2027-19 | FALKEN | Trans-At: Las Palmas-St. Lucia
FALKEN is headed back across the Pond for a second time in 2027! 59º North will return a bit to our "roots" with this trip, where we'll be joining the iconic 'Atlantic Rally for Cruisers', aka ARC rally. Andy & Mia worked for the ARC going back to 2008 and have long been involved in running the shoreside operations on rallies including the Caribbean 1500, ARC Europe and ARC itself. It's definitely with a bit of nostalgia that we're joining the rally fleet! The sail itself will be a classic east-to-west Tradewind trans-Atlantic, 3,000 miles from Gran Canaria to St. Lucia, an island we haven't visited since 2013 when Andy's dad's boat SOJOURNER was stationed on the finish line in Rodney Bay. Being part of the ARC rally means we'll be sailing in company with over 250 boats, from 30-footers up to boats much bigger than FALKEN. Crew will be welcome to be part of all rally events in Las Palmas and St. Lucia - they've got seminars, parties, island tours and a lot more going on which you can be a part of. Andy will be involved in delivering some of the pre-departure seminars. Weather-wise, expect it to be chillier than you think on leaving Las Palmas, but quickly warm up as we 'sail south 'til the butter melts, then turn right!' FALKEN should complete the crossing in 16-20 days, depending on how well-established the Trades are at the time.
SAILING STAFF
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The Passage
Rough itinerary
All 59º North passages are very much subject to weather. We pick our routes based on the "correct" time of year to be sailing in the different regions we visit, and we always build-in enough time to give us some margin for weather windows. The skipper has final say on departure dates and weather windows, but generally speaking, the intinerary for this passage will look like this:
November 17, 2027
Crew arrive to FALKEN at 1300 in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. FALKEN orientation followed by crew dinner. All crew stay onboard FALKEN.
Prep Days
Between the joining and departure dates, all pre-passage preparation, provisioning, and safety briefings will be completed. The specific pre-departure schedule will be outlined and posted onboard FALKEN by the skipper.
November 21, 2027
Scheduled departure, weather dependent.
December 12, 2027
Latest date (12:00 noon) for crew to depart FALKEN from Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia.
PASSAGE DETAILS
ARC Events & Dates:
The ARC Rally has many events both in Las Palmas prior to the rally start, and in St. Lucia after the rally concludes. The dates published on our site, here, represent the days you may stay aboard FALKEN in port both before and after the passage. But you're welcome to join the ARC events before this join date, but you'll need to book shoreside accommodation.
Likewise, after we arrive in St. Lucia, you're welcome to stay for all the ARC festivities, but you must depart the boat at the end date here on the website. FALKEN will be one of the faster boats in the fleet and therefore will get to St. Lucia pretty early in the festivities. We would expect to arrive into St. Lucia around Dec. 10-ish +/- 1-2 days.
Tuesday 9 November: ARC offices opens in Las Palmas and shoreside activities begin
Sunday 14 November: Latest boat arrival date for Las Palmas
Saturday 20 November: Skippers' briefing
Sunday 21 November: Start day. Las Palmas to Saint Lucia
Friday 17 December: ARC finish line closes in Saint Lucia
Saturday 18 December: Prizegiving in Saint Lucia
More info on ARC activities and dates can be found here or at https://worldcruising.com/events/arc/arc-2027.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
Las Palmas
Rodney Bay
Weather conditions
In-depth analysis, by WRI
WHY 59º NORTH?
ambitious sailing schedule
The best boats
WOMEN BUNKS GUARANTEED
Professional, well-paid staff
knowledge & community
Why it costs what it costs...
"This passage was literally my first time sailing. My goal was to get as far as possible from my daily life and desk-bound comfort zone, and Andy assured me I would be looked after. I could not have asked for a better skipper (thank you, Jon), better crew mates, or a more enjoyable passage. The expression 'life-changing experience' is thrown around too loosely, but this one was for me. I'll be forever grateful to 59º North for this opportunity and I hope to sail with them again soon."
"Having sailed on ISBJØRN in 2019, I was excited to join another 59º North passage and finally sailed on FALKEN for the trans-Atlantic in January 2025. The 17-day passage was an incredible experience, sharing sailing knowledge and cultural perspectives with a diverse crew. FALKEN felt extremely safe and comfortable, and the care 59º North puts into both the voyage and post-trip details is outstanding. I came away with new friends, unforgettable memories, and a whole new level of sailing experience."
"Sailing on ISBJØRN with Captain Naxo during the Sail Training Camp was an incredible experience. His ability to adapt his teaching to each person's skill level built confidence throughout the crew and turned us into a cohesive team. I wholeheartedly recommend 59º North and Captain Naxo."
"I highly recommend the experience of doing a passage on ISBJØRN. I gained valuable offshore experience on a fine boat, learned how Andy and Mia competently manage their boat, learned about celestial navigation, and had a great time doing it. Completing ISBJØRN's first back-to-back 200 mile day passage was a smokin' fast bonus!"
"It was an honor to be onboard FALKEN for her crewed maiden voyage. We sailed in challenging conditions on our 5-day romp in the English Channel, with the crew rising to the occasion inspired by our skipper, Nikki, and first mate, Alex. If you want to experience real-world offshore life under expert supervision with like-minded folks, look no further than 59º North."
"I signed up for this passage hoping to spend an extended period offshore, learn new skills, increase my competencies and confidence, and sail with amazing crew mates—and this passage completely exceeded my expectations. The 59º North team brings impressive skill, experience, wisdom, and fun to each passage and crew, which is a huge part of why I returned for this second passage in twelve months. I recommend 59º North to all of my sailing friends who want to learn about offshore passage-making in a thorough and hands-on way from true professionals."
"It was such an experience! Meeting all the people and being part of the crew is something very special. We were so lucky to spend the passage on FALKEN; the nature and weather gave us the best, and I really wish it could have lasted longer."
THE BOAT
Farr 65
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FALKEN
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🇬🇧
FALKEN is ideally set up for long-distance offshore sailing. We fully rebuilt the boat in 2022 to our exacting specifications and with the help of legendary yacht designer Bob Perry. She's comfortable belowdecks and each crew has their own dedicated sea berth & gear locker. On deck she has a huge cockpit which easily seats 10 people for our daily meals offshore, and allows for plenty of room to move about when handling lines and trimming sails. She's also easy to maintain, fast and fun to sail! FALKEN sails with 8 crew plus a Skipper & Mate and the occasional apprentice.
packing lists & notes
Packing Notes
Start here when planning your packing for sailing with 59º North. This list includes the general basics for all of our passages. The passage-specific packing lists offer more details.
Cold | Warm Packing List
This will be a "transitional" passage, either starting in warmer climes and increasing in latitude until it's significantly cooler, or vice versa. Another one of those trips where you'll need to pack one of everything for changing conditions. See the packing list for specifics.