Practical Sailorvideo

Ocean Crossing Sailboat Rally Goes Awry

March 29, 2025 · 9 min · 24K views · Atlantic Ocean

What this video covers

The 2024 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) involved 142 vessels sailing 2,700 nautical miles from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to St. Lucia.1:29 The fleet encountered 40-knot squalls and 4-to-5-meter seas, resulting in significant gear failures, including over 30 blown-out sails and broken booms.0:30 During the crossing, a man overboard incident involving Dag Earsson occurred in the Mid-Atlantic; despite an AIS-equipped life jacket and a coordinated search by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Norfolk and nearby vessels, the search was called off after one day.4:12 Separately, the Leopard 45 catamaran Carolina Viking suffered flooding in the starboard engine compartment 300 nautical miles from Cape Verde.5:13 The 22.5-meter Jongert Cinderella de San Remo rescued all five crew members before the catamaran was abandoned.5:47 Starlink connectivity enabled real-time social media updates and improved inter-boat communication throughout the event.2:58 The rally requires mandatory safety equipment, including offshore life rafts, EPIRBs, and satellite communication, for all participating vessels.2:21

Watch on YouTube

More from Practical Sailor

Bayfield 36 – A Cheap Bluewater SailboatAug 202610 Sailing Mistakes You’ll Only Make OnceAug 2026Bayfield 32 Boat Tour - The Canadian Cruiser That Crossed the AtlanticAug 2026Which Boats Are Easy to Sail? 7 Features That MatterAug 2026

From Practical Sailor — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.

Report an issue