Wanting to go around Cape Horn

[GeoffBoyardee]

Hello, I am extremely interested in going around Cape Horn. I have not delved deep into the subject, but just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice on how to go about doing this. Can I only do this on my own boat, or are there other avenues to go around the Horn? Appreciate any and all advice. Thank you.

[SailingHarmonie]

25,000 people died building the Panama Canal... there are many good reasons you should honor their memory and use it.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

25,000 people died building the Panama Canal... there are many good reasons you should honor their memory and use it.

And equally many not to.. It's a grave being one of them. However the question was about going around Cape Horn so keep the discussion in the subject please.

To the op: It's a goal many of us share. You can join my crew in a couple years..

[Fore and Aft]

Great photo Ping, are you the guy holding the wheel?
Geoff there are plenty of ways to round Cape Horn, for most people on this forum it's the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest.
Cheers

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

Great photo Ping, are you the guy holding the wheel?
Geoff there are plenty of ways to round Cape Horn, for most people on this forum it's the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest.
Cheers

No I am the clever dick on the left back when I had hair

[Jamme]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

No I am the clever dick on the left back when I had hair

Really cool pic!

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

25,000 people died building the Panama Canal... there are many good reasons you should honor their memory and use it.

I don’t see how 25,000 dying would be an endorsement for using the Canal.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by GeoffBoyardee

Hello, I am extremely interested in going around Cape Horn. I have not delved deep into the subject, but just wanted to ask if anyone has any advice on how to go about doing this. Can I only do this on my own boat, or are there other avenues to go around the Horn? Appreciate any and all advice. Thank you.

You could start by viewing the Irving Johnson video “Around Cape Horn” on YouTube to get a feel for what conditions might be like if the weather catches you out, as it probably will in the high latitudes. Slocum is worth a read as well and there are numerous other tales to read or view. I usually offer support for big adventures rather than being negative, but nothing about Cape Horn tempts me to ever make that voyage.

[El Pinguino]

Three options
'Double the Horn' ie sail outside from 40ºS in the Atlantic to 40ºS in the Pacific or v/v.
A little bit 'hard core' for my taste

Or

Sail you own boat to Puerto Montt or Mar del Plata and then go coastwise either down the Atlantic coast of Argentina or through the Chilean Channels to Puerto Williams. Then day sail the Horn having picked your weather, that can be done in 3 days , two nights.

Or

Get to Pto Williams and pay to go on a yacht doing the 'Circuitos de Hornos charters'.
Not sure if that is still doable as a few years ago the Armada clamped down on foreign flag yachts illegally chartering within Chile. They are still chartering to Antarctica as that is an international voyage. Not cheap.

pic - day sailing the Horn 2006. You can just see the light house above the head of the bloke on the right.

[pmclachlan]

How much sailing experience do you have and where?

[GeoffBoyardee]

Originally Posted by pmclachlan

How much sailing experience do you have and where?

Pretty much just racing and near coastal. East and west coast of US. I’ve been offshore once returning a boat from HI to CA, but had to turn around 5 days in due to equipment failure. Currently living in the SF Bay Area and learning my boat.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by GeoffBoyardee

Pretty much just racing and near coastal. East and west coast of US. I’ve been offshore once returning a boat from HI to CA, but had to turn around 5 days in due to equipment failure. Currently living in the SF Bay Area and learning my boat.

Sounds like a good CV to me.
I'd never been offshore until I went offshore

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by GeoffBoyardee

Pretty much just racing and near coastal. East and west coast of US. I’ve been offshore once returning a boat from HI to CA, but had to turn around 5 days in due to equipment failure. Currently living in the SF Bay Area and learning my boat.

By the time you get to Chile your will have quite a bit more offshore experience. Spend some time in the Channel Islands of Southern California and you will gain experience anchoring in sub-optimal conditions and sailing in unpredictable and changeable conditions. Plus it's one of the most overlooked and pristine cruising grounds in the world.

By all means get yourself down to Chile, but I would suggest that you not worry too much about rounding the Horn. The Chilean canals are one of the most spectacular (and empty) cruising grounds in the world. If you are looking for a challenge the good news is that you will likely suffer many indignities before you even arrive in Puerto Williams. If you do manage to round the Horn that is great, but just one of many rewards awaiting you in Patagonia.

[Stingo]

I did Cape Horn in December 2009, but in luxury, on an all inclusive cruise ship, which included the Western Peninsula of Antarctica. Highly recommended!

[Bill Seal]

If you just want to see the southern tip of the Americas, lots of cruise lines do it.
My mom did it on the final trip of RMS Queen Mary back in 1967.