ARC 2004 reporters - from Yachting World magazine

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Untitled Document

Jimmy's top tips for crossing the Atlantic

ARC founder Jimmy Cornell draws on 30 years' circumnavigation experience to give ten essential tips for a safe, fast and smart crossing

Jimmy Cornell, 64, is one of the foremost authorities on ocean cruising. He first circumnavigated the world in 1975 with his wife Gwenda and two young children, sailing over 60,000 miles and visiting 70 countries.

Since then Jimmy has done two
more circum-navigations and ranged from Antarctica to Alaska. He is also the author of World Cruising Routes.

1. Have the boat, sails, engine and equipment thoroughly prepared and checked before leaving Las Palmas. Preparation is undoubtedly the main element in enjoying the ARC to the full. And well-prepared skippers always stand out by being relaxed before the start and having the
time to join in all the parties. This means getting to Las Palmas with plenty of time to solve any
last-minute problems.

2. Choose your crew with utmost care: the single most common cause of disappointing crossings are tensions between crewmembers.

3. Draw up a good watch system, then stick to it. Make sure there is somebody keeping a good lookout, day and night.

4. Take every safety measure you deem necessary: wearing harnesses, setting a boom preventer, etc. Set strict rules: no one to leave the cockpit without the skipper being present, the skipper to be called if the crew on watch has any doubt about weather, equipment and absolutely no peeing over the side while at sea.

5. Provision well (easy in Las Palmas) so you have a good supply of fresh food. The Atlantic is teeming with fish, so get your fishing gear sorted out: a strong line, a reel with a ratchet and some good lures.

6. Get your communications sorted out before the crossing - make sure your e-mail works, or you'll be frustrated that you won't be able to communicate with your family and friends.

7. Have good downwind sails. In my view, this means only one thing: one or more spinnakers. On my last Atlantic crossing I had a spinnaker up for over 80 per cent of the time.

8. Check your deck gear, sails, engine and other equipment every day. Prevent chafe by protecting sails and making sure that the spinnaker poles and boom are firmly fixed and have no play.

9. Have a good charging system that uses alternative sources other than the engine or generator: wind generators, towing generators and solar panels can all contribute.

10. Finally, leave all your worries behind. Crossing the Atlantic along this southern route is easy and quite safe - provided, of course, you take some notice of the above nine points. The rest is sheer fun!

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