The Atlantic sailors

Four sailors on the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers 2017 share their preparations for going offshore across the Atlantic

There’s one place that cruising boats congregate before sailing offshore for the first time, and it’s at the start of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. I joined the crews as they prepared for the start to find out how they’d chosen their boats for the trip and what they’d done to get themselves ready for it. It is true that the size of boats participating in the ARC is increasing every year – a trend that reflects the growth in cruising boat length that is evident in marinas around the UK – and the average ARC yacht is now 50ft in length. Every year, however, sees small yachts joining for the 2,700-mile rally in company. Some of these are full of character, but many are ordinary coastal cruisers diligently prepared for offshore sailing.

Small yachts rely heavily on sail power alone, making for a fulfilling or potentially frustrating experience