Preparations for ARC Rally 2018

The FCS crew on Challenger 2 are sailing to St Lucia in the ARC Rally, racing against many boats, but mainly Challenger 1. We’re expecting regular blogs over the next two weeks and this one gives you a glimpse into preparations for crossing the Atlantic.

Friday 17th November 2017

Challenger 2 is ready for the start of ARC 2017. We plan to slip lines at 10:00 and do some last minute on the water training on the water before our start at 12:45 local (and UT).

Preparation has gone well and the crew have rebonded after their two week hiatus following the training weekend back in the cold Solent on Challenger 4.

The mountain of fruit, Veg, milk, frozen meat, cured meat, bottles and jars and tins has been stowed away and a final deck wash yesterday rounded off the preparations.

All the safety checks have been done, shackles siliconed, lines whipped, jammers exercised, rig checked and spruced up and now all that remains is the race itself.

We are separated from the finish line at Rodney Bay, St Lucia by 2800 miles of Ocean, and have a gentle downwind breeze to start our passage westwards to our destination.

Wishing Challenger 1 and all other competitors in the ARC 2017 a safe and fun crossing.

Saturday 18 November 2017

9.25 am and we are all set to go. There is excitement tinged with a small degree of anxiety for those of us who have not done that much sailing!

We have so much food!………….. Some of us have decided that a few weeks without beer is a rally good thing ……we managed to do some damage to the bar stocks in the marina.

It is a little overcast today. A bit dark however we are pleased to know in our hearts that your weather is much worse J

As well as being a crack racing team we also have two fishing rods and two guitars and “yes” we even have a microscope for plankton assessment and water sampling.

Mo, the monkey mascot, was being forced to travel naked across the high seas. However, at the very last moment he was gifted the legendry ARC 2017 t-shirt …..protecting his modesty!
Challenger One, our competition, are in a somewhat reflective mood this morning as I think they have realised that coming second to the legend that is Challenger Two, is inevitable. J…
Good luck number one!

Julian, Iona

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Posted by: First Class Sailing