Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 25-06-2017, 08:20   #1
Marine Service Provider
 
edsailing's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Devon, UK
Boat: Sailing vessels up to 200 tons
Posts: 388
Images: 1
Mediterranean to UK via Azores

Hi,

I'm going to be helping bring a cat back from the Med to UK in early September and was thinking that coming via the Azores would avoid the slog ip the coast of Portugal and Spain.

The distance is much greater but with better winds the time might be closer.

So, anyone done this route, any words of wisdom, any thoughts in general?
edsailing is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-06-2017, 08:41   #2
Senior Cruiser
 
boatman61's Avatar

Community Sponsor
Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 30,585
Images: 2
Re: Mediterranean to UK via Azores

Yeah.. dont bother.. from St Vincent to the Azores its 800 odd miles then 1500 to the SW coast UK..
Go up the Portuguese coast.. most of it will be motor to Baiona and from there you can wait for SW'lies to carry you hpme.
If the Azores High is full you'll use a lor more fuwl than the realatively short PT coast.
boatman61 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 25-06-2017, 08:44   #3
Moderator
 
Pete7's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Solent, England
Boat: Moody 31
Posts: 18,428
Images: 22
Re: Mediterranean to UK via Azores

How big a cat? will it go through the Midi Canal?
Pete7 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 25-06-2017, 13:35   #4
Marine Service Provider
 
edsailing's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Devon, UK
Boat: Sailing vessels up to 200 tons
Posts: 388
Images: 1
Re: Mediterranean to UK via Azores

It's a 40' Cat, sails well, canals are off the menu.

Have motored up the coasts of Portugal and Spain more times than I care to remember, the time isn't critical, hence the idea of a reach most of the way across to Azores and then pick up the s'westerlies from there into the western approaches.

From the Balearics it's 1000 miles further back to sw uk via Adores but it could be a cracking sail rather than a boring motor..... And the Azores are interesting, any more thoughts?
edsailing is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-06-2017, 09:13   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Summer Europe Winter Florida
Boat: Dufour Nautitech435/FP Venezia42/Baltec Visiona 40/Catalac 10m used as a river cruiser
Posts: 182
Re: Mediterranean to UK via Azores

Hi
as Boatman 61 wrote there are a lot of miles to sail if sailing over the Azores. First 780 Miles from Cabo Sao Vicente to Ponta Delgada and after about the double to SW Ireland for there I head normaly for Crookhaven.
I know that in some Guides it is proposed to think about sailing to the Azores, but that I would only do if I had a boat not able to tack. With my catamaran I prefer to wait a Southern wind along the Coast of Portugal, southern Winds are normally not friendly waether but fast sailing downwind. I would take the time to wait for southerly winds and immedeately leaving when they are coming. Sometimes also the Porgugease Norther is not strong so you could sail under engine or using engine and sails depending of direction of the wind. Tacking is a hard job as the Current is not favorable.
Passing Cape Finisterre I would wait for a Southwesterly to head for
Cornwall or further.
Fair winds
James
onavegador is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-06-2017, 15:14   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Scotland
Boat: Bill O'Brien 1975 'Amazon' 8m x 4.5m Ketch-Cutter Cruising Cat & Wharram 'Melanesia' 5m Outrigger
Posts: 82
Re: Mediterranean to UK via Azores

How about via the Canaries?
Bobcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-06-2017, 16:30   #7
Senior Cruiser
 
boatman61's Avatar

Community Sponsor
Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 30,585
Images: 2
pirate Re: Mediterranean to UK via Azores

Quote:
Originally Posted by edsailing View Post
It's a 40' Cat, sails well, canals are off the menu.

Have motored up the coasts of Portugal and Spain more times than I care to remember, the time isn't critical, hence the idea of a reach most of the way across to Azores and then pick up the s'westerlies from there into the western approaches.

From the Balearics it's 1000 miles further back to sw uk via Adores but it could be a cracking sail rather than a boring motor..... And the Azores are interesting, any more thoughts?
The Azores are fantastic.. but it all comes down to the High being co-operative else your facing a lot of motoring..
It all comes down to the known versus the gamble..
__________________

It was a dark and stormy night and the captain of the ship said.. "Hey Jim, spin us a yarn." and the yarn began like this.. "It was a dark and stormy night.."
boatman61 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 27-06-2017, 00:16   #8
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Scotland
Boat: Bill O'Brien 1975 'Amazon' 8m x 4.5m Ketch-Cutter Cruising Cat & Wharram 'Melanesia' 5m Outrigger
Posts: 82
Re: Mediterranean to UK via Azores

Quote:
Originally Posted by boatman61 View Post
The Azores are fantastic.. but it all comes down to the High being co-operative else your facing a lot of motoring..
It all comes down to the known versus the gamble..
Would that also be the case if via the Canaries rather than the Azores?
Bobcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-06-2017, 01:44   #9
Marine Service Provider
 
edsailing's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Devon, UK
Boat: Sailing vessels up to 200 tons
Posts: 388
Images: 1
Re: Mediterranean to UK via Azores

You'd only want to head for the Canaries if West bound.

As an ex-delivery skipper, UK-Med-UK was my bread and butter when still working, as was the occasional transat so I knoow the sums and understand the weather.

What I'm really after is hearing about the experiences of others who have done this passage rather than advising me of the best route home.
__________________
Regards, Ed

Delivering boats for a living - no more!
edsailing is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-06-2017, 02:57   #10
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Scotland
Boat: Bill O'Brien 1975 'Amazon' 8m x 4.5m Ketch-Cutter Cruising Cat & Wharram 'Melanesia' 5m Outrigger
Posts: 82
Re: Mediterranean to UK via Azores

Quote:
Originally Posted by edsailing View Post
You'd only want to head for the Canaries if West bound.

As an ex-delivery skipper, UK-Med-UK was my bread and butter when still working, as was the occasional transat so I knoow the sums and understand the weather.

What I'm really after is hearing about the experiences of others who have done this passage rather than advising me of the best route home.
Thanks for the Canaries tip ... I've opened another thread to hear more about the possibilities for sailing from Scotland to the Med.

Mediterranean from Scotland?
To the Mediterranean from Scotland! - Cruisers & Sailing Forums
Bobcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
Azores, mediterranean

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Crew Wanted: Sailing to Europe from US via Bermuda and Azores in May 12BCruzn Crew Archives 9 24-04-2015 12:20
Crew Wanted: Transatlantic: Florida to Spain via Bermuda-Azores Manao Crew Archives 0 07-05-2013 13:06
Crew Wanted: St Maarten to UK via Azores truelinesailing Crew Archives 3 21-05-2012 11:36
Crew Wanted: Atlantic Crossing: BVI - Bermuda via Azores, Spain on Catamaran daniel therrien Crew Archives 0 21-04-2011 04:52
Passage: Salvador, Brazil to Horta, Azores via Cape Verdes perola Atlantic & the Caribbean 4 23-05-2010 03:45

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:49.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.