The famous
ARC Seminars get underway today in Las Palmas, with hundreds of participants
expected to attend many of the hour-long specialist presentations taking place over the next week. Seminars are dedicated to
a whole range of topics about ocean cruising.
Seasoned ARC team member and 18-time Atlantic sailor Chris Tibbs starts a day of Seminars off at the Real Club Nautico, with his tips on Emergency Management. Chris is followed by resident ARC rigger Jerry Henwood, who gives plenty of practical advice and common problems encountered with one of the most important part of the boat – the rig. Other topics today include Route and Weather, Provisioning for the ARC crossing, and tips for downwind sailing.
This evening the ARC education continues with a specialist double-handed
workshop for those boats with only two people onboard for the crossing.
New to the ARC 2013 seminar line up, professional astronomer and university lecturer Dan Stinebring will be speaking about some of the highlights of the night sky that ARC participants can expect to see during the crossing. Held at the Santa Catalina, at 12:00 noon on Wednesday 20 November, Dan will talk crews through an observing strategy for the crossing, explaining what to look for whilst on night watch and answer any questions. This year, crews on the ARC may catch a glimpse Comet ISON in the dawn sky; it will pass within 1.2 million miles of the Sun’s surface on 28th November when it reaches perihelion (the point when its at its closest to the Sun). Those on night watch can also expect to planet spot for Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.