The Salisbury based yacht insurance company has supported World Cruising from the outset. “Our participation gives us the opportunity to exchange knowledge with yacht owners interested in extended cruising,” explains Robert Holbrook of Admiral. Admiral works closely with World Cruising Club to help owners with their preparation. Not only is the company in attendance at the three World Cruising Club seminars, held for each year’s entrants, to answer questions and provide advice on risk management, but also in Las Palmas so as to be on hand as their ARC clients prepare for the rally. Importantly, as part of Admiral’s insurance package, all ARC clients receive a complimentary rig check which is carried out by a qualified rigger prior to the start of the rally. This precautionary service is extremely popular, and is also available to Admiral’s World ARC clients in St Lucia and Cape Town. On the lighter side, the company throws the now famous pre-start Admiral Happy Hour party in Las Palmas, and another party in the tiny Pacific island of Niue, during the World ARC.
The always over-subscribed ARC starts in Las Palmas each November and ends in Rodney Bay, St Lucia. The rally is designed to enable yachts crossing the Atlantic for the winter season to cruise in the safe environment of fleet companionship. The next World ARC circumnavigation starts in Las Palmas in January 2014 and covers 26,000 miles over 15 months.
While Admiral provides insurance cover for a wide range of yachts both in the UK and overseas, the company is well known for its specialist knowledge on keeping yachts in the Caribbean. ARC participants planning to leave their yachts there at the end of the rally can get advice from Admiral on finding facilities in the Caribbean for services and repair and for avoiding hurricane areas. The company’s quick guide on laying up yachts ashore in the Caribbean can be ordered via their website: Quick Guide to Caribbean Lay Up.
“A significant number of ARC transatlantic participants are Admiral policy holders,” says Robert Holbrook, “and the event is a very good way of understanding their needs at close quarters, helping us to continuously develop our services for all yacht owners.”
