The rally that launched 3,459 yachts
It’s as unlikely a scenario as you’ll find. Twenty years ago a Romanian circumnavigator called Jimmy Cornell was in Las Palmas researching a world cruising book. As he went from boat to boat he asked yachtsmen if they would be interested in joining a rally across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. The answer was a resounding yes. The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, or ARC, was born. To celebrate the running of the 20th ARC we bring you a special ARC and Caribbean cruising feature

The ultimate ocean race
There might be only seven boats but the Volvo Ocean Race remains the ultimate crewed ocean race. The course is across the world’s most hostile oceans, the boats are big, fast and brutal, and their crews are taken from the top echelons of professional yachtsmen. We have a look at the runners and riders, examine the new VOR 70 and the different way designers have interpreted the rule, and talk to some of the skippers and crews

ARC
*we review the top ten favourite ARC boats
*look back at 20 years of the ARC
*talk to the man who has sailed the ARC 14 times
*offer top tips from ARC winners
*Chris Doyle advises on a Caribbean season
*Elaine Bunting cruises Antigua and Barbuda