Sailing from the US to Europe right now. What do you think about the timing?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Franziska

Thank you Pete7.

Anyone else, please back to the subject of weather in the north Atlantic this time of the year.

Not sure I would want to be approaching Europe with this:

https://www.netweather.tv/charts-and-data/jetstream

[fatherchronica]

That they made it to the Atlantic in the Northern hemisphere from the far side of the Pacific in the Southern hemisphere indicates to me they have more experience than most of the folks on Cruisers Forum will ever have. More than I have to be sure. I often wonder how the Earth was ever explored when I read the attacks on sailors on this forum. As we all know a nice fire and a comfy chair and a well read copy of a book about day sailing in a lake is the safest way to voyage.

[HeinSdL]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Not sure I would want to be approaching Europe with this:

https://www.netweather.tv/charts-and-data/jetstream

I am not familiar with crossing the Atlantic, but if you stick to 40 deg lat, it looks more friendly right?

[Wayne hoath]

Take a look at the wave heights. You could see 7 meters according to windy. I think I’d wait.

[Seighlor]

This is a really bad idea. A number of years ago I made a November-December crossing from England to Florida. The weather had not been good and we waited several days on the Isle of Wight for a good weather window.

Within twelve hours of our departure we were engaging storm conditions. Winds developed to something over sixty-five knots (That's as high as our analog knot meter would read) and remained at the level for two days.

There were four of us aboard. One suffered a broken toe. Not incapacitating but very painful. Another endured three broken ribs. Definitely incapacitating. A third was too seasick to move from his bunk.

My recommendation: Don't do it.

[MikeRyan]

A really stupid idea. Try June. The North Atlantic in November is a really stormy ocean. As a former Navy patrol plane commander whose area of patrol was the North Atlantic I strongly advise against it. My wife's father was a merchant seaman, and the things he had to tell about the North Atlantic in winter are sometimes terrifying.

Don't do it.

Michael Ryan
aboard s/v Here There Be Dragons
lying Palm Coast Marina
Palm Coast FL 32137

[jrochest]

Originally Posted by fatherchronica

I cannot find my copy of Jimmy Cornell's World Cruising Routes. Boy there are a lot more places to lose stuff in a house than onboard a boat. But someone could see what he says. I think that at least hurricane season is over and that is surely a good thing.

Hurricane season may be over but we had sustained 65-75 kts (hurricane force) winds here in Plymouth, UK recently on 2/11/19 with gusts to 93 kts...

[tarian]

Originally Posted by fatherchronica

That they made it to the Atlantic in the Northern hemisphere from the far side of the Pacific in the Southern hemisphere indicates to me they have more experience than most of the folks on Cruisers Forum will ever have. More than I have to be sure. I often wonder how the Earth was ever explored when I read the attacks on sailors on this forum. As we all know a nice fire and a comfy chair and a well read copy of a book about day sailing in a lake is the safest way to voyage.

Very true , but there is a reason a lot of boats are shipped back on freighters , and there are weather windows that we sail in , it could be unwise to recommend sailing across the Atlantic during Hurricane Season , hence why 99% of boats no matter the experience wait until it is over , The weather starts to turn in October as the Jet stream and the prevailing westerly's ramp up and storms and nasty lows form in the North Atlantic, sometimes lined up to streak across the Atlantic with no break in between them , The Irish West Coast ,North West of Scotland or Along Biscay in France in a Winter low can be a wee bit scary, As most sailors like to sail in calm to moderate weather , keeping the boat and their crew safe, it would seem odd to try and sail this route at this time of year, As ever they are those that will , and have done it safely but as a risk it would be one that I would not want to do no matter my experience

[boatman61]

Personally I find missing Bermuda the best bet..
St Martin to Azores then Europe.. for example next week the winds are SSE around SXM area, ride them as far as you can gaining as much E as you can to counter the Stream, then ride the winds round the high to the Azores..
Whether the high stays put is an unknown so either line up a forecaster as guide or do as I do and make it up as you go.
Only done the Bermuda route twice, May and June, both times I got clobbered, the direct route, yet to happen.

[Wayne hoath]

Originally Posted by PolarisOne

Is this question related to Greta Thunburg and Sailing La Vagabond? I personally hope they have a really good weather router.

The summit in Madrid isn’t until October next year so they have plenty of time to pick a weather window.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by fatherchronica

That they made it to the Atlantic in the Northern hemisphere from the far side of the Pacific in the Southern hemisphere indicates to me they have more experience than most of the folks on Cruisers Forum will ever have. More than I have to be sure. I often wonder how the Earth was ever explored when I read the attacks on sailors on this forum. As we all know a nice fire and a comfy chair and a well read copy of a book about day sailing in a lake is the safest way to voyage.

Not really important, but what you've described -and the news has shown- isn't the path they took. First boat was purchase in the Med and sailed through the Caribbean to the South Pacific (15kish miles). The second start was again from the Med, and they sailed to the Caribbean then to the US (10kish miles). Maybe the news is showing their combined mileage? All of that was tradewind sailing within proper season. I'm sure they've experienced some heavy weather, but there is a big difference vs sailing West to East across the Atlantic this time of year.

I really hope they get lucky with this. If you've watched the weather patterns off the East Coast this time of year, you'll really appreciate the challenge they have in front of them. Thank god that they are on a quick boat!




Matt

[ArmyDaveNY]

Don Street, a pioneer of contemporary cruising, backs up the majority of opinions here. He says that no one has any business being in the North Atlantic during the winter.

On the other hand, there are a few hardy souls who sail in the northern latitudes in the winter. Having said that, I don't think they are crossing in the winter. I think they are mostly coastal.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by HeinSdL

I am not familiar with crossing the Atlantic, but if you stick to 40 deg lat, it looks more friendly right?

Hmm, have a look at the link and move the slider on to next week. Doesn't look great and you would want to be below 30m in a submarine to keep things steady on board.

Pete

[DefinitelyMe]

Originally Posted by Franziska

What would be the best time of the year?

May to July, with June best in my opinion. May you still get the odd winter storm, July you might have to dodge a tropical system.

I did it in April once and it was fine but we did have a day of force 9 and regularly force 6 to 7. I wouldn't do it right now. No thank you.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Wayne hoath

The summit in Madrid isn’t until October next year so they have plenty of time to pick a weather window.

the cop25, starts 2 dec,which gives them 20 days to get there on time which means they need to be doing at least 160 miles a day and an average speed of 6.7 knots

https://unfccc.int/news/cop25-will-t...-december-2019