"Reprinted with permission from Yachting."

P.A.E., which builds salty Nordhavn trawlers, recently announced plans for the Nordhavn Atlantic Rally 2004, a cruise from Newport, Rhode Island, to Bermuda and then to the Azores, ending in Gibraltar. The rally is expected to start in May and finish in time for owners to enjoy summer in the Med.

Similar to the sailboat rally Atlantic Race for Cruisers, the Nordhavn Atlantic Rally will be based on the concept of cruising in numbers for added safety. Each yacht must pass a rigid survey to ensure it is outfitted and equipped for the 3,500-mile crossing. In case problems do arise, P.A.E. will staff escort vessels to lead and follow the group. The P.A.E. staff and associates will be able to provide technical and mechanical support for en route repairs. A physician will also be available for medical emergencies.

For those owners who don't wish to return on their own bottoms, P.A.E. will help arrange transport back to the U.S. East Coast.

Veteran circumnavigator and television and film director Bruce Kessler will accompany the fleet to create a documentary film. Kessler, along with producer Jo Swerling, Jr., hopes to generate network interest in the finished film.

So far, P.A.E. is expecting 20 to 25 yachts in the rally. The fleet will consist primarily of Nordhavns, but other trawlers are welcome.

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