Gibraltar to Canaries Best Route

[Popeye2]

What is the route most travelled between Gibraltar and Canary Islands? What is usually reccommended? Making a few stops on the Africal coast, or going straight? 10m yacht.

[barnakiel]

Most boats do not go via the Suez Canal.

If you like making stops, you make them. Those who like sailing without stops, do not make them.

If you are sailing NOW then you want to take off with a maximum wx window between oncoming low pressure systems. You also want to look ahead and see if none is coming from SW as was the case last week. This is a common scenario from October onwards.

b.

[Martinagnvall]

Hey popeye, I'm in gib as well . Gonna do the stcw course. In the meantime Im just walking around (walked around gib 4times, yes I'm bored and having long days) .
Therefore I wonder if I can help you preparing for you journey. Gladly do it for free ,all I want is something to do and basic experience.

I'm very social easy learner, hard worker. Some carpentry skills, engineering skills so on. Let me know if I can at least get my muscles moving and not by walking every day.

Thanks!

[barnakiel]

Here:

Radiofax Charts - Boston

noaa outlook for your passage.

(you want the chartlets that start at 10E - analysis, 48h and 96h outlooks, surface)

You can get decent graphical interpretation for coastal stations (and some buoys where there are any) from windfinder, windguru, etc. Mind these do not show the fronts.

Cheers,
b.

[Martinagnvall]

Have you left yet, popeye? I can't belive I missed out on your messages. I'm still "stuck " in Gibraltar. The stcw95 is finished, yay . But now I would like to gain more experience. I'm still available to help you out preparing for your journey. I'm living next to sunburn in con Dios.
Thanks
//Martin

[Sea Angel1]

HiPopey 2,
If you go along the african coast, do realize, that youneed quite some time to enter the harbours, with all the formalities, everytime again, the same procedure. i can advise 1 stop in Rabat and then to the Canaries or Madeire
The other ports are not nice. And stinky to very bad. Also by going along the coast you have many fishing boats, lightened or unlightened and at least once, probably more often you get a line trapped . So do go far way out, at least 20 miles, better 30. Also most of the time you have good winds going south or SW.
But of course watch the forecqsts.

Good luck

[GoingWalkabout]

I thought sailors stayed well clear of the West African coast because of pirates? You wouldn't catch me in those waters.

[sy_gilana]

Go Direct, don't stop in Africa especially at this time.
Nice wx from
El Tiempo. Predicción marítima - Agencia Estatal de Meteorología - AEMET. Gobierno de España
Many boats do the Gib-Las Palmas at this time, don't leave it too late.

[Raythesailor]

I agree with Gillana, I would not bother with the African coast.

Get a good weather window and go direct. With a good N breeze take two broad reaches with a preventer rigged. Personally I would go for Lanzarote as an arrival point. Halfway down the E coast is a good and easy to enter Marina.(I forget it's name), just a few miles S of the airport.

If you are not already aware of it read up on the canneries WIND ACCELERATION ZONES. They do egsist between and around the islands. The wind can go from zero to 40+ knots in seconds. If you see white water in front of you, reef immediately.

Gomera is well worth a visit. Again a very strong WAZ between Tenneref and Gomera.

Enjoy

[Raythesailor]

I agree with Gillana, I would not bother with the African coast.

Get a good weather window and go direct. With a good N breeze take two broad reaches with a preventer rigged. Personally I would go for Lanzarote as an arrival point. Halfway down the E coast is a good and easy to enter Marina.(I forget it's name), just a few miles S of the airport.

If you are not already aware of it read up on the canneries WIND ACCELERATION ZONES. They do egoist between and around the islands. The wind can go from zero to 40+ knots in seconds. If you see white water in front of you, reef immediately.

Gomera is well worth a visit. Again a very strong WAZ between Tennereife and Gomera.

Enjoy