A record fleet of 207 yachts will leave Las Palmas de Gran Canaria this November for the biggest edition yet of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, the transatlantic sailing event that finishes in Saint Lucia. According to Sport Magazine, the 2026 rally will see more boats take part than at any time in the event's history, with two Italian-flagged yachts joining the crossing for the first time.
As reported by Sport Magazine, the rally is split into two departures. The ARC+ sets off first, on 8 November, with 80 boats sailing a longer route that stops in Cape Verde before continuing to Grenada. The classic ARC follows on 22 November, when 127 yachts will point their bows directly at Saint Lucia, crossing more than 2,700 nautical miles of open Atlantic before arriving in the Caribbean.
The direct route to Saint Lucia takes the fleet through a broad area of low pressure where conditions can shift markedly with the season. Crews will need to keep a close eye on weather bulletins and adjust their sails to make the most of the prevailing winds, balancing speed with the need to protect both boat and crew over more than two weeks at sea. The aim for most is to arrive before Christmas, when the marina at Rodney Bay fills up with celebrating sailors.
For the arrival itself, Saint Lucia offers a well-equipped harbour able to receive large vessels, with support and maintenance services on hand for boats completing the crossing. That finish line is Rodney Bay, which has been the home of the ARC in the Caribbean since the rally was first run in 1986. The bay is sheltered, the trade winds are steady, and the Saint Lucia Yacht Club there dates back to 1966, making it the natural heart of the island's sailing scene.
The first leg of the ARC+ also demands plenty of the crews. Boats leaving Gran Canaria on 8 November will sail to Cape Verde, where they can take on supplies and carry out technical checks, before tackling the second half of the passage to Grenada. Organisers describe the route as a tougher test of endurance, with north-easterly winds and currents that reward careful handling of changing pressure systems, all under close logistical and technical supervision from local authorities and sailing organisations.
Italian sailing will be represented for the first time in this edition. The Lagoon 60 Athena, skippered by Franco Pomilio, is regarded as one of the most capable boats in her class, prized for her stability in strong winds. She is joined by the Solaris 74 Plaz under Aldo Scuderi, whose wider deck layout suits sustained high speeds over long distances. Their presence, the report notes, reflects a growing Italian interest in offshore racing and the professional standard of Italian crews.
The whole rally will be documented by Fare Vela, which is producing original content including interviews, on-board reports and technical analysis of the fleet's performance. For anyone following the crossing from home, that coverage promises a full picture of the challenges and the atmosphere on board as the boats make their way west.
For the island itself, the arrival of 127 yachts in December is one of the fixtures that shapes the winter season. Anyone considering holidays to St Lucia around that time will find Rodney Bay at its liveliest, with the marina area open to visitors who want to watch the boats come in and join the celebrations alongside the crews.
Timing matters for anyone hoping to catch the finish. The late November departure and December arrivals fall within what many consider the best time to visit St Lucia, when the weather is drier and the island's events calendar fills up. The Saint Lucia Yacht Club keeps the sailing going through the season, with regattas such as the Mango Bowl Regatta held each November at the same Rodney Bay venue.
The island offers plenty beyond the marina for crews and visitors recovering from the crossing. From Rodney Bay it is an easy trip south to Soufrière and the Pitons, the twin volcanic peaks that dominate the island's west coast, while the sheltered waters around them are among the most popular for diving in St Lucia. Inland, the rainforest trails give hiking in St Lucia a completely different character from the open Atlantic the crews have just crossed.
Accommodation ranges widely for anyone arriving to meet a crew or simply following the rally. There are large hotels in St Lucia in and around Rodney Bay and the north of the island, alongside villas in St Lucia for groups wanting more space, and a growing number of boutique hotels in St Lucia for travellers who prefer smaller, design-led stays. For couples, a honeymoon in St Lucia around the ARC season combines the marina buzz with quieter corners of the south.
The 2026 rally looks set to be the largest in the event's four decades, and all attention now turns to the two departure dates: the ARC+ fleet leaving Gran Canaria on 8 November, and the 127 yachts of the classic ARC following on 22 November for the crossing to Saint Lucia. Their arrivals at Rodney Bay, in the weeks before Christmas, will bring the record edition to its close.
Plan your St Lucia holiday
- Hotels in St Lucia: resorts, villas and boutique stays compared.
- Things to do in St Lucia: from the Pitons to the sulphur springs.
- Best time to visit St Lucia: weather, seasons and prices by month.
- Flights to St Lucia: routes from the UK and what to expect.
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