ARC Baltic 2026: Baltic Sea cruising rally for sailing and motorboat crews

The World Cruising Club organises commercial cruising rallies. The best known of these is the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), in which hundreds of crews have sailed from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean every autumn for around thirty years. They even sail around the world as part of the World ARC. The ARC Baltic, a flotilla cruise around the Baltic Sea, took place for the first time in 2014 and was then held again in 2015, 2017 and 2019.

The speciality: While the other rallies are reserved for sailors, the ARC Baltic is also explicitly aimed at motorboat crews. Next year, it will take place over the whole of July and run from Kiel via Stralsund to Bornholm and on to Gotland and Gotska Sandön. From there it continues to Tallinn, Helsinki and the Åland Islands. The ARC Baltic finally ends in Bullandö in the Stockholm archipelago on 31 July.

Ideal rally for family sailors and motorboats

The shortest leg is 45 nautical miles, while the longest sections cover 200 nautical miles. According to the organisers, this makes the ARC Baltic ideal for sailing yachts, motor sailors and motor yachts. However, in order to be able to call at smaller harbours and anchor in sheltered bays, the number of participants is limited to 25 ships. They must also be between 8.23 metres and 15.24 metres (approx. 27 to 50 feet) long. Larger yachts and multihulls can take part if space is available.

The rally is led by an experienced local team, which provides support for the participants in each port and organises social activities and shore excursions. Paul Tetlow, Managing Director of the World Cruising Club, emphasises the advantages of the area: "Sailing in the Baltic Sea offers an unforgettable mix of adventure, culture and natural beauty. With sheltered waters, quiet anchorages and well-equipped marinas, the region is ideal for cruising."

Experience has shown that the ARC Baltic appeals to a wide range of participants. As a rule, crews in different constellations from different countries and with different levels of boating experience take part: young and old, couples and families, experienced offshore sailors and crews who have previously limited themselves to coastal cruises - they can all take part in the ARC Baltic.

A rally of contrasts

The ARC Baltic promises "a journey full of contrasts". On one day, the participants navigate through the thousands and thousands of islands in the Swedish or Finnish archipelagos and moor on rocks in Nordic style. The next day, they travel to the heart of a historic capital city. Participants should be open to this mixture of nature and cultural experiences.

The rally combines group cruising with independent cruising, social activities ashore and time for individual pursuits. This concept is based on the World Cruising Club's many years of experience in organising cruising rallies. Information packs and registrations for ARC Baltic are now available online.

Historical context and new route

The World Cruising Club had already organised four ARC Baltic Rallyes between 2014 and 2019, which also included St. Petersburg in Russia at the time. The new route for 2026 deliberately avoids areas of political instability and instead focuses on the western and northern Baltic Sea, explains the organiser.

Interested parties can email mail@worldcruising.com or call +44 (0)1983 296060 for more information. Due to the limited number of participants, early booking is recommended.

At a glance:

• Start: 3 July 2026 in Kiel
• End: 31 July 2026 in Bullandö, Sweden
• Duration: 28 days
• Number of participants: limited to 25 yachts
• Boat types: Sailing and motor yachts
• Boat size: minimum 8.23 m (27'), maximum 15.24 m (50')
• Special regulation: Larger yachts and multihulls can participate depending on availability

The route:

• Kiel to Stralsund: 120 nautical miles
• Stralsund to Bornholm: 95 nautical miles
• Bornholm to Gotland: 200 nautical miles
• Gotland to Gotska Sandön: 55 nautical miles
• Gotska Sandön to Tallinn: 190 nautical miles
• Tallinn to Helsinki: 45 nautical miles
• Helsinki to Åland: 200 nautical miles
• Åland to Bullandö: 70 nautical miles