Is the cost of the Atlantic Cruising Rally worth it?

[Sos]

If you spend the money on gear (AIS PLB's) you will have them for your first crossing and also for the trip back.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by svRaison d Etre

SSB Radio are expensive

True, but not required for the ARC Rallies in the Atlantic.

Originally Posted by Sos

If you spend the money on gear (AIS PLB's) you will have them for your first crossing and also for the trip back.

Good point, they will always be available.

Pete

[Zanshin]

I was in St. Lucia this year for the ARC arrival. They did a good job welcoming the boats and the marina was nicely spruced up for the event. The camaraderie amongst the participants was nice to see and those that I spoke with said that they had enjoyed the whole event and would repeat it. There was some support available for boats from the ARC crew, but overall it did seems rather low-key, as if all the energy was spent on the other side of the Atlantic.

[Cwens]

Originally Posted by svRaison d Etre

SSB Radio are expensive

... and not required. From the ARC document (added emphasis mine):

World ARC yachtsmust be fitted with a DSC capable marine SSB HF radio transceiver covering the 2 – 22 MHz bands, with an independent aerial for DSC operation, or a suitable alternative ‘always-on’ satcoms system.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by ChrisOwens

... and not required. From the ARC document (added emphasis mine):

And the 'always on satcoms system' costs how much exactly?

https://www.inmarsat.com/en/solution.../yachting.html

[TheOffice]

SSB is for WORLD ARC, not ARC Atlantic crossings. An Iridium Go is more than adequate.

As for the other safety equipment, I would not go offshore without it. Everything that is required is on the list because of someone else's misfortune.

I plan to do the ARC Europe in 24. They will help with Customs, Covid, trips around the Azores and dockage.

[Cwens]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

And the 'always on satcoms system' costs how much exactly?

Looks like around $60 per week plus some usage charges?


https://www.satmodo.com/rental/satel...ridium-rental/

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by ChrisOwens

Looks like around $60 per week plus some usage charges?


https://www.satmodo.com/rental/satel...ridium-rental/

Given that the SSB must have DSC would those Iridium hand helds be accepted?

Interesting that a storm jib isn't required - just recommended.

[Stewie12]

On your own you will meet plenty of friends on this side of the Atlantic and on the other. For me the ARC would not be my choice.

[Bali43Cat]

Echo what others have said here - we did the ARC in 2022. Doesn’t sound like you are hungering for social gatherings and events and that is what ARC tries to emphasize. Their safety inspection is a bit overboard but it DOES prepare you for the long voyage and it is definitely a long haul.

My advice would be to base your safety gear/equipment around their list, leave sometime around their departure - but take an extra few days and make the Cape Verde (ARC+) route. In our journey the weather was pushing the bulk of the fleet south anyway and we chose to abandon the rally and spend a few days in Cape Verde - really enjoyed that stop and would do the same again.

[Tom and Maje]

I'm going to be the odd sailor out. We did think it was worth it. We stopped in places we might not have gone (in the Azores for example), there was marina space available and the discounts were made them very affordable, sometimes free. There were tours we enjoyed. We have remained friends with some of the other people on the passage. The parties were fun and they had enough food for us, but we generally get places early. I was really grateful for the two weeks in Lagos, Portugal. It gave us time to recharge and decide where we were going to go next.
We used Chris for weather and were really glad we did. In fact, we had people contacting us for weather. PM me if you have any other questions.

Maje

[Curryfrog]

Definitely not
There are many other rallies, for example the Viking Explorers - I did this one and it was much cheaper, better organised and it cut out all the stupid inspections, treating you like you were an adult, responsible for your own decisions.
And it left later, for better chance of good winds.

[allanc]

I read patiently, without comment, through all the objections to the cost of the ARC until I came to the entry that unashamedly said almost proudly that their life raft was out of its service date.
Make sure that you, whoever you are, tell your prospective crew about that and then, when you are swimming in the ocean, having watched your yacht sink and your life raft fail to inflate, you can then say 'I'm glad I saved money by not getting my life raft serviced'. It's just too stupid to be real and it won't impress the coroner.

[Tom and Maje]

I don't see anything that indicates Viking Explores do a west-east passage.

Maje

[boatman61]

Maybe they prefer a dinghy..