The ARC Office opens on Monday 12 November, but early check-ins are available Friday and Saturday. Every boat has to check-in, but what is this all about? Check-in  At Check-in, the skipper or owner comes to the ARC Offices and we check that all the details of the boat and crew are correct. We make sure that all the crew details (names, emergency contacts etc) are correct and hand over the passes for each of the crew. The passes are the entry tickets for the parties, as well as being a great memento of the rally. We check that the boat details, including satellite telephone numbers are correct so that we can send the weather emails, and contact in case of an emergency. We also talk through the pre-departure programme to make sure that all participants make the most of their time in Las Palmas. With a busy itinerary of parties, talks and tours, there's lots going on! There is a big pack of discount vouchers from local traders, plus the important skipper's case and the ARC numbers for the boat. We also make a booking for the safety equipment check, and finally ensure that the accounts are all in order. Safety Equipment Inspection Every boat will have a check lasting around 30-60 minutes. Our inspectors make sure that the mandatory safety equipment is installed and ready to be used. We even check that the emergency steering works, so be prepared! If a boat is unprepared, or the equipment is unsuitable, we will expect this to be replaced before the boat is re-checked. Ultimately, we can refuse to allow a boat to start the rally if we are concerned about the safety equipment. This can be very expensive, so we always encourage owners to check and double check that their boat complies with our requirements well before they arrive in Las Palmas. Rolnautic, the marina chandlery, carries a stock of white hand flares, lifejacket sprayhoods, man overboard buoys and liefrafts.
|