Gill Duncan sailed the ARC for the first time at the age of 18. That was in 1991, when he travelled to the Caribbean on an Ovni 45 with his parents and two younger siblings aged five and seven. The parents were passionate sailors and had not only explored the waters of their home waters on the southern English coast with their "Tin Lizzie". They had also travelled to many areas of the Mediterranean.
"I learnt to sail on these trips from an early age," says Gill Duncan. "I and later my siblings were always on board." He was therefore fully involved in the watch routine on the first Atlantic crossing. "That was perfect. My father and I sailed the boat and my mother had time to look after my siblings."
They were on the road for almost three weeks back then. "A really long time compared to today. This was mainly due to the fact that there was no weather routing. I remember that we all sailed southwards from the Canary Islands first, as was usual back then. We hoped to find the trade wind in the south. But it was a long time coming."
Sailing by feel in the past, today by weather forecast
Today, the ARC fleet receives a daily weather report from the organisers, and even before the start, the crews are given tips on the best route to take. This varies from year to year. Sometimes the wind conditions are best on the Rhumb Line, i.e. on the shortest course to the destination. Most of the time, however, the sailors find a steady and moderate south-easterly trade wind further south.
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The faster boats sailing in the racing group, on the other hand, are often better off north of the Rhumb Line, because low pressure systems sometimes make themselves felt there and provide stronger winds, at least occasionally. Ultimately, however, no two years are the same when it comes to wind. The old rule of first sailing as far south as possible "until the butter melts" and only then setting a westerly course no longer applies, according to the ARC's long-standing weather experts. Global climate change has long been making itself felt in the middle of the Atlantic.
You can hardly rely on the Passat any more
And the same can be expected for this year's 40th edition of the ARC. A few days before the start, no course favourite has yet emerged. It only looks like the wind will be more consistent on the northern route in the first few days.
For the Brit Gill Duncan, this is the third time he has sailed to the Caribbean with the ARC. After his premiere 34 years ago, he took part again in 2012. This time as skipper of a crew of seven. And with a big boat: a Grand Soleil 52. "After the first ARC, I had already made numerous contacts in the blue water scene. These repeatedly led to opportunities to sail in regattas or transfer boats." This is a very welcome side effect of the event.
His wife Lisa was also on this trip in 2012. She remembers how excited she was at the time. "I felt responsible for the organisation and didn't know what to expect myself. How much drinking water do you need, how many provisions? How do you manage everyday life with so many people on board?" she says.
We already had a water maker with us in 1991. The broth produced by the device was undrinkable. Today, on the other hand, the devices produce top-quality drinking water."
Now, for her second time, she is calm three days before the start. "Now I can draw on all the experience I gained 13 years ago," says Lisa Duncan. And this time there are only two other sailors on board her "Adrenalina". "Everything is easier with four people, the shopping, organising the space on board and much more," says the sailor. Even if the boat is now much smaller again. The couple now own a 13 metre long J/130, built in 1995.
The "critical infrastructure" on board must function!
They have completely overhauled and modernised it for the cruise. For example, there is now a carbon mast on deck. "Our rig is almost worth more than the rest of the boat," says Gill Duncan with a laugh. He has also invested heavily in other areas of the Atlantic adventure. The steering has been completely overhauled, including the electric autopilot. Satellite communication has been installed on board. And a water maker too." It is important to him that the "critical infrastructure", as he calls the most important components of the long-distance equipment, works one hundred per cent before the start.
The boats have become bigger and bigger over the years and yet many of them are still only sailed by two people, often by older couples. The modern technology on board makes it possible."
"All this modern technology needs attention, but it is also an achievement, says the experienced skipper. Today, we can live incredibly comfortably on board. Whether it's hot water or electricity, telephony or weather information - everything is always available. That was unthinkable 35 years ago."
GPS navigation was still in its infancy during the 1991 voyage, he explains. "We already had a receiver on board, but the system often failed. So we had to determine our position in parallel in the old way, using couplings and lines of sight from the sun and stars." As a result, their course line was rather zigzagging at the time, says Gill Duncan.
Communication was a challenge - and good for many anecdotes
Looking back, the method of communication was amusing, via shortwave or SSB. "The radio calls were made via a British radio station. We were also able to keep in touch with home. But the conversations were always difficult, as the relatives back home weren't used to having to end every sentence with 'over' so that the other person could speak afterwards." Much of what was said was only heard in fragments.
Once the neighbour, who was supposed to look after the dog at home, told his father during a radio call that the animal had unfortunately been run over by a car. Duncan: "The neighbour told my father that he'd better not tell us children. Unfortunately, he didn't realise that we could all hear him over the loudspeaker of the radio."
The safety requirements from the ARC have become more and more stringent. These days, you need a large boat just to accommodate all the required safety equipment on board."
Today, most ARC yachts are equipped with a Starlink Sat communication system. "My wife recently said to a close friend at home on the phone that she would call her again in two to three weeks when we were in the Caribbean and could be reached again. I had to laugh when I heard that and then told her that she could call as much as she wanted every day."
Modern technology is both a blessing and a curse
However, today's constant availability is both a blessing and a curse. "It's great if you can stay in touch with your loved ones at home. Or if you can work on board and that's the only reason an Atlantic crossing is possible for you. There are a lot of these digital nomads on the ARC these days," reports Gill Duncan.
On the other hand, something was missing. Compared to the past, that inimitable feeling of really being alone and out of the world out there at sea has been lost.
