Bluewater Weekend set to inspire offshore sailors

2018 ARC - Start leg two © World Cruising Club

Rally organisers World Cruising Club, best known for the annual ARC - Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, have joined together once again with leading offshore yacht broker Berthon International, to host a weekend of conversation about bluewater cruising at Berthon's Lymington UK base in June 2019.

This popular weekend is designed to encourage visitors think about all aspects of living their bluewater dream, providing the opportunity to view a wide range of offshore cruising boats and meet experts in refits, sails, communications and boat equipment, all whist mixing and chatting with experienced offshore cruisers in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

The two day event is free to attend, but prospective bluewater sailors will need to pre-register. During the weekend, a selection of fine examples of bluewater boats will be open for viewing, hosted by experienced offshore skippers, many of whom have sailed the ARC or around the world. Mix, mingle and chat about bluewater sailing is the aim of the weekend.

"There was great mix of people and a number of boats to have a nose around." said Chris Regnart who attended last year's event. He will soon be setting off on his own ocean adventures with ARC 2019, and circumnavigating with World ARC in 2020. "A really worthwhile event for anyone starting to plan a bluewater cruising trip. During the weekend, meeting other owners was really helpful and I got a few really useful tips to consider for my own boat. It was inspiring and well worth attending."

Balancing out the dockside chat will be a series of seminar presentations and discussions about how to embark on your bluewater dream. For those in the market, Berthon's brokerage team will share the story of a boat purchase and refit, drawing on their years of experience guiding purchasers through the process. Using practical examples, the session will cover the journey of a boat from a broker's cradle ashore to far afield cruising grounds, covering common questions on surveys, VAT, refitting priorities and budgets.

A special 'Coffee with the Experts' session provides a focussed opportunity for assembled representatives from leading marine companies to answer questions on boat refits; communications equipment; charts and pilot books; boat management; marine insurance; buying a boat and selecting sails. This session will provide the opportunity for one-to-one questions and small group discussions, ideal for those fitting out their boats for offshore adventures. ARC sailors will also be on hand to share their own experiences of equipment set up and practical advice.

For those setting sail with the ARC in 2019 or beyond, a briefing session is also included on the seminar line up. The session will cover rally specific information including the route, ports, and programme, led by World Cruising Club with previous ARC sailors on hand to share their own experiences. Members of the ARC Safety Team and equipment specialists Ocean Safety will highlight key equipment considerations for offshore voyages including liferafts, lifejackets, EPIRBs and other items needed for crossing oceans with the ARC.

The annual Bluewater Weekend is hosted at the Berthon Marina, Lymington over the weekend of 22 and 23 June. Visitors can attend for either or both days and admittance is free. For those wanting to make the most of a delightful weekend in Lymington, there is an optional Sailing Supper on the Saturday evening at Lymington Town Sailing Club a short walk from the marina.

Pre-registration is strongly encouraged as capacity is limited. For more information and to register, please visit worldcruising.com/training or contact World Cruising Club on