More than 230 yachts are gathering in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, for the 2,700 voyage to St Lucia in the Caribbean called the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.

The smallest yacht is Troskala, a UK-based Rival 32 skippered by Oliver Kinchin. The largest is Berenice by TWT, a British-flagged Swan 80 skippered by Marco Rodolfi.

The annual transatlantic rally has become the largest transocean sailing event in the world, and takes on average between 14 and 21 days.

Yachting Monthly’s Laura Nineham is there armed with notebook and camera. Watch out for her dispatches on www.yachtingmonthly.com