The week before departure · Las Palmas
We’ll get to know Epiphany and each other, provision the boat and practise the jobs we’ll do at sea. We’ll go through the watch rota, sail handling and safety procedures. There’ll also be time to meet other crews and take part in the ARC briefings and shoreside events. I’ll confirm your joining date before you arrange travel.

Sunday 21 November · Across the Atlantic
We’ll set off with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, organised by World Cruising Club, and sail our own passage to Saint Lucia. Allow around three weeks at sea. Some watches will be about keeping the boat moving in light airs. Others will be about seeing what’s coming, getting the next sail ready and making the handover to the next watch.

December · Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia
After weeks of open water, we’ll make landfall in the Caribbean and catch up with other crews as they arrive. Allow four to five weeks overall for preparation, the crossing and some flexibility around arrival. The passage length depends on the weather and the route we sail. View the official ARC 2027 programme.

You’ll take your turn at the helm, trim and change sails, keep a lookout and help with navigation and the log. We’ll share the cooking and the jobs that keep the boat going. I’ll coach you as we sail, so you can get a feel for how the boat responds and understand the calls we’re making.

Between watches, there’s time to read, write or sit in the cockpit and watch the light change. Some of the moments that stay with you are ordinary ones. Coffee at the end of a night watch. A hot meal someone made while you were on deck. The first sight of land after weeks of horizon.

Beginners are welcome to apply. Before departure, you’ll need to be at RYA Competent Crew standard. On our first call we’ll talk through your sailing experience and agree what preparation you need before joining in Las Palmas.

If you need more time on the water, we can arrange a separately booked UK preparation week aboard Bossy Boots. The preparation and safety training aboard Epiphany in Las Palmas are included in the crossing price.

• Your berth aboard Epiphany for the crossing

• Skipper and onboard coaching with Matthew North, RYA Yachtmaster Ocean and Cruising Instructor

• ARC entry fees and participation in the rally programme

• A preparation call, crew pack and onboard training in Las Palmas

• Meals, snacks and drinks aboard during the passage

• Onboard safety equipment, an ocean passage certificate and shared photos and video

Separate costs include flights, personal travel insurance covering ocean sailing, meals and drinks ashore, and the UK preparation week if you book it. I’ll send a kit list and talk through any dietary requirements before we go.

Epiphany is a Hallberg-Rassy 43 and was our family home for a year at sea. I’ve since set her up as a cutter-rigged cruiser-racer. The flying genoa gets her moving upwind in light airs. As the breeze builds, we can bring the sail plan inboard with the staysail and a reefed main. When we turn downwind and conditions suit, there’s a full-size Parasail.

She has a proper galley, a watermaker and onboard power supported by solar and hydrogeneration. For offshore passages she carries a liferaft, EPIRB, dedicated storm sails, emergency steering and backup communications. We’ll go through the equipment together in Las Palmas.

Q: Will I be seasick?
Possibly—most people are at the start. But the body adapts quickly. We’ll coach you through it.

Q: Is it safe?
As safe as ocean sailing gets. We sail conservatively, monitor weather daily, and stay within the ARC fleet for added safety and support.

Q: Can I stay on in the Caribbean?
Yes. Many participants choose to travel on after we land in St Lucia. We can help with onward planning.

Q: Why is this called 'Ocean Reborn'?
Because once you’ve crossed an ocean under sail, something fundamental shifts. You’ll never look at land—or yourself—the same way again.