Cape Verdes to Azores

[Lionelsole]

Our yacht, a Dufour 40, is currently in Canaries and we intend to return to Europe next spring / early summer.

I am aware of the principle that the shortest route is via the Caribbean but, for various reasons, don't wish to do that this year. Our current plan is, after a couple of months in the Canaries, go down to Cape Verdes and then head up to Azores in late March / early April. We would head off NW, beam reaching the trade winds, to transition into the North Atlantic weather system expecting to arrive heading NE. While this is not a well trodden route, from my available sources, e.g. Atlantic Pilot Atlas, this seems to be eminently do-able. Chatting to others, I have received comments from 'unusual, but don't see why not' to 'don't even think about it, you will wreck your boat and drown'.

The latter comes from folk who have met someone in a bar and got given a scary story or who haven't actually looked at what I'm proposing, but since there may be truth in even half informed opinion, I am loth to commit myself to a potentially unworkable position.

Has anyone done this route and can offer advice?

Have I missed something? Is there perhaps something about the transition between systems in the area that presents a particular hazard.

Lionel

[atoll]

I have done cape verdes to madeira in may june,motorsailed most of the way in a not very windward performing fisher type motorsailer.

azores should be much easier and easily sailable,IF there is wind.

best to carry a fair amount of fuel as there is zero wind once the azores high pressure system is over the islands,with calms to about 3-400 miles to the south.