Every November a fleet gathers in Las Palmas to cross 2,700 miles of trade winds to Saint Lucia. More of them are catamarans each year, and this November our own Sales Director is sailing it on a Vision 444.
For many sailors, casting off the docklines and heading over the horizon isn’t just a vacation: it’s a profound life change. Whether you are transitioning to a full-time live-aboard lifestyle or planning a multi-year blue-water sabbatical, crossing an ocean for the first time is the ultimate milestone.
And when it comes to ocean-crossing milestones, one name stands above the rest: the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC).
What is the ARC and Where Did It Start?
Launched in 1986 by renowned sailor and author Jimmy Cornell, the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers was originally conceived as a safe, organized way for everyday cruising sailors to cross the Atlantic together. Rather than a fierce competitive death-race, the ARC was designed as a supportive rally.
The formula is straightforward yet legendary: every November, a diverse fleet gathers in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to sail roughly 2,700 nautical miles across the trade-wind belt directly to Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia.
What started as a gathering of adventurous friends has grown into the largest trans-ocean sailing event in the world, bringing together hundreds of boats and thousands of sailors from all walks of life.
Why is the ARC So Incredibly Popular?
The enduring success of the ARC isn't just about ticking a box on a bucket list; it’s about community, safety, and confidence.
For prospective live-aboards, taking a boat across an ocean can feel daunting. The ARC removes a massive layer of anxiety by offering:
- Structured Safety & Support: Comprehensive pre-departure inspections, mandatory safety equipment checks, and professional tracking by the World Cruising Club give peace of mind to both skippers and families back home.
- The Power of Community: Sailing in a fleet means you are never truly alone. You share weather routing advice, evening radio nets, and technical support at sea. The camaraderie built on the pontoons in Las Palmas often turns into lifelong cruising friendships.
- A Shared Adventure: It attracts like-minded people. Not necessarily hardened professional racers, but cruising sailors, families, and couples ready to embrace a simpler, sea-focused life.
The Rising Tide: Catamarans Take Center Stage
If you walk down the docks at Las Palmas prior to the start, one trend is impossible to miss: the rapid surge of multihulls.
Historically dominated by traditional heavy monohulls, the ARC fleet has seen a dramatic shift over the last decade. Multihulls used to be a distinct minority, but today they represent a substantial and rapidly growing percentage of the starting line.
Why the Shift Toward Catamarans for Blue-Water Cruising?
For live-aboards preparing to spend months or years aboard their vessel, the appeal of a well-built catamaran comes down to practical, real-world seamanship:
- Unmatched Living Comfort at Sea: Traditional monohulls heel continuously in the trade winds. Living at a 15-to-20-degree angle for three straight weeks takes a physical toll. Catamarans offer a stable, level platform—cooking, sleeping, and daily life become vastly more sustainable and safe.
- Space and Payload: Long-term cruising requires carrying water, fuel, provisions, safety gear, and spares. Modern blue-water cats swallow up payload without sacrificing performance or sinking down on their lines.
- Safety Through Simplicity and Reliability: Modern cruising catamarans aren’t about fragile luxury; they are about reliability, ease of service, and strong build quality. Shorter, easily managed rigs, accessible engine bays, and redundancy (twin engines) give double-handed crews or families the confidence to handle things independently when off the beaten track.
- Shallow Draft: Once you arrive in the Caribbean or explore remote anchorages, a catamaran's shallow draft opens up pristine lagoons and protected spots that deep-draft monohulls simply cannot reach.
The numbers speak for themselves: year after year, more sailors choose multihulls for their Atlantic crossing because they strike the ultimate balance between comfortable passage-making and rugged, self-sufficient island hopping.
Join Us on the Water!
Are you dreaming of making the leap to a life at sea? You don't just have to read about it: you can follow it!
Our own Sales Director, Cédric Beaumont is heading out to tackle the Atlantic crossing on the ARC aboard a Vision 444! Follow along as we put our philosophy of reliability, strong build, and simple, independent maintenance to the ultimate test in the Atlantic trade winds.
- Subscribe to our Newsletter to get real-time dispatches, information about our catamarans and upcoming events!
- Follow Vision Yachts on Social Media for exclusive behind-the-scenes updates, live tracking links, and a front-row seat to the crossing! You will also find us on Facebook and YouTube.
