This year the ARC departed on 22 November from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, heading direct to Saint Lucia, c2,700nM
ARC+ Cape Verdes, which has been running since 2013, departed Las Palmas on 8 November 2015. Leg 1 to Mindelo, Sao Vicente in the Cape Verdes, c850 nM; 3-5 day stopover; Leg 2 to IGY Rodney Bay Marina in St Lucia, c2,150 nM
One of the few rules in 1986 stipulated that every boat should carry a liferaft and an EPIRB. A VHF listening watch was kept for emergencies
Today’s regulations stipulate more equipment, including liferaft, EPIRB, long-range comms, VHF, radar reflector, flares, lifebuoys and bilge pumps, and recommend further safety equipment
In 1989 a racing division was introduced. Racing boats make up about 15 per cent of participants and the…