These guides cover the major ocean passages and offshore safety topics that define serious bluewater sailing: crossing the Pacific and Atlantic, the South Pacific islands, the Indian Ocean, the World ARC circumnavigation rally, surviving heavy weather at sea, and recovering a crew member from the water. Each is written from the planning and execution perspective — what conditions actually are, what decisions matter, and what experienced offshore sailors know that guidebooks tend to leave out.
The World ARC: Sailing Around the World with a Fleet
An organized rally circumnavigation — 26,000 miles, 15 months, roughly 30 boats. The route, the costs, the Red Sea decision, and honest tradeoffs vs. going it alone.
- ~26,000 miles · 15 months
- Red Sea convoy or Cape route
- Budget $80k–$120k + $10k rally fee
Crossing the Pacific: The Longest Sail
2,700 miles to Hawaii, then 2,800 to the Marquesas. The North Pacific High, West Coast departure strategy, the trade wind run, provisioning for 21 days, and why almost nobody sails back.
- US West Coast → Hawaii → Marquesas
- North Pacific High determines everything
- Mahi-mahi at the weed lines
Sailing Across the Atlantic: ARC, Tradewind Routes, and Timing
The classic trade wind route from the Canaries to the Caribbean — the ARC rally, going it alone, the ITCZ and doldrums, provisioning for 21 days, and the emotional arc of a long passage.
- Las Palmas → Barbados or St. Lucia, ~2,700 miles
- ARC rally: shared safety net and fixed departure
- ITCZ crossing: 200–600 miles of variables
The Indian Ocean: The Missing Piece of the Circumnavigation
The northern route via Red Sea and Suez, the southern route around the Cape, Sri Lanka timing, Chagos permits, the Maldives, and how to thread two cyclone seasons.
- Red Sea convoy protocols
- Galle, Sri Lanka window: Nov–Feb
- Chagos BIOT permit required
The South Pacific: The World Cruiser's Dream
French Polynesia, Tonga, and Fiji — the Tuamotu atolls, Bora Bora's reality, whale watching in Ha'apai, provisioning in Papeete, and where to be when cyclone season starts.
- Tuamotus · Society Islands · Tonga · Fiji
- Cyclone hole: Fiji or New Zealand
- Provision heavily in Papeete
Heavy Weather Sailing: Tactics for Offshore Storms
The full spectrum from Force 6 to survival conditions — sail reduction progression, heaving-to, lying ahull, running off with a drogue, the Jordan series drogue, and crew management in a gale.
- Reef early: the golden rule offshore
- Jordan series drogue vs. sea anchor trade-offs
- Preparing the boat and crew before conditions arrive
Man Overboard: Prevention and Recovery at Sea
The statistics, the first 30 seconds, Quick Stop and Figure 8 recovery methods, conscious vs. unconscious recovery, the swim sling, and why you must practice before you need it.
- Most offshore MOBs are fatal — prevention first
- GPS mark immediately, never lose sight
- Practice the recovery before you need it
About These Guides
These bluewater guides are editorial resources written from the perspective of experienced offshore sailors. Conditions, piracy situations, port regulations, and rally formats change — always verify current requirements from Noonsite, World Cruising Club, and recent cruiser reports before departure. For coastal cruising guides to North American waters, see the regional cruising guides.