The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers: ‘The Atlantic was tough, but being prepared saw us across’

Experienced sailor James Kenning set off across the Atlantic with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) in November 2024, but a shredded sail, sargassum weed, and a cracked rudder made him realise that only by being fully prepared can you prevent an issue from becoming a disaster

Crossing the Atlantic to cruise the Caribbean was a dream long in the making; my planning was meticulous, so, come the time of my departure on the 2024 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers plus, I was confident that both boat and skipper were as prepared as they could be for the challenge ahead.

I felt suitably qualified to skipper Arkyla, my 2008 Regina 43, down the trade-wind route from the Canaries to Grenada via Cape Verde. A sailor since childhood, I had an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore qualification, 15,000+ miles under my belt, and crossings of Biscay and the Atlantic already in my logbook.

I was confident, though not complacent, in my abilities to meet the challenges of big seas, tropical weather and ocean navigation. Recognising engineering competency to be as important as sailing skills, I had taken courses on all forms of boat repair and maintenance and was intimate with every system, in every hidden corner of Arkyla.

Significant sums had already been spent to add solar and wind power, upgrade electronics and ground tackle, and replace sails and batteries. Over five years of ownership, lessons had been learned, systems tweaked, and capability gaps identified.

For the ARC+, Arkyla was treated to several new toys: a Remoran Wave 3 hydrogenerator to supplement the existing power sources, an Iridium Go! Exec SATCOM system to meet offshore communication requirements, and a Parasailor spinnaker to complement the existing twin-headsail downwind sail plan.

In the months before departure the boat was hauled, stern and rudder glands replaced, the rig checked, running rigging renewed and safety equipment serviced. By mid-October, I was content that neither boat nor skipper could be better prepared.

Generator down on Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

On a glorious November morning, the ARC+ fleet departed Las Palmas for the 900-mile leg south to Cape Verde. The rally started gently, with most boats motoring along Gran Canaria’s east coast, so often beset with strong gusts. As dusk set in, so did the breeze, and we hoisted the Parasailor before darkness fell; a steady F4-5 northeasterly had us flying south at 8+ knots – all was good!

All, that is, except for our electrical balance; the hydrogenerator, not yet six months old, was erratic in its output until, by morning, it was producing nothing but drag! Emails over SATCOM to the Finnish headquarters of Remoran identified the problem as a known corrosion issue impacting some early generators.

A replacement unit was arranged for delivery to Mindelo, but for the next 750 miles, we would have to offset the loss of 200 daily amp hours from the energy equation.

We looked at ways to cut consumption; increased hand-helming reduced significant draw from the autopilot, but the real power bandit was the freezer. Reluctant to run the engine without load, the decision was made to turn off the freezer and eat like sumo wrestlers as our 10-day supply of pre-cooked meals began its thaw.

Heading into night two, we discussed sail strategy for the coming dark hours; the forecast was good, we were making great progress and, most importantly, felt fully in control, so we chose to keep the Parasailor flying. By 2100 hours, however, it was clear that the forecast had been too conservative; despite the darkness, I decided to drop the spinnaker.

The foredeck is always a battleground of hazards but takes on a new menace at night. Somehow, as I was readying the spinnaker halyard, the line freed itself from the winch jaws, and the sail, fully powered, dropped unceremoniously into the ocean; we effectively used my pristine Parasailor as a sea-brake, tearing it to shreds in the process. We spent two hours drifting while we recovered the stricken sail onboard, eventually stuffing its sodden corpse through the forehatch.

Fallout from the incident was more than an ousting of crew from the vee-berth; of greatest concern was the loss of our light-wind/wide-angle sail option, but I had also suffered ligament damage to three fingers in the incident. At daybreak, the twin headsails were set on pole and boom; these kept us moving at pace while the winds held but, as we eventually closed São Vicente and the airs lightened, the lack of drive and course flexibility proved frustrating.

In Mindelo, we had five days to recoup and repair the broken pulpit stanchion that had snapped at its base during the Parasailor incident. We picked up fresh provisions, water and, with much relief, the replacement hydrogenerator; unfortunately, along with many others in the ARC+ fleet, I also picked up a virulent stomach bug!

We were, however, fortunate to be partnered with the non-profit Backcountry Medical Guides organisation, using our passage to road test their upcoming maritime telemedicine service. This remote, but real-time, service gave me the confidence to depart Cape Verde as planned despite enduring gastric symptoms.

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Disaster averted

After a promising start to Leg 2, we were soon beset with flukey airs; finding ourselves drifting at the back of the fleet, a quartering swell repeatedly knocked the stern, making the headsails slap and collapse. Furling a couple of rolls helped, but soon the UV strips on both genoas began to fray from the constant snatching.

Sail repair tape initially helped, but repairs lasted only for a day or so; eventually, I just had to wince as with each snatch, some stitching failed and the damage spread.

Chafe from the spinnaker pole also rapidly wore through the windward genoa sheet; only vigilance of the daily deck walk identified the issue before certain total failure and a flailing headsail to contend with! Watch orders were updated to regularly trim working lines a few inches to prevent excessive localised wear.

By Day 3, we had a new menace: abundant, and impossible to avoid sargassum weed. The biggest challenge was to keep the hydrogenerator free of this blight; within 10 minutes of clearing the prop with a boathook, a new clump would attach itself. Twice we fully stopped the boat to lift the generator and clear strands wrapped around the shaft.

The biggest sargassum impact was to power rather than speed; with little apparent wind to drive the wind generator, and the headsails shielding the solar panels for much of the day, twice we were forced to run the engine to offset the lost hydrogenerator amp hours.

Fresh wind and renewed speed lifted spirits, but jubilation was short-lived on discovery of a new, and altogether more serious, mid-ocean problem. Retiring to the aft cabin after the midnight watch change, I investigated a disturbing noise from the transom void.

I found the top of the rudder post had dropped below its deck mounting such that the autopilot mount and steering linkage respectively creaked and squealed as the unsupported post scribed circles above. Some 900 miles from land, and with evidence of light water ingress, we broke out the emergency bilge pump, donned lifejackets, prepared the grab bag and notified Rally control of our potential distress.

On fully assessing the situation, we decided we were not dealing with a potential sinking. Using the emergency tiller, rags, shims cut from under-seat boards, and lashings led to primary winches, we successfully stabilised the post to continue westward with little impact to our steering.

The remainder of the voyage was uneventful and surprisingly fast. As we approached the Caribbean, the ease of reefing the twin headsails made it simple to prepare for the frequent squalls. We eventually finished mid-fleet, third in division, and a credible fifth of 96 on handicap.

On hauling out in Grenada, we discovered the rudder failure was due to a significant sideward impact from either a wave or a whale. The rudder post was the tip of a damaged iceberg though; the jolt caused a hairline crack at the skeg through which water was seeping at one litre/hour. Thankfully, repairs are now complete and Arkyla is finally in Caribbean cruising mode.

The key lesson from this voyage is that being prepared to deal with the ‘unlikely but possible’ can prevent an issue becoming a disaster. Preparation demands knowledge, planning, practice, as well as tools and spares. Add flexibility and lateral thinking to the mix, and there will be few instances that can’t be overcome… if given lemons, make lemonade!

Lessons Learned on the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

Energy efficiency

Be conservative in developing the boat’s energy equation and have a hierarchy of electrical systems to shut down if required.

SATCOM security

Having an effective SATCOM system allowed us to arrange a replacement hydrogenerator while still at sea; without this we would have had a very different Atlantic leg.

Sail plan back-up

Having a back-up downwind sail plan allowed us to progress well without needing to use the engine.

Be flexible

Don’t be afraid to modify a passage plan to meet a new reality; rather than follow the rhumb line with a Parasailor, we followed the wind with twin headsails… 2,200 miles is a long way to make up any lost ground!

Medical assistance

Have a comprehensive first-aid kit onboard and, if possible, ready access to professional medical advice.

Take enough spares

Carry spares and plenty of them; we needed to replace chafed sheets and damaged snatch blocks.

Prepare to repair

Have the tools and materials to make repairs. We needed more sail repair tape to limit damage to the genoas but were well equipped to make a jury rudder system.

Problems are inevitable

Being prepared doesn’t mean that incidents won’t happen – but it will help you deal with the circumstances.

Insurance

Choose your insurance carefully according to your appetite for risk.

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