Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum size of boat and crew? 12.19m (40’) length overall (LOA) with at least two people on board.
How long will the rally take? Just over 15 months for the whole rally. The longest passage is Galapagos to Hiva Oa which takes 16 to 24 days.
When does the rally start? The next edition will be World ARC 2025 will start from Saint Lucia on Saturday 11 January 2025. For more information go to Dates & Routes.
Can I start elsewhere? Boats can join the rally in Australia for the route on to Saint Lucia.
Do I have to sail the whole way? No, you can join a half rally to Australia, or a half rally from Australia to Saint Lucia. You are welcome to join the next edition of the rally to complete your circumnavigation.
Can I use my engine? This is a cruising rally, so use of engines is OK! Boats in the fun competition Cruising Division must declare their engine hours for their results to be calculated.
What safety equipment do I need? We have a list of mandatory and recommended safety equipment that we will inspect on board the boat before the rally starts. This includes:
- Approved ocean liferaft with more than 24 hour equipment pack
- 406MHz EPIRB
- SSB radio or an 'always on' satellite communications system capable of constant monitoring of group messages. Click here for more info.
- Lifejackets with crotch straps and spray hoods for all crew
- Full flare pack, including white hand flares
- Means of sending and receiving emails at sea
For dull details of the required equipment, see www.worldcruising.com/world_arc/safety
What training should I do? We recommend that the skipper (captain) and at least one of the crew should have done some safety and communications equipment, heavy weather sailing and emergency management training within the last five years.
You can learn more about the rally and tips for preparing your boat and crew by attending one of our 2 hour boat show forums, or 2 day residential seminars. We also have a number of handy videos on our YouTube channel.
Do I need an SSB radio? World Cruising Club will accept boats that have either a HF(SSB) radio with DSC with pactor modem for email, or HF(SSB) radio with DSC with Iridium, Inmarsat or Starlink system for email, or an ‘Always-on’ satcoms terminal, with Certus 100 or Fleet One as a minimum standard. Click here for more info.
Can I take my children? Families with children of all ages have sailed in World ARC, and all are very welcome.
How do I find crew? Personal recommendations are the best way of finding crew, but you can also register free on Ocean Crew Link to look for crew or respond to adverts. The World ARC Facebook page is another good way to connect.
What about visas? We will provide information about visas in the Rally Handbook, and the country information pages on www.noonsite.com are also helpful.
Can I take my pets? We would strongly recommend that animals are not kept onboard during the Rally, given the limitations of the World ARC schedule and the laws and regulations of the countries visited. If you are considering taking a pet, look up the country information on www.noonsite.com and contact us to discuss your plans.
How many people take part? World ARC usually has around 30 boats in total, some sailing with couples, others with changing crew. There are usually over 200 people involved in the whole rally, and the age range will be 5 to 75. Crew come from over 20 nationalities.
What about support on the rally? The same team will meet you in every official stopover, so you will get to know each other well. They will help with entry formalities, local contacts, docking, excursions, social activities and emergencies.
How can families at home stay in touch with the boats? All boats will be fitted with an Iridium satellite tracker, which will display the boats positions on the online Fleet Viewer. All boats can also blog for free on the rally website.
Can I fly home without missing anything? Combing a trip home with a free cruising period is a good idea. Some suggestions are Panama, Tahiti, Vanuatu, Australia, South Africa and Brazil.