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Displaying items by tag: ARC

11th August 2011

200 Crews for Atlantic Rally for Cruisers 2011

200 Crews for Atlantic Rally for Cruisers 2011
This year's Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), starting from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on November 20, promises to be one of the biggest ever, as up to 200 crews are planning the 2,700 mile transatlantic crossing to Rodney Bay, St Lucia.
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6th April 2011

World ARC Circumnavigation Rally Goes Annual

World ARC Circumnavigation Rally Goes Annual
World Cruising Club have announced that from 2014 the World ARC round-the-world sailing rally will become an annual event; starting every January from Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia.

World ARC is currently a biennial event, starting in January and finishing 15 months later. The current event started in January 2010 and the next will start in January 2012.

Demand for Organised Cruising
Joining World ARC provides practical support in port and at sea, the camaraderie of a close group of fellow cruisers, and a structure that provides peace of mind.  Interest in World ARC has increased in the last year, with over 30 boats ready to take part in World ARC 2012.

Demand from sailors for a rally in the 'off' years has lead to the decision to make World ARC an annual event.  This will make it easier for cruisers to sail half the rally, then take a year out to explore on their own, before rejoining the subsequent rally to complete their circumnavigation.  An annual event also enables more people to join the rally.

Who Sails on World ARC?
World ARC is a multicultural event, with participants drawn from all nationalities.  Participants are drawn from many backgrounds: some are taking a sabbatical before returning to work, while others are enjoying retirement.  There are usually family boats sailing with children.

The boats themselves are a cross-section of popular cruising designs, from proven blue-water marques like Hallberg Rassy, Oyster, OVNI and Amel to production cruisers from high volume builders such as Bavaria, Lagoon and Jeanneau.

A Rally with History
World Cruising Club organised the first-ever circumnavigation rally, Europa 92.  Since then, the company has organised seven successful circumnavigations.  The first World ARC was held in 2008-09, and he current edition, World ARC 2010-11, is drawing to a close in the Caribbean after 26,000Nm and 15 months.

World ARC follows a route that makes the most of the Trade Winds and seasonal weather systems, whilst enabling the participants to enjoy some of the most beautiful and remote cruising destinations.  From the first World ARC, World Cruising Club made a decision to follow the classic sailing route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, avoiding areas of political instability and piracy.

Since 1992, World Cruising Club has enabled over 200 boats and 950 people to realise their dream of sailing safely around the world.

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14th November 2010

No Irish Cruisers Among Record Atlantic Rally Fleet

No Irish Cruisers Among Record Atlantic Rally Fleet

With one week to go before the ARC 2010 fleet leave Las Palmas for Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia, there are no Irish yachts entered in a fleet of 205 yachts drawn from 28 nations. Crews from the yachts already berthed in the marina took part in the official ARC 2010 Opening Ceremony. The final 34 yachts are expected to arrive in Las Palmas over the next few days, bringing the fleet total to 239 yachts, an all-time ARC record.
At midday Sunday 14 November hundreds of ARC participants took part in the Official Opening Ceremony for ARC 2010. Flag bearers from 28 different nations representing the countries of the yachts in this year's event led the procession as it made its way around the marina. The grand parade had a real festival atmosphere as crews gathered at the northern end of the marina and were led by an enthusiastic brass band cheered on by local spectators.
Andrew Bishop, Managing Director of World Cruising Club declared ARC 2010 officially "open" and the country flags were proudly hoisted on flagpoles around the marina as fireworks were launched in celebration. Sr Benito Cabrera from the Concejal del Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas (City of Las Palmas), Sr Jesus Ramirez, President of the Port of Las Palmas and Sr Roberto Moreno, President of the Patronato de Turismo de Gran Canaria were all thanked for their 25 year support and help. High Commissioner of Saint Lucia, Eldridge Stephens, gave a rousing speech thanking ARC participants for visiting Saint Lucia after the devastation caused hurricane Tomas 10 days ago.
Sr Moreno then welcomed all the international sailors on behalf of the whole Island of Gran Canaria. The support of the Gran Canaria tourist board for the ARC is one of the longest running sailing sponsorships for a regatta.
The fiesta atmosphere continued with ARC participants and local people taking part in Don Pedro's famous International Dinghy Race. The race across the marina encourages crews, dressed in a variety of fancy dress costumes, to use any tactics they like to outwit their opponents. Water bombs and flour missiles were commonplace! A prizegiving for the dinghy race and Don Pedro's dockside BBQ went on late into the evening.
The second week of the pre-start is the busiest, as more crew fly in and the yachts start their provisioning and finish off last minute preparations for the Atlantic crossing.

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Page 5 of 5

Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

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