World ARC, a new rally run by the organisers of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, is to avoid the Red Sea and Horn of Africa because of security fears and political unrest. As we reported in PBO 469, piracy off the coast of Yemen and Somalia is on the rise. In April this year a US-registered yacht issued a distress call from the Yemen after spotting vessels with armed guards, just a month after two other US-flagged yachts were fired at by pirates but managed to escape unharmed.

The circumnavigation for cruisers starts in the Caribbean in January 2008, and is open to monohulls with a minimum LOA of 38ft (11.6m), and multihulls between 38ft (11.6m) and 60ft (18.3m). For details click here