Rally Update 7: October

Hello fellow sailor

Saint Lucia is calling!

It's only a few of months until the start of World ARC 2027-28 in Saint Lucia, and we hope the final stages of your preparation are going smoothly.

In January, 27 boats from 10 countries will come together at the start line, ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. After months of planning and preparation, the moment you’ve been waiting for is almost here. We can’t wait to see you set sail and turn your World ARC dreams into a reality.

In this Rally Update:

Key dates
Saint Lucia provisional programme
Rodney Bay Marina berthing
Safety Equipment Inspections
Tell us about yourself
Courtesy flags

If you haven’t already done so, please make sure you have suitable travel and medical insurance in place for the Rally.

If there is a topic that you have a question about, please don't hesitate to ask us, or take a look through the Rally Handbook - there's lots of useful information in there!

If you have any questions, please contact our Cowes office mail@worldcruising.com or +44 (0)1983 296060

We'll see you soon!

Suzana, Paul and the Team

World Cruising Club

World ARC 2026-27 fleet at the start in Saint Lucia

Key Dates

From now	Download the Rally Handbook
November onwards	Register with SailClear.com for clearance into Saint Lucia for Caribbean starters
8 November	ARC+ starts
22 November	ARC starts
4 January 2027	Rally Office opens in Saint Lucia
9 January 2027	World ARC 2027-28 starts: Saint Lucia to Panama
7 September 2027	Darwin to Lombok start
15 April 2028	Parade of sail and final prizegiving in Saint Lucia

Provisional Rally Itinerary

Saint Lucia

The Rally Programme in Saint Lucia is intended to help get everyone mixing and meeting to help friendships form, help with your pre-departure preparations, and to ensure you have an amazing send off in Saint Lucia!

The Provisional Programme below outlines the key activities - more detailed information will be available at rally check-in.

Monday 4 January	Rally Office opens in Rodney Bay Marina Boat check-ins and safety equipment inspections start Welcome drinks
Tuesday 5 January	Boat check-ins and safety equipment inspections continue Rodney Bay Marina Manager's Welcome Party
Wednesday 6 January	All-crew Rally photography Rally Operations and Route Briefing Route Weather Briefing
Thursday 7 January	Saint Lucia Tourism Authority Farewell Party
Friday 8 January	Clearances with Customs and Immigration Briefing - Emergencies at Sea Skippers' briefing
Saturday 9 January	World ARC 2027-28 start at 12:00

Additional guest tickets for the evening parties will be available to purchase in Saint Lucia - all registered skippers and crew will have tickets included.

Rodney Bay Marina Reservations

Rally benefits include three days complimentary docking in Rodney Bay Marina before the departure of the fleet on Saturday 9 January. All yachts must be in the Marina by 15:00 on Tuesday 5 January. Please contact Rodney Bay Marina to inform them of your arrival date and to arrange payment for any additional berthing.

Email to: RBM@igymarinas.com

Subject: World ARC (boat name)

Please copy your email to Rally Control: WARC27rallycontrol@worldcruising.com

Please bear in mind that the marina will be very busy with ARC boats until after the ARC Prizegiving on 19 December.

Arriving in Saint Lucia - SailClear

SailClear is quick and easy to use, and is widely used across the Caribbean.

Click here to register.

Rodney Bay Marina website

Noonsite.com for up-to-date cruising formalities.

Safety Equipment Inspections

All boats will have an in-person safety equipment inspection before the start. If you've already had a virtual safety inspection, the in-person inspection will just check any outstanding items raised online. 2026 ARC and ARC+ boats will still have an in-person inspection in Saint Lucia, although this should be straightforward.

How to Prepare for a Safety Equipment Inspection

Read through the Safety Equipment Requirements before the inspection
Gather small safety equipment like lifejackets, flares and grab bags on the saloon or cockpit table
Make all manufacturer and service certificates available
Clear space to access the emergency steering system
Send the crew ashore - this is a job that's easier with fewer people onboard

Share your story with the fleet

Your arrival in Saint Lucia will mark the beginning of some lifelong friendships!

To help the fleet get to know each other before the start of the Rally we would love if you could tell us a little bit about yourselves. We will share your story with the rest of the fleet.

World ARC is all about community, so become a part of that now. Share some details about who you are, what your journey plans are to the start of the Rally and some photos of yourself and/or your crew.

Tell us about yourself

Courtesy Flags

Plan ahead for your adventure of a lifetime and purchase courtesy flags for the World ARC route. In the World ARC shop you can purchase all flags in a single pack to save you the hassle of searching for individual flags.

Available as a whole set – Saint Lucia to Grenada £270.00
Half set Saint Lucia to Australia £170.00
or Australia to Saint Lucia £170.00

Delivery to a UK address, or collect at rally check-in.

Rally Shop

Rally Update Library

Remember, if you wish to review any of the information covered in previous Rally Updates, you can do so by visiting the Important Documents section of our website.

Revisiting this information will aid you with any last bits of preparation and refresh your mind about any advice we have given.