- Dream team: Henrik Teichmann and Karl-Heinz Henzel on "45 South II"
- Family time out: Julia, Denis and Paulina Merkel on the "Atlantik"
- The ARC+ is favoured by most family crews
- Two plus six: Tanja and Thomas Volnhofer with fellow sailors on their "Adrienne"
- For several berth charter providers, the ARC is an integral part of their annual cruise programme
It is precisely this diversity of sailors from all over the world and on boats of different sizes and designs that makes the event so attractive for most participants. From the fast carbon bullet to the ultra-heavy steel yacht, everything is represented.
This also applies to the various crew constellations: young or older couples, crews of friends, families, charter sailors - everyone can sail as they please at the ARC. Over the past few days, we have met numerous sailors on the jetties and on their boats in the harbour of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Dream team: Henrik Teichmann and Karl-Heinz Henzel on "45 South II"
For example, the two Rhinelanders Henrik Teichmann, 58, and Karl-Heinz Henzel, 65 years old. The two are competing with a rather unusual boat for a cruising rally. Teichmann's "45 South II" is an old one-tonner from 1976, drawn by Farr as design no. 51. She stands out not only because of her bright green hull, but also because she is trimmed for speed throughout.
Sailing through at night with two people under the spinnaker is not an option. We prefer to play it safe."
"We still don't sail in the racing group," says the owner, "even though we usually love to get the last tenth of a knot out of the boat." In view of the enormous distance to be covered, they wanted to take it a little easier this time. "Sailing through at night with two people under the spinnaker is not an option. We'd rather play it safe."
Teichmann and Henzel have been sailing together regularly several times a year for 22 years, both on the North Sea and Baltic Sea as well as in the Mediterranean. "We're almost like an old married couple," admits Henzel with a grin. "Everyone knows each other's quirks and knows how to deal with them."
Our wives insisted that we sail on the ARC."
Speaking of the couple: It was a condition of their wives' participation in the ARC. After all, despite all their sailing experience, it was their first major ocean crossing. "Our wives were of the opinion that we would be in good hands at the ARC; they could sleep more peacefully knowing that we would be travelling the ocean with so many other ships instead of alone," says Henzel.
Also exciting:
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- The adventure of crossing the Atlantic: Why many things are better and easier today, but why something has been lost over the years.
- Marlene Brudek wants to sail to the front with the smallest ship in the ARC 2025 fleet
The hardest thing for the two men was waiting for today's start day. "We're not used to being on site ten days before a race. When we plan something, we usually tackle it straight away," says Teichmann. They sailed the "45 South II" from its berth in the Netherlands to Gran Canaria within three and a half weeks.
"We were lucky off the Portuguese coast. Although we were sailing far out on the edge of the traffic separation scheme, the orcas almost caught us. Instead, they attacked a yacht sailing just behind us," says Teichmann. But the yacht's crew were also lucky, as a navy helicopter quickly came to their aid, apparently successfully driving the animals away with the noise and downwash of the rotors.
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When Teichmann and Henzel arrive in the Caribbean, they will leave the boat there for the time being and fly home for Christmas. "I will then fly back to the boat after the turn of the year for a Caribbean cruise with my wife. His mate of many years will only come on board later for the route across the North Atlantic back to Europe.
Family time out: Julia, Denis and Paulina Merkel on the "Atlantik"
However, Julia, 43, and Denis Merkel, 45, have no plans to return. At least not any time soon. The Berlin couple have taken a three-year break. Together with their four-year-old daughter Paulina, they want to continue sailing around the world after the ARC.
"We had both recently changed jobs and realised that we weren't happy. What's more, we wanted to set off before our daughter started school," says Julia Merkel about her reasons for going sailing around the world. To do so, they bought an old, 18-tonne Koopmans 43 steel yacht. "Our "Atlantik" was built in 1987. We bought it four years ago and have since made it fit for the long voyage," reports Denis Merkel.
We have all the time in the world."
"We won't be among the fastest," laughs Julia Merkel, "but that doesn't matter to us. We have all the time in the world." And her husband adds: "I looked it up, we actually have one of the most favourable handicaps in the entire cruising group. Only four other yachts have even lower billing factors." He adds with a grin: "Maybe we'll end up first in the group after all thanks to the calculated time.
However, they had not planned to take part in the regular ARC. "We had actually registered for the ARC+ that started two weeks earlier. We would have loved to take part in the detour via Cape Verde," says Julia Merkel. But then she and her daughter fell so seriously ill on the start day that they had to change their plans. "We were lucky that we were able to simply switch to the ARC."
Nevertheless, they still have a few regrets. "There are a lot more families with children at the ARC+. At our jetty, the kids could jump from boat to boat and make friends," says Denis Merkel.
The ARC+ is favoured by most family crews
In fact, the ARC+ has become a favourite for family crews in the past. The organisers from the World Cruising Club offer an extensive childcare programme for the little ones. This gives parents time to get to know other parents and, above all, to take part in the many seminars in peace and quiet and as a couple.
In the days leading up to the start of the ARC+ and ARC, participants can find out lots of information and background information on various topics. For example, about the wind and weather conditions on the Atlantic, the art of astronavigation and skilful provisioning.
I am thrilled by the mutual helpfulness among the ARC sailors here."
"We installed an SSB system on board especially for the trip. There was also a seminar on site. I was amazed at how many other crews had also purchased such a system and, just like us, didn't really have any experience with it," says Denis Merkel. In general, he is impressed by the mutual support within the group of participants. "There are WhatsApp groups here where you only need to post that you're missing this or that special tool and someone who has it will get in touch shortly afterwards to lend it to you."
Julia Merkel agrees that the teamwork is great. Above all, there is no pressure. She says: "You can do anything here, but you don't have to."
Two plus six: Tanja and Thomas Volnhofer with fellow sailors on their "Adrienne"
The seminar programme, but above all the party programme in the days before the start, is also the reason why Thomas and Tanja Volnhofer are taking part in the ARC. The Austrian owner couple are extremely experienced sailors. Both are sailing instructors and can look back on over 140,000 nautical miles in the wake. This year's Atlantic crossing is, believe it or not, their 15th as part of the ARC. In 2018/19, they took part in the World ARC.
"But we're here not so much for ourselves, but for our fellow sailors," says Tanja Volnhofer. The Austrians have six paying berth charterers on their GibSea 51. "As a charter provider, it's much easier to get your berths booked these days if you cross the Atlantic with the ARC instead of on your own. People have all heard about the unique atmosphere here and are keen to experience it for themselves."
You simply have to experience it."
She knows what she's talking about. The couple have been offering berth charters on their ship since 2019. "Then it continues in the Caribbean. There are always different crews on board every week," reports Thomas Volnhofer. And his wife adds: "In between, we also treat ourselves to a week without guests on board. We need that for ourselves, but also to keep the ship in good shape."
It's not just the "Adrienne" that sails to the Caribbean on a berth charter with the ARC. For several large German charter providers, such as Mola and Schönicke, the World Cruising Club event has long been an integral part of the annual cruising calendar.
For several berth charter providers, the ARC is an integral part of their annual cruise programme
"The daily sundowners, the parade of nations at the start of the port programme, the costume party, the farewell evening, the overwhelming farewell when leaving the port of Gran Canaria - you should experience it all," says Tanja Volnhofer.
To ensure that none of the sailors on board get bored while travelling, the crew is involved in steering the boat. "During the day, everyone takes turns at the helm, we only switch on the autopilot at night," explains the skipper. And if you like, you can have the two of them teach you a little astronavigation during the day. "When you compare your result with the position shown by the GPS and see how good you were with your own calculations, it's a real motivational boost for people," says Tanja Volnhofer.
The welcome in St Lucia, even when you arrive in the middle of the night, is overwhelming every time."
She herself is particularly looking forward to arriving in the Caribbean. She enthuses: "The warm welcome in St. Lucia, where the people who have already arrived, the local marina staff and the people from the World Cruising Club are already happily waiting for you, even when you enter the harbour in the middle of the night, is one of the undisputed highlights of the ARC!"
However, there are at least 2,700 nautical miles to cover before that happens.
