What is ARC?

[Jonasb]

I have heard about something called ARC?

Is there anyone who can explain me what it is? Somekind of race from what I have understood. How can I find a crewing spot in this race?

Jonas

[Aquaria]

Hi Jonas,
ARC stands for Atlantic Rallye for Cruisers organized by the World Cruising Club.
They started out with a rallye for cruising boats from Las Palmas /Canary Islands to St Lucia but nowadays offer different rallyes.
Here is their website: Welcome to World Cruising Club
Uwe
SY Aquaria

[Jonasb]

All right!

Is it possible to join as a crewmember on any of these vessels? How do you do it? I can't find any contact details on the website.

Jonas

[Aquaria]

you are right, the world cruising club does not seem to offer any ways and means to get in contact with skippers of boats participating.
But there is a link to this site Home - The online crew exchange - BoatHitchhiking to find a boat/crew. And of corse you could try right here the Free sailing and cruising crewfinder (crew wanted) listing by CruiserLog for yachts and offshore ocean boats.
Besides that national boating magazines have adds in the section crew/boat wanted well in advance of the rallyes.
I am not sure if it is still common to just "show up" for example in Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) in anvance of the departure date for the ARC and just asking skippers if they need another hand. (Back in the 90ies we have been asked several times, if we need crew).

Uwe
SY Aquaria

[Aquaria]

... and back again with good news.
Of corse there is a possibility to look for offers or you even put your on post right here in the forum section of the World Cruising Club

Uwe
SY Aquaria

[Jonasb]

Great, thanks for useful and interesting links!

What I really would like to do is an Atlantic crossing from E-W, and I need to find a boat to do that.

My situation is like this; I live in Buenos Aires, but I'm not a wealthy man right now - therefore I won't be able to contribute with money, but with experience.

Do you have any idea of where I can find a vessel which is in need of a deck-hand? From what I have heard most people do the crossing in March/April, is that correct?

I have been searching the Internet but without any mayor results so far

Very grateful for your help,

Jonas

[Aquaria]

Originally Posted by Jonasb

Great, thanks for useful and interesting links!

What I really would like to do is an Atlantic crossing from E-W, and I need to find a boat to do that.

...

Do you have any idea of where I can find a vessel which is in need of a deck-hand? From what I have heard most people do the crossing in March/April, is that correct?

I have been searching the Internet but without any mayor results so far

Very grateful for your help,

Jonas

...same procedure, but East-West!
An East-West-Atlantic crossing is way less attractive than going West-East unter more or less steady easterly trade winds: Further north changing weather patterns prevail because of greater influence of low pressure systems with their frontaly systems passing with winds from none to nine and not always from behind...

This is the situation skippers and crews have to cope with when sailing back to Europe. And some have to sail back after participating in the ARC and - you are right - this has to happen in April before the hurricane season starts. And they should be in need for crew because not everybody, who loves the tropical bare foot route likes the more sportive way back. This is what we experienced: Lots of crew on the way out from Las Palmas going east in December and the same boats with sklelleton crew in May in Horta/Fayal (Azores) on theor way back to Europe.
We tried to get more crew for the trip from USVirgin Islands back to Ireland... but no one who wanted to do it!

SO, I feel, you are in a quite good position. Why don't you post in the above mentioned forums well in advance?
Or the more spontaneous way would be to show up in St Lucia upon arrival of the ARC (or later in the winter on other major caribbean islands with bigger marinas and good provisioning facilities - Martinique, St. Maarten, Virgin Islands or maybe other places - as they are nice ports of departure) and asking skippers personally???

Uwe
SY Aquaria

[Jonasb]

All right, I have now posted in the forum that you mentioned!

That's good to hear, that there's a good chance of finding a spot on a vessel.

I'm also a member at findacrew.com, and I'm hoping to find something through that site as well.

But all vessels leaves for Europe from the Carribbean? No one sails from further down, South America, Argentina or Brazil?

My problem is that I live in Buenos Aires, and right now I don't have a lot of money. I won't be able to contribute to a ship shared costs, I can only contribute to with experience - although I'm not demanding any payment! I want to work and I'm a good and experienced sailor.

There must be other boats, not only the ARC boats that will do the Atlantic E-W crossing in April? Leisure boat, deliveries?

Of course it would be an idea to just show up in port, but I can't afford to go there by air, without knowing if I find a boat or not. If I don't find one, I won't have money to go back to Sweden by plane. Therefore I need to know in advance that I have to ship.

I can't thank you enough for your responses, gracias!

Jonas

[Aquaria]

Originally Posted by Jonasb

All right, I have now posted in the forum that you mentioned!

...
But all vessels leaves for Europe from the Carribbean? No one sails from further down, South America, Argentina or Brazil?
...


Jonas

The chance of finding a crew position on the North Atlantic Circle derives from the MASSES of boats from Europe that do this circle in a year's timespan and the demand for crew on their way back.

Everything else is the exception: there are boats that venture further down the South American Altantic coast line, but I assume that they are rare and moving off the track sooo far sounds more like the traditional blue water cruising with no demand for more crew. I personally just know two boats that included some of the coast line of South America into the initial planning...

Blue water cruisers on their last leg of a circum navigation may pass by the South American Atlantic coast line on their way from South Africa back to Europe with a detour over the Caribbean Islands, but mostly small crews and couples that have sailed their boat like this for years already.

So, best is indeed to have lots of patience and place adds here and there offering your hand between anywhere on the South American East Coast to Europe!
This book World Cruising Routes « Cornell Sailing Books might be a first good help to get an idea of where blue water sailors sail when and where! And regional knowledge might give you a hint where the ports and marinas are along ths Argentinian and Brazilian coastline that are preferred ports of call for cruising yachts on their way north...

Uwe
SY Aquaria