Atlantic Crossing

[capn_billl]

Quick poll, how many have crossed the Atlantic from USA (Miami) to Spain.

What route did you take?

How Long?

What time of year, departure date?

I've heard a more southern route is recommended over the more Northern route that is traditional.

Bermuda, Azores, then Portugal.

Is there any routing you would do different.

I know of ARC for the return home from Europe to St Lucia in FALL.

Is there a rally from US to Azores?

Any pertinent information on weather, route changes, etc...

What are affordable marinas, (anchorage), check in for Bermuda, Spain, Portugal.

What would you do different next time?

To Mods, how can I add a poll? Got it Thanks.

[Snore]

Let me start with I have one crossing under my belt. I used Chris for my routing and did not have an Iridium. It was my last job without a GO. Not seeing the weather was maddening.

I have done numerous other blue water crossings using my GO and PW PRO for routing. IMHO there are standard routes, that are well documented by Jimmy Cornell. And there is "your crossing".

The smartest move is to study Cornell, and use his routes as a baseline. To prepare, start practicing weather and weather routing now. Each day download GRIBS and route your boat on a fictional crossing. Luck Grib is an inexpensive program that you can use as a starting point.

When you actually make your crossing, download weather twice a day and run it through a good routing package. I use Predict Wind PRO- it is the best option for your offshore crossings as it provides full access to the European and SPIRE models.

All that said, even as a pro, I maintain an account with Chris Parker. It is always good to have access to a second opinion!

Of course, if you are not comfortable doing your own routing, you can have Chris do your routing and still download the GRIBS. Doing so lets you visualize what is happening.

[boatman61]

Done the crossing from February onwards..
Leave Miami when winds went Southerly and went over the top of the Bahamas, February the winds were reasonably favourable for me to get around 450nm SSW of Horta in the Azores before turning N..
Last crossing was different.. crossed in June taking the same route but ran into E'lies around 150nm E of the Bahamas so had to run NE which took me 200nm SE of Bermuda chasing favourable winds.. got up to 42N and still had E'lies so started the engine and motored the 500nm down to Horta ESE.
Winds have been changing over the last 15yrs and the E'lies seem to be reaching further W and N than previously.
Did these trips on catamarans so pointing ability and leeway gave some handicaps.
Mono's would allow for higher pointing and less leeway.

[skipmac]

Have not done it but have been studying the routes and timing for several years. My opinions based on reports from a lot of others' crossings.

- Northern route IE past Nova Scotia, Sable Island and great circle to Europe. Pretty good odds of at least one or more gales even mid summer.

- Southern route IE south or central US east coast to Bermuda to Azores to Europe. Depart mid/late May as soon as you get a good weather window to Bermuda. Check weather Bermuda then leave for Azores. You will probably have to sail N-NE from Bermuda to get north of the Bermuda high. Routing or good weather access critical here to get far enough north to catch westerlies.

Odds of gales on this route much lower although not unusual to catch some bad weather around the Azores.

[ullar]

Atlantic from West to East, yes. But not from States. Started from Guadeloupe early May towards Azores. One doesn't want to be on North Atlantic too early in season.

[GordMay]

... I know of ARC for the return home from Europe to St Lucia in FALL.
Is there a rally from US to Azores? ...

ARC Europe is the west-to-east Atlantic rally, sailing from the Caribbean or North America to Europe.

The two fleets rendezvous in St George's, Bermuda, before crossing the Atlantic to the Azores.
After cruising the Azorean archipelago, boats sail to Marina de Lagos in southern Portugal, or sail independently to northern Europe.
ARC Europe 2022 ➥ https://www.worldcruising.com/arc_eu...itinerary.aspx


Excellent summary Boatman!

[OldManMirage]

I clicked on "Not yet but planning to."

Even though I have crossed 6 times, it was long ago on rather large Navy ships, so I don't really feel that counts in this context. And most of the time I was down below in the boiler room !

But I am definitely planning to. I don't have a bucket list. I only have one thing in my bucket, and its sailing as far as I can.

[boatman61]

Thanks Gord..
Have also done it a few times Caribe-Europe but never stop at Bermuda as it seems to me one is just tracking up Hurricane Alley going that way if leaving after April..
Always track direct for the Azores..

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by boatman61

... Have also done it a few times Caribe-Europe but never stop at Bermuda as it seems to me one is just tracking up Hurricane Alley going that way if leaving after April..
Always track direct for the Azores..

Which the ARC Europe 2022, for instance , does [May 7].

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Which the ARC Europe 2022, for instance , does [May 7].

Have not a clue Gord, I always choose my own untraditional route after following the weather patterns for several weeks before the trip then making it up as I go reading sea and sky.
Building swell from the N advises some Southing etc..
Check their site.. I never group sail.
I have left St Martin from as early as March to as late as mid July..

[Joh.Ghurt]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I never group sail.

Isn't that called herd-sailing or flock-sailing?

[Tupaia]

Seven Seas Cruising Ass. have in the past offered a very useful SSB radio net available to all, not just members. Two nets US - Bermuda both ways and Bermuda - Europe

Connects other cruisers and gives excellent on the ground (sea) weather.

The tricky bit is the counter current so having other boats giving their positions and conditions makes it possible to avoid the adverse currents and stay in the positive current. There is a distinct line +/- 2 knots can be just 10 nm apart.

Bermuda to Europe - The cruisers that went north (Cornell's prescribed route), stronger winds were primarily monos. Catamarans able to sail in lighter winds took the more direct southerly route, taking care not to get stuck in the Azores high.

Making landfall on the west coast of Spain/Portugal can be tricky due to swell so have a plan B to divert to southern coast.

My advice, applicable to any ocean passage is to get an SSB.

[boatman61]

True.. the Azores High will pretty much decide your speed across.. the further S the better your progress, the further N its moved the slower you'll go..
From NC to Azores I have experienced N'ly gales of over 6 days as lows tracked across when the High had been pushed/sucked S by early tropical storms that had swept up from the Caribe forcing the High S.. and there have been times when I have been becalmed for more than a week closing on the Western Approaches when it's expanded N'wards.
Its an unpredictable cuss but it makes life interesting.