Atlantic Trade Winds

[Sagan]

So there is no real starting time for the trades, they are blowing all the time, as a quick look at Passageweather.com over the last week has indicated. At present they are 5 to 15 knots but would definitely blow us to Trinidad, just a bit slowly. Strength increases as the Atlantic high intensifies later in the year, but anomalies happen. There is nothing to say that a departure in mid to late October this year would not have sufficient wind in the right direction for a happy passage. I guess I will stick with that plan until the time arrives and see what the wind is actually doing.
As an aside, passageweather.com has proven very accurate over the last 2 months in the Med around Corsica and Sardinia where weather systems are greatly affected by local topography. I am very impressed! It has been spot on for up to 48 hour forecasts and pretty good for up to 4 days.
Cheers All

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by SAMPATICO

I read these narratives about doing the ARC out of the Canaries,many first time crossings of the Atlantic. Sounds like a great gig, but how do these yachties get their boat to the Canaries to participate?

Jeez i taught they trucked down the I-95, whaddya mean it doesn't go to the canaries. Then..... Maybe they sail there. No no that can't be right

Dave

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Sagan

. There is nothing to say that a departure in mid to late October this year would not have sufficient wind in the right direction for a happy passage.

yes there is. Hurricanes. The reason why the cruisng season starts is the hurricane season finishes.
The ARC leaves at the earliest time they think the Hurricanes affecting the Caribbean have stopped.


No one would try Mid October to head over.

[Sagan]

Thanks Mark. I am planning to leave Gibraltar in second half of October to head for Canaries and wait on weather. My reading of things is that our arrival planned for the second half of November is after hurricane season in the Caribbean. Not sure of the reasons behind the ARC timing. Cheers

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Sagan

Thanks Mark. I am planning to leave Gibraltar in second half of October to head for Canaries and wait on weather. My reading of things is that our arrival planned for the second half of November is after hurricane season in the Caribbean. Not sure of the reasons behind the ARC timing. Cheers

The ARC timings are so folk are in St Lucia in time for Christmas so staff can fly home, plus late enough to avoid hurricanes as Mark points out.

Are you aware that the hurricanes are not just a threat to the Caribbean but start as storms then tropical storms quite close to Africa.

Pete

[Sagan]

Thanks Pete. The National Hurricane Centre site recommended by Pillum has a wealth of information on past hurricanes/tropical storms and I'm learning all the time. However the dates of all but the odd one of those starting near Africa or mid Atlantic start before mid October, 2010 being one of the exceptions with Thomas starting October 29. Olga in 2007 started on December 10 in the Caribbean. So it seems there is a risk of hurricanes until December but the risk seems to drastically reduce after mid October on the voyage across and early November in the Caribbean. To leave Gibraltar mid November and arrive Caribbean early December seems to involve minimal hurricane risk. Does that fit with your experience?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Sagan

To leave Gibraltar mid November and arrive Caribbean early December seems to involve minimal hurricane risk. Does that fit with your experience?

Thats what we are saying.
Thats why the ARC leaves Mid November.

Very few go earlier, and if they do its only 1 week earlier.

However the eariler you go the less the trade winds will be so it could be a long trip.

[Sagan]

Cheers All. The picture is certainly becoming clearer. I like to weigh up the pros and cons, particularly advice from experienced sailors, well in advance then hang around the jump off point until conditions seem right to me. A bit of rough weather and long passages don't worry me too much - my longest voyage was 50 days solo from Durban to Melbourne with only a few gales and no storms. But I try to avoid unreasonable risk and flopping about in the heat where I can. A wild ride now and again is good for the spirit, but a hurricane is just frightening.

[dkb498]

Excellent Video from MarkJ

[SAMPATICO]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Jeez i taught they trucked down the I-95, whaddya mean it doesn't go to the canaries. Then..... Maybe they sail there. No no that can't be right

Dave

Facetious humor guy. If the ARC to ST. Lucia is a first time Atlantic crossing, would assume they didn't sail over. Get over it.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by SAMPATICO

Facetious humor guy. If the ARC to ST. Lucia is a first time Atlantic crossing, would assume they didn't sail over. Get over it.

Not sure what you mean "first time Atlantic Crossing"? Nothing in the ARC that restricts participants to first time anything. I guess someone from Europe could indeed cross the Atlantic for the first time in the ARC but that has nothing to do with it as far as I know. And they would still sail their boat to the starting point for the crossing. So, boats get to the Canaries under sail. Really no other practical way to do it unless you are rich and pay a ship to deliver the boat.

So seems someone is confused and you have to admit the original question did not quite compute.