Sail the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, crossing the Ocean

Crew member on the ARC 2026, a crewed Atlantic crossing aboard one of our 21-metre monohulls. Setting sail from Lorient, you’ll head for Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. After this stopover, you will set sail for St Lucia as part of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.
You will embark as a crew member on the transatlantic crossing aboard one of our Challenge 67s, built for crewed round-the-world voyages with stopovers. The boat’s professional crew for this voyage consists of two sailors, qualified in Merchant Navy and Youth & Sport. They supervise the 10 crew members and ensure safety on board. This is indeed a challenging crossing where everyone plays an active part in the smooth running of the vessel. It is not a cruise: 100% hands-on!

Beyond the sailing itself, crossing the Atlantic requires self-sacrifice. It is an opportunity to “let go” of the rhythm of life on land, to “reconnect with oneself” and enjoy simple pleasures. A real breath of fresh air!

A two-stage crossing, from Lorient to Las Palmas, then on to Saint Lucia

Boarding takes place at Lorient in southern Brittany. The first leg of this transatlantic crossing covers 1,300 nautical miles as the crow flies. The itinerary includes the Bay of Biscay in winter, followed by a descent along the coast of Portugal to reach the Canary Islands. We are stocking up on provisions for 10 days for this voyage. However, the journey may be faster or slower, depending on the weather conditions encountered.
Throughout the crossing, life on board is organised into three watches, also known as shift. These navigation watches change every 3 or 4 hours, amounting to around 9 to 10 hours on duty per 24-hour period. The watches are organised to ensure the smooth running of the vessel, but also to cover the ship’s duties (cooking, washing up, maintenance, etc.). You may have to endure bad weather, cold at the start and heat later on. Our crewed vessels deliberately do not use autopilots or furling systems. This is indeed one of the best ways to discover offshore sailing. You must therefore be mentally and physically prepared to take part in a transatlantic crossing.

Crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on the trade wind route

About a week before the ARC sets sail, the boat and its crew must be in the port of Las Palmas for the festivities. Then there will be the safety check and briefings before the big leap! During the stopover, you’ll keep your berth but will be responsible for your own meals ashore.
Every year, more than 1,000 crew members of 20 different nationalities set sail for the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers… People just like you: some have just taken a sabbatical, retired or are on holiday to embark on this adventure!
Everyone is heading for Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. As the organisers explain, ‘Our definition of a rally is safe and social cruising. We offer an element of friendly competition, but it isn’t a race!’. We’re allowing 20 days for this Atlantic crossing. Again, this may be quicker depending on the weather conditions encountered and the quality of the crew. The trade winds aren’t always established when setting off from the Canary Islands and sometimes require heading south towards Cape Verde. In this case, the distances to be covered are greater.

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean remains an adventure. Transatlantic crossings have become more common place in recent years. However, it remains the achievement of a lifetime, which we look forward to sharing with you.

Stage 1: Southern Brittany / Canary Islands

Embarkation: Lorient on 5 November 2026 (arrival the previous afternoon)
Departure: 6 November 2026
Duration: 10 days**
Vessel: Albatros – Challenge 67
Sailing: offshore
Stopover: Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – ETA* 16 November 2026
Price: €2,350 per crew member, including provisions (breakfast, lunch, dinner, consumables)
Licence: FFVoile and medical certificate required

Stage 2: Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, from the Canary Islands to Saint Lucia in the West Indies

ARC start: 22 November 2026
Port of arrival: Rodney Bay Marina in Saint Lucia*** – ETA* 11 December 2026
Duration: 20 days**
Boat: Albatros – Crewed Challenge 67
Price: €5,850 per crew member, including provisions (breakfast, lunch, dinner, consumables)
ARC fees: each crew member must pay the ‘crew member’ registration fee to the organisers
(approximately €200 depending on the pound/euro exchange rate).
Licence: FFVoile licence and medical certificate compulsory
Price for stage 2 only: €6,850 per crew member, including full board.

* ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival
** Sailing times and arrival dates are provided for information only.
We therefore strongly advise you to book a flexible return flight ticket rather than a non-refundable one.
*** It is possible to sail to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe. Please contact us.

FFVoile Licence

For those who wish, we can issue your FFVoile licence. A Plaisance booklet may be provided to validate your skills.
For more information, visit the Club Challenge Ocean…

Communication on board

Communication facilities on board are reserved for safety purposes. Iridium satellite phone or email connections are therefore not available. Before you set off, please inform your loved ones that you will only be reachable once your crossing is complete. Our team only contacts families on shore in the event of a problem on board. So no news is good news! Please note, a call from us does not necessarily mean a serious accident has occurred, but you may receive updates via our social media channels: Facebook – Instagram – Photo credits: Tim Wright – Frédéric Schneider

ARC 2026 updates

The boat is equipped with a Yellow Brick for the duration of its participation in the ARC.
To track the Atlantic crossing, download the YB Races app to your smartphone or visit the ARC website.

For any information request or to book, please send us a message: