Organized since 2013 by World Cruising Club, this transatlantic rally brings together 78 boats and 355 participants from 30 nationalities this year, including 25 multihulls, which had their own dedicated start.
Blue Sky, a French Outremer 52, got off to the best start by favoring the buoy end of the line, where the wind was slightly stronger. Fountaine Pajot is also the most represented brand in the fleet, with seven boats taking part.
The first leg covers 850 nautical miles to Mindelo, Cape Verde, representing five to eight days at sea. After a stopover to explore the islands, the crews will set sail again on November 22 for the 2,150-nautical-mile passage to Port Louis Marina in Grenada, bringing the total distance to more than 3,000 nautical miles. In a first for the event, the start was broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook.
As every year, Multihulls World will be on hand for both the start and finish of the original ARC rally, which also departs from Las Palmas on November 22, but heads directly to Saint Lucia.
