Atlantic Crossing Costs - Canaries to Caribbean

[saildestiny]

I am considering crossing from the Med to the Caribbean next winter. We shipped over in 2009 ($14K for 45Ft monohull) and I am considering sailing back. I would not do the ARC but just team up with one or two other boats. Info from boats who have actually done it would be helpful including fuel, crew, food, breakage, weather routing, and marina costs on both ends would be interesting.
Tx Kent

[George DbN]

When are you planning to make the cross over?
Where is the schip now?

Maybe we can join you...

George

[goboatingnow]

from my experience, 4-5 weeks food, about 500 litres water for 4 crew and a tank of diesel to recharge ( 1 euro a litre in canaries), 500 euros for the satphone ( weather), routing isnt neccessary, its not a difficult sail. We just used a main and genoa combination, rolled like a pig but hey, it worked.. I did two basically like this .

I cant remember the marina fees, but in the canaries things are getting towards 50 euros a night in places now, If you dont want to do the ARC then avoid the canaries while they are there. Certainly avoid Las Palmas anyway.

Other then that Las Palmas on GranCanaria is probably the best place to provision and stay good chandlers, good provisioning etc.

Dave

[saildestiny]

Any experience with the boat that cross as the NARC (Non ARC)? Do they typically get the radio weather updates and routing info that the ARC distributes over SSB?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by saildestiny

Any experience with the boat that cross as the NARC (Non ARC)? Do they typically get the radio weather updates and routing info that the ARC distributes over SSB?

Yes they listen in to the SSB net, and they get rescued by the ARC boats on a regular basis too!. The ssb net can be quite haphazard, we got the weather from email via satphone

I always think however that the ARC departs too early. mainly to get in before christmas, often the trades havent established themselves especially south of the Canaries. later is better IMHO, but few want to be on the sea for Christmas I think.

[boatman61]

The old route... before the guy had the bright idea of screwing the novices with the ARC was down to the Cap Verdes... then commercialism more or less wiped the islands of the cruisers chart...
Have a good trip...

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by boatman61

The old route... before the guy had the bright idea of screwing the novices with the ARC was down to the Cap Verdes... then commercialism more or less wiped the islands of the cruisers chart...
Have a good trip...

The ARC doesnt contain novices, anyone thats gets to the Canaries from Northern Europe isnt a novice. Some people like the idea of rallies, hence many are repeat "offenders"

Dave

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

The ARC doesnt contain novices, anyone thats gets to the Canaries from Northern Europe isnt a novice. Some people like the idea of rallies, hence many are repeat "offenders"

Dave

Dave... I refer to Ocean crossing novices... coast hopping is a different game.. and the Biscay... and Portugal to Canaries is but a hop...
thats why folk sail in the ARc mainly.. for the sense of reassuance that someones near... even tho' they rarely are... 1st time that far from land is scary to many..
Folk who've done it (crossed oceans) don't come on here to ask how to do it...

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Dave... I refer to Ocean crossing novices... coast hopping is a different game.. and the Biscay... and Portugal to Canaries is but a hop...
thats why folk sail in the ARc mainly.. for the sense of reassuance that someones near... even tho' they rarely are... 1st time that far from land is scary to many..
Folk who've done it (crossed oceans) don't come on here to ask how to do it...

lets agree to disagree, in my case I could disagree more. I know several repeat ARCites, who are world class sailors who like the fun.

dave

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

lets agree to disagree, in my case I could disagree more. I know several repeat ARCites, who are world class sailors who like the fun.

dave

I'm happy to agree to disagree... seen the UK/Portugal mini ARC'rs... and the other ARC'rs... both sides of the Atlantic... the guys with the flash boats like Dashew and others who do it for a giggle and the piss-up at the other end... lets play 'Record Breakers'.... remember..its been going on for long enough now to become an accepted rip-off..
but for many its the 1st time.
Personally I find the idea of having to pay someone to tell me whether or not I can take my boat... or someone else's boat across the Atlantic hysterical...

[goboatingnow]

Personally I find the idea of having to pay someone to tell me whether or not I can take my boat... or someone else's boat across the Atlantic hysterical...

Well you have obviously never been on one.

Firstly, leaving aside the mandatory safety check, no one tells you anything if you don't want to listen, you don't have to attend any of the lectures,etc

Secondly, many people are accomplished sailors, but for many this is the first major ocean crossing, ie upto 4 weeks on board. People like to listen to the lectures on various issues, People, especially like the parties and the young ladies etc. The there's the rally atmosphere at the start and the massive piss up at the end etc. For many that's enjoyable. It in no way reflects on their ability as sailors. For many, this is a once in a lifetime act, after it they are back to life ashore. The fact is, and everyone knows this, you sail across on your own merits. Most rescues have over the years actually be to aid NARCs.

I never understand the sneering that comes from some quarters, usually by people who have never been on one. Its very clearly not a hand holding exercise. you do everything on your own, including getting the boat ready,provisioning etc, then you alone sail it across. its not a flotilla holiday

If you cant say something nice, say nothing at all. egh

Dave

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Well you have obviously never been on one.

Firstly, leaving aside the mandatory safety check, no one tells you anything if you don't want to listen, you don't have to attend any of the lectures,etc

Secondly, many people are accomplished sailors, but for many this is the first major ocean crossing, ie upto 4 weeks on board. People like to listen to the lectures on various issues, People, especially like the parties and the young ladies etc. The there's the rally atmosphere at the start and the massive piss up at the end etc. For many that's enjoyable. It in no way reflects on their ability as sailors. For many, this is a once in a lifetime act, after it they are back to life ashore. The fact is, and everyone knows this, you sail across on your own merits. Most rescues have over the years actually be to aid NARCs.

I never understand the sneering that comes from some quarters, usually by people who have never been on one. Its very clearly not a hand holding exercise. you do everything on your own, including getting the boat ready,provisioning etc, then you alone sail it across. its not a flotilla holiday

If you cant say something nice, say nothing at all. egh

Dave

Who's sneering.... my original post was..
The old route... before the guy had the bright idea of screwing the novices with the ARC was down to the Cap Verdes... then commercialism more or less wiped the islands of the cruisers chart...
Have a good trip...
Ive known folk who've been rejected.. no refund of fee's... and were so freaked they hired me to sail the boat home...
you started in like you've a vested interest..
Methinks you protest to much....
PS; Gomeras a nice place to kill time while your waiting

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Who's sneering.... my original post was..
The old route... before the guy had the bright idea of screwing the novices with the ARC was down to the Cap Verdes... then commercialism more or less wiped the islands of the cruisers chart...
Have a good trip...
Ive known folk who've been rejected.. no refund of fee's... and were so freaked they hired me to sail the boat home...
you started in like you've a vested interest..
Methinks you protest to much....
PS; Gomeras a nice place to kill time while your waiting

no I ve no interest, its just I have seen the "crusty old salt " attitude too many times, usually by people listening to hearsay.

As for rejected, given the very basic safety rules, it must be a big transgression. Ive seen stuff allowed that I wouldnt touch.

As for Gomera, yes nice to kill time, the marina has got very expensive though, many long term were leaving when i was there in Nov. Also you can hardly get a bolt on the island. the lack of hard standing or a lift is a drawback too.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

no I ve no interest, its just I have seen the "crusty old salt " attitude too many times, usually by people listening to hearsay.

As for rejected, given the very basic safety rules, it must be a big transgression. Ive seen stuff allowed that I wouldnt touch.

As for Gomera, yes nice to kill time, the marina has got very expensive though, many long term were leaving when i was there in Nov. Also you can hardly get a bolt on the island. the lack of hard standing or a lift is a drawback too.

Not a 'Crusty old salt'... just old enough to remember before the ARC...
Crossings are not thanks to them... folks were doing it in the 60's and 70's happily.
Like I said... one day listening to worried talk from 1st timers a guy had a bright idea... and the ARC was concieved.. good for him..
all well and good for those that can afford the fee's... trouble is I get the idea folks are getting brainwashed into thinking its the only safe way to do it...
The Cap Verde route's much better for weather..
PS; for a 34ft boat with 4 crew its £1225 to enter...
Shoot... thats what I paid for my boat....lol
The Jester Challenge is free to enter...(Plymouth to Azores, next year Plymouth to USA) and guess what.. you get 5days free in the marina at the finish line..... if you make it... no inspection...

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Not a 'Crusty old salt'... just old enough to remember before the ARC...
Crossings are not thanks to them... folks were doing it in the 60's and 70's happily.
Like I said... one day listening to worried talk from 1st timers a guy had a bright idea... and the ARC was concieved.. good for him..
all well and good for those that can afford the fee's... trouble is I get the idea folks are getting brainwashed into thinking its the only safe way to do it...
The Cap Verde route's much better for weather..

well Cornell has written about how he came to set it up. I dont beleive anyones brainwashed into anything, the NARCs are evidence of that. The ARC suits people, it arived at a time when stock modern production boats became quite capable of altantic crossings, but the crews were less experienced. It suited them to have a "ghee up" , but its no more then that.

Just because you went across on your own doesnt mean you knew what you were doing!

dave