{"id":807,"date":"2026-06-02T15:06:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T15:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yachtersworld.com\/?p=807"},"modified":"2026-06-02T15:06:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T15:06:16","slug":"preparing-for-an-atlantic-crossing-how-to-budget-and-avoid-expensive-late-discoveries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yachtersworld.com\/?p=807","title":{"rendered":"Preparing for an Atlantic crossing: How to budget and avoid expensive late discoveries"},"content":{"rendered":"

Entering the famous ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) provides a hard deadline for skippers to face ocean preparation<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Someone
Photo: White Dot Sailing\/Maritime Filming UK<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The two most oft-cited reasons to join the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers are for the safety element and the social side. But a third reason is equally key: it\u2019s a hard deadline. The ARC<\/a> rally has a start date, and a schedule, and so begins the countdown to your crossing.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to join a rally to fix a departure date. Sometimes the deadline sets itself \u2013 due to seasonal weather patterns, or personal reasons \u2013 but there will be a day, or a week, when you have to just go. So if you know when you\u2019re leaving, how long do you need to prepare? Chances are, you\u2019ll underestimate it.<\/p>\n

\"Aerial\n

Photo: Tor Johnson<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Ahead of this year\u2019s ARC, Will Spencer from White Dot Sailing surveyed 70 participants to ask how long their preparation took, and what they wished they\u2019d known before starting the process. White Dot Sailing provides maintenance, prep, consultancy and coaching services.<\/p>\n

Spencer conducted the survey working with organisers World Cruising Club to identify how they could both best help sailors planning for future ARCs. But their findings are relevant to any cruiser planning a major passage.<\/p>\n

How ready do you need to be?<\/h2>\n

The ARC skippers surveyed included a mix, from those who\u2019d been planning an ARC for a decade, to others who signed up last minute. Some had owned their boats for decades, others bought them specifically for the trip. The most common scenario was owners who had their yacht for 3-5 years prior, and decided to do the ARC on a similar time frame.<\/p>\n

Generally most skippers reported feeling prepared, but accepted that included compromises, rather than having everything 100% as they wanted. Around half said they were not fully prepared when they set off on the delivery to the start, with many planning to complete outstanding jobs either en-route or in Las Palmas.<\/p>\n

\"Yachts\n

\u201850% of boats were not ready by the delivery\u2019 Photo: Richard Langdon\/Ocean Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Others had unexpected jobs crop up on the way. Several reported concerns about setting off with new equipment which was untested (eg watermakers, generators, parasailors).<\/p>\n

Regardless of how long they\u2019d had their boat or dreamt of doing the ARC, the majority of skippers surveyed felt with hindsight that preparation takes 12 months or more.<\/p>\n

\"Calibrating\n

Calibrating tank gauges is important ahead of long distance cruising. Photo: White Dot Sailing\/Maritime Filming UK<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Where to start<\/h2>\n

Whether you\u2019re upgrading a yacht that you\u2019ve used for coastal sailing, or preparing a new boat<\/a>, it can be a daunting proposition. The temptation is to think of ocean readiness as a shopping list, adding on equipment such as a watermaker, liferaft etc. But, Spencer explains, that\u2019s not the first thing to focus on.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always start with three key pillars of the project: the crew, the boat and the timeline,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you don\u2019t look at it from all three perspectives, you can\u2019t really make good decisions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIdeal planning starts with knowing what you\u2019re actually trying to achieve, even if the details aren\u2019t fully confirmed. For example, if you\u2019re just participating in the ARC, then spending a season in the Caribbean and shipping back to the UK, your decisions can be based on that mileage and level of wear. \u2018Will this piece of kit last 5,000 miles?\u2019 and plan accordingly.<\/p>\n

\"Someone\n

if you need warranty or servicing work in Las Palmas be sure to book it well in advance. Photo: Paul Wyeth\/WCC<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cBut if you\u2019re going further \u2013 maybe crossing the Pacific or going round the world \u2013 then the questions change. Does that equipment have the service life to get you halfway round the world? What maintenance needs to happen before you leave? What preventative work will you need to do along the way?<\/p>\n

\u201cThis approach also applies to crew \u2013 if you are doing a single ARC crossing, you only need to prep one set of crew. But if you are planning on cruising as a family for the season then sailing back, you need another set of crew, so you need people to commit and ideally train together on the boat before it leaves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Plan\n

Plan when a rudder needs to be dropped for any repairs or stock checks. Photo: White Dot Sailing\/Maritime Filming UK<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Aim to work in reverse, not just from the departure date, but your end goal. \u201cUnderstand what you\u2019re trying to do, then work backwards. The preparation timeline sits inside the bigger project timeline.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat often happens in reality is that people decide a bit more arbitrarily what they want to upgrade. But they don\u2019t always look at the whole boat \u2013 the rudder, the engine, the drivetrain, the rig and sails. They focus on what feels achievable in the prep window, rather than the complete system.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Someone\n

Photo: James Mitchell\/WCC<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Stretching the budget<\/h2>\n

Less than half of the skippers surveyed had set a preparation budget at the start. Of those that did, about 50% (ie 25% of the total) feel they got it about right. Three-quarters either underestimated the costs, went over budget or spent without really having a plan. Those that were happy to quote figures tended to be close to their budget, coming in at \u20ac60,000-100,000.<\/p>\n

Once you know what your big picture plans look like, you can prioritise what to spend on. \u201cYour core spend should go on the fundamentals,\u201d says Spencer. \u201cHull, rudder, engine, rig. Electrical systems that work properly and safely \u2013 not necessarily upgrades, just solid. Safety kit. And sails, because they\u2019re your primary propulsion.<\/p>\n

\"Inspecting\n

Inspecting the Mastervolt Whisper generator. Photo: White Dot Sailing\/Maritime Filming UK<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIf budget is tight, you\u2019ve got to get the big picture of the boat\u2019s health first. Then apply the funds in priority order.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes people jump to upgrades when actually extending the life of what you\u2019ve got is the smarter move. Lithium batteries are great, but they often trigger other electrical modifications. Simply replacing your existing battery bank for one ocean crossing might be the more sensible route.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are looking at your budget for the whole trip as 100%, probably 60% should be allocated to the prep stage. You need another 10-15% for emergencies and spares. The rest is what is available for actually doing the trip.<\/p>\n

\"Fitting\n

Fitting a Hydrovane auxiliary steering system to a Swan 441 ahead of a World ARC. Photo: White Dot Sailing\/Maritime Filming UK<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t put enough into the prep stage, it will have a knock-on effect on spares and repairs later and reduce your \u2018fun\u2019 fund. For example, if you don\u2019t drop your rudder to check and service it during your initial prep, you might end up doing the same thing in the Caribbean where it will probably cost more \u2013 at the very least you are paying for another lift out.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might not be able to get replacement parts locally and need to ship them in, often paying import duties too. Sometimes it feels like you are spending a lot of money at the beginning, but you are saving money, and stress, further down the line.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"In-mast\n

In-mast wiring checks while the rig is down. Photo: White Dot Sailing\/Maritime Filming UK<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Plan to save<\/h2>\n

Planning out a full schedule of work in advance can stretch your budget further, explains Spencer: \u201cWith a boat we are looking after, we\u2019d start by scoping out everything that needs doing. If we know we\u2019re going to be taking the rig out and lifting the boat to Coppercoat it, we would plan a timeline so the boat spends as little time [in the marina] as possible, as berthing costs are higher.<\/p>\n

\"Checking\n

Checking the engine battery state of health with a conductance battery tester. Photo: White Dot Sailing\/Maritime Filming UK<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cAs soon as the boat arrives, we\u2019d do an engine service in the water, so any faults we find can be fixed during the 3-4 months in the yard. We\u2019d also arrange the rig to come out just before the boat is lifted, so that the rig is on the ground for the riggers to work on.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019d get the boat placed straight into the blast bay to clean the hull down, saving another move later. We sometimes book a lift over lunchtime, so that the yacht is sat in the slings for longer \u2013 handy for boats with really long rudders which can\u2019t be removed once the boat is in the cradle. While the crane guys are on their lunch break we whip out the rudder \u2013 saving an extra lifting cost later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Article continues below\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

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40 years of the ARC: The evolution of a transatlantic icon<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/header>\n
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Back in 1985 Margaret Thatcher was in Downing Street, Mikhail Gorbachev in the Kremlin, and a world-famous pop star was\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n