days, although the racing yachts and some of the sportier cruisers will have a shorter time in their sights. The ARC record of 8 days and six hours set in 2016 by Rambler 88 (USA) still stands.

Like all sailing, wind, waves and how the crews choose to sail their boats will determine their arrival date into Saint Lucia. Irrespective of performance, every boat will be greeted in IGY Rodney Bay Marina with a warm Lucian welcome, the congratulations of the yellow shirt team and fellow sailors, and a spicy rum punch.