Stokey Woodall Atlantic Circuit rally (2014) offers first seminar

by Stuart Gough/Sail-World on 1 Sep 2013 The Stokey Woodall Atlantic Circuit (SWAC) is to take place starting in October 2014 on the European side of the Atlantic, but it's preparation time now, and the inaugural seminar is about to take place. Interested in crossing the Atlantic next year? Read on...

Saturday 21st September 2013 is the date of the SWAC Inaugural Seminar

It is to be held in the Southampton Solent University (Hamble Rooms) in the centre of Southampton only a 5 minute walk from the Southampton Boat Show, so it's a great opportunity to visit the show and find out all about crossing the Atlantic with Stokey.

The seminar begins at 1045hrs until 1400hrs. Everyone is welcome, but seating is limited we suggest you register on-line using this link to avoid disappointment.

Come and meet the SWAC team personally and discuss your cruising plans

About the SWAC:
This is a very special event, unlike all the other rallies in existence now, which provides a unique opportunity for similar sized cruising yachts from all over the world to take part in a single complete circuit of the North Atlantic.

Who is Peter (Stokey) Woodall?
There can be no-one better or more knowledgeable to lead such a rally. Peter, better known as 'Stokey', is a well-known ocean sailor who has in 33 years made some 30 Trans-Atlantic crossings and amassed more than a quarter of a million sea miles. He is a highly respected teacher in celestial navigation and has sailed to the Azores some 89 times teaching students completing their Ocean Yachtmaster certification.

The main emphasis of SWAC is to offer an affordable rally for amateur sailors to cross the Atlantic, cruise the Caribbean and return across the Atlantic, all within one season, or for American-based yachts to sail Atlantic the other way, then spend a cruising season in the Mediterranean before rejoining the rally to re-cross the Atlantic.

It also provides a unique and rare opportunity to visit destinations that are slightly off the beaten track and are largely ignored by the more conventional and bigger rallies.

The letters SWAC will be an annual sailing rally in two parts, taking place in October from Europe and May from the USA.

Yachts of varying sizes will take part in the rally across the Atlantic, leaving from Madeira on Leg 1 in October 2014, sailing to Cape Verde and then on to Barbados. They will return to either the UK or Portugal, by way of the Azores the following summer.

Charleston, SC is the departure port for Leg 2 of the rally, which will also include new yachts that are starting out on the SWAC 2015 from the USA. The combined fleet will sail to the Azores following which; homebound yachts will head to the UK or Portugal. The outgoing American boats will have the luxury of 3 months free cruising in Europe before rejoining the rally again in Madeira prior to the westbound Atlantic crossing in October.

There are four very important additional cruises that link the rally together; Portugal Experience, Caribbean Cruise, America Adventure including Cuba and the Azores Odyssey making it the most unique and fascinating event of its kind in the world.

SWAC has been custom built to meet all the aspirations of a select group of sailors under the guidance of one of the world’s most famous mariners Stokey Woodall.

With his 300,000 miles of sailing, including 30 Atlantic crossings and 90 passages to the Azores, there is no better man alive today you would want working with you and for you when you sail the oceans of the world.

SWAC guarantees that you will visit unusual places, meet new and interesting people, create friendships and most of all, take part in and enjoy every single aspect of such an epic event.

As the organisers say, SWAC was created by the best and is ultimately for the Event website