Feelin' Good HR-54 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers 2011

We did the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) in November 2011 in our Hallberg-Rassy along with 200 other yachts making their first Atlantic Crossing. What a great time! We had Gustavo, Roland, Sean and I onboard and did our preparation in the Canary Islands before doing a 20+ day passage across to St. Lucia where we came in winning 'line honors' (meaning we won our division being first across the line not for time including handicap. Crossing the Atlantic was not as scary as everyone says it is and we did it several more times in later yachts by ourselves. The Atlantic is a BIG ocean with HUGE rollers and it does take serious seamanship to handle it safely.

Aboard the Hallberg-Rassy 54 Feelin' Good, Art, Sean, Roland and Gustavo face the Atlantic during the ARC Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. It was an incredible experience to be so far offshore with good winds, clear blue skies and dolphins dancing around the yacht. We ate well and worked as a team for the 15 days and 15 hours it took to make the passage.

Our overall standing for the ARC was that we finished 4th in class C and 39th overall out of 249 entries. Not bad for amateurs our for the first time!

You can review our passage Gran Canaria to St. Lucia 2011 as well as our articles tagged arc-2011 on the adventure and some photos at [Atlantic Rally for Cruisers ARC 2011](/atlantic-rally-for-cruisers-arc-2011.

Then, in May 1012, we sailed Feelin' Good back to Europe through the Azores. What a great Atlantic Circuit!