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Early and Late Rally Departures, and Interim Stops

 Fleet weather support and shoreside tracking are included for all vessels departing with the rally fleet on the Recommended Rally Departure Date - the date most of the Rally fleet departs following Chris Parker’s weather recommendations, which is subject to change based on weather, as determined by Rally leadership in consultation with Chris Parker.  The Recommended Rally Departure Date, in some cases, may be one day earlier than the Scheduled Rally Departure Date - the date specified in advance on the Rally Captains Page, or may be delayed as long as necessary if conditions are unfavorable, to the next suitable weather window.

DELAYED DEPARTURE

  • To maintain shoreside tracking and fleet weather support, participants whose departure is delayed beyond the Recommended Rally Departure Date must depart:
    • Within four days of the Recommended Rally Departure Date, if the weather window remains open, or
    • On the first day of the next weather window recommended by Chris Parker if the initial weather window closes within four days.
  • Participants must notify the shoreside team when departing.

EARLY DEPARTURE

  • Participants departing before the Recommended Rally Departure Date should obtain their own weather guidance.
  • Shoreside tracking and fleet weather support will commence on the Recommended Rally Departure Date.  If you have separated from the fleet by departing early, the fleet’s weather guidance may not apply to your vessel.
  • Participants must notify the shoreside team when departing.

INTERIM STOPS

1) BERMUDA STOP

  • Participants who choose to stop in Bermuda and who wish to maintain shoreside tracking and fleet weather support must:
    • Depart the US following the guidance above, and
    • Depart Bermuda after three days or on the first day of the next weather window recommended by Chris Parker.

2) RECOMMENDED FLEET WEATHER STOP

If the SDSA recommends that the fleet stop due to weather, you are expected to restart with the fleet on the first day of the next weather window as recommended by Chris Parker.

3) VOLUNTARY STOP

Participants who choose to make a voluntary interim stop (a stop other than in Bermuda or a recommended Fleet weather stop), will lose shoreside tracking and fleet weather support.  In such cases, it is recommended that you obtain your own weather guidance.

4) EMERGENCY STOP

An emergency stop is one required; to obtain fuel, to fix a mechanical problem necessary to finish the passage, to take shelter from significant adverse weather unique to your vessel, or due to a crew medical emergency.  Emergency stops will be handled by the shoreside team on a case-by-case basis.

SDSA shoreside and weather support is contingent on a continuous non-stop passage from rally departure to rally landfall in the Bahamas or Antigua, except as indicated above.  We also strongly encourage all Rally vessels to depart together.

These policies are necessary to keep the fleet from spreading out too thinly, which makes fleet weather routing and shoreside tracking extremely difficult.