Need to Get from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Ireland

[foolishsailor]

Hey all,

Been a long time lurker and now need some advice. We are putting our circumnavigation on hold for two years and cant leave our boat in Brazil because of the two year time limit they impose on vessels. I need to get it back to ireland. I am curious on your views on routes and timing.

Ideally I would like to start moving around april. I have some concerns:

1. It is REALLY difficult to sail north from Rio and especially getting around Cabo Frio before June time frame when the trades and southerly current start to abate. But if I leave that late I hit the caribbean smack during the start of hurricane season...

2. ...which askes me the second question - should I just take her up north and into the gulfstream w/o stopping in the caribbean and do a non-stop passage?

3. any ideas for a route that gets me moving through before hurricane season but without beating my head against a wall trying to get from Rio into the north hemi trades?

thanks all

oh, and the boat is 42' aluminum Cutter - strong as a brick **** house and I have around 60-70,000 blue water miles if that helps with the advice

-cheers!!

[Boracay]

I had a quick look at the wind and currents in the South Atlantic and it might be possible that there are favourable winds and currents to carry you east south east away from Brazil into the middle of the South Atlantic, and then there are winds blowing north up the coast of Africa to take you home.

Sounds like you would need to carry a fair bit of extra fuel though.

I'm sure that other members have way more expertise than me though.

[barnakiel]

Hi,

You have at least these options:

Some boats opt to bash to SdB (motoring, motor-sailing), where from it is quite OK to Receife and then have your pick and if you are early, you may opt to go via the West Indies, if late - cut across to the Azores and on to the United Emirates of Europe ;-), This is what my chartering (Patagonia) friends do.

Other people will venture offshore and either come back around Receife or head for Ascension where from they will follow as above. (This group can be called Intrepid Sailors),

The easy way would be to go to Cape Town and then back to Helena, Ascension, receife or right up to the Azores, these men are called 'lame sailors' or 'cruisers'. But if you start in April then this option is out.

If you need more info/support, feel free to send me a private msg via the Forum. Just make sure you give me some details - boat type, crew strength, departure point and time frame, target point, your limitations.

Cheers,
b.

[Marinheiro]

The Pardeys wrote an article on this question a few years ago - as I recall they headed off in an easterly direction on port tack (into the prevailing NE'ly across the Sth Atlantic high until the direction had changed well and truly to ESE and then tacked onto starboard for a good reach northwards. Have a look at the pilot charts to see if this will work for your planned departure