360 degrees of horizon
Practical Boat Owner|December 2020
The Warner family talk to Ali Wood about the highs and lows of an Atlantic crossing
Ali Wood
360 degrees of horizon

It was movie night on board Heaven 47. Simon had rigged the fairy lights, a rom-com was playing on the tablet, and Rachel and Sam were in their dressing gowns, nails freshly painted, tucking into popcorn.

“It was the most amazing thing ever,” recalls Rachel. “After five days of no wind, and constantly craving home comforts, we finally decided to treat ourselves.”

But all of a sudden there was a bang. Sam flew across the cabin and landed on top of her sister-in-law. “Lifejackets, lifejackets!” she yelled, scrambling to her feet. In seconds they were out in the cockpit in the roaring wind and pitch black, winching harder and faster than they’d ever done before. Out of nowhere, a squall had hit, and they’d broached with the spinnaker still flying. Mark, Tom and Simon pulled down the spinnaker while Rachel and Sam, still clad in gleaming white dressing gowns, operated the halyard and sheets.

“We had to break into the contraband after that,” admits Rachel. “Nothing but Toblerone would calm us down.”

For the crew of five sailing in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) this was the moment that changed everything. What had been a tortuous ‘drift’ was now a barrelling downwind sail, which would last all the way to St Lucia... but it wasn’t to be the last drama aboard the 47ft Beneteau.

Dreaming of the ARC

The family were one of 185 boats taking part in the 2019 rally, an adventure that started 10 months earlier when Sam and husband Simon bought their first boat.

Denne historien er fra December 2020-utgaven av Practical Boat Owner.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra December 2020-utgaven av Practical Boat Owner.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA PRACTICAL BOAT OWNERSe alt
Orca sink yacht in Strait of Gibraltar
Practical Boat Owner

Orca sink yacht in Strait of Gibraltar

Spain's maritime rescue service, Salvamento Maritimo, has reported that a 15m (49ft) yacht sank in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar following interaction with a pod of orca.

time-read
1 min  |
Summer 2024
No kill cord or lifejackets were worn during fatal powerboat crash
Practical Boat Owner

No kill cord or lifejackets were worn during fatal powerboat crash

A kill cord and lifejacket are useless unless worn-that's the warning from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), following its investigation into a powerboat crash that killed a 32-year-old woman and five-year-old girl on 2 October 2022.

time-read
2 mins  |
Summer 2024
Multihull sail work
Practical Boat Owner

Multihull sail work

Brush up on multihull sailing skills before heading off on charter with Gavin Le Sueur's guide to spinnaker handling, tacking and gybing

time-read
4 mins  |
Summer 2024
Five top causes of engine failure and how to prevent them
Practical Boat Owner

Five top causes of engine failure and how to prevent them

Jake Kavanagh talks to Sea Start marine engineer Nick Eales about how to avoid the five major causes of an engine breakdown at sea

time-read
10+ mins  |
Summer 2024
Sail the Atlantic with strangers
Practical Boat Owner

Sail the Atlantic with strangers

Would you sail across the Atlantic with someone you've just met? Ali Wood meets the cruising crews who've done just that

time-read
10 mins  |
Summer 2024
IZIBoat: simple sailing
Practical Boat Owner

IZIBoat: simple sailing

Rupert Holmes sails an innovative catamaran design intended to widen participation in sailing among those with little time to get on the water in more conventional craft

time-read
7 mins  |
Summer 2024
30 WAYS TO GET AFLOAT
Practical Boat Owner

30 WAYS TO GET AFLOAT

From tall ships to small dinghies, you needn't own a boat to sail. Ali Wood looks at the options, and how skippers can also find crew

time-read
10+ mins  |
Summer 2024
Boats for restoring under £20,000
Practical Boat Owner

Boats for restoring under £20,000

Duncan Kent picks the best sub-35ft sail and power boats to look for when aiming to undertake a restoration on a budget

time-read
10+ mins  |
Summer 2024
Seaworthy dinghies for less than £500
Practical Boat Owner

Seaworthy dinghies for less than £500

For low cost traditionally-styled GRP trailer-sailers, consider the Foreland and the Otter available at bargain basement prices

time-read
5 mins  |
Summer 2024
Playing with coloured sails
Practical Boat Owner

Playing with coloured sails

Maintaining an hourglass-shaped balloon and ratcheting up the log numbers

time-read
3 mins  |
Summer 2024