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

[Maclir]

Wouldn't recommend it. Some years ago I sailed from Boston to Ireland via Azores arriving in mid November. We had seven severe gales! Lesser sailers couldn't have done it!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by ArmyDaveNY

. . . 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.

Nothing wrong with sailing up here in winter. Just pick your weather windows very, very carefully. I've just been sailing around the Oresund, and had a wonderful time, and might do a little cruise of the Kattegat in December.



The problem is that during this time of year, violent weather systems track from Canada to N. Europe along the jet stream, like a caravan of elephants.


These are tough latitudes and sailing here might as well be on a different planet, from sailing in the trades. Even in the summer you are guaranteed to get whacked by at least a gale or two, crossing W to E. The winter systems are survival storms.



Someone advised staying below 40N, but Cowes is at 50N and you have to go pretty far North to find prevailing Westerlies. The only thing worse than a gale in the N. Atlantic is a gale in your teeth, in the N. Atlantic.



My advice is to read Jimmy Cornell and do what he says.



June after one of the summer high pressure domes forms would be a good time. Even then, be ready to cope with a significant gale or two.

[Franziska]

My friend's just let me know that they decided to postpone their return to Europe by boat.
Also based on some of the information found here. Thank you.

If there are others folks still doing this right now, I wish them fair winds and weather! Be safe.

Personally I would never endeavor this at this time of the year.

[Wayne hoath]

Originally Posted by atoll

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

My bad. A BBC article mentioned October in Madrid. Anyhow. You are correct. Will be interesting to see how Greta and co get along at this time of year.

[ccannan]

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 in the Atlantic ends 30 November.

[double u]

Originally Posted by gabilo

(null)
.. serious professional help is needed when you can’t handle the enthusiasm a 16 year old girl has for the environmental issues mankind has caused.

“enthusiasm” per se is totally neutral! Remember the footage from 1938 when the Austrians were falling out of windows because of their enthusiasm about the „Anschluss“. (...& I seem to see another parallel: other opinions are suppressed, requiring „psychiatric treatment“...)

[wiekeith]

Originally Posted by atoll

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

Looks like she's giving it a go https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-50403488

Edit: Just had a thought, you may not be able to access this link if you're outside of the UK?

[CarinaPDX]

What gets so many cruisers in trouble is that they start with a plan, then ask if they can do it, often rationalizing to justify their decision. That is totally backwards thinking. The starting point should always be what is the safest thing to do, then work our plans around that.

In this case we all should know by now that a late spring crossing is the safest, and least likely to encounter dangerous weather. That is the period between the end of the winter weather and before the first hurricane. The hurricane season ends too late for a reliable break before the winter weather begins. Of course individual crossings may have a range of experiences, but going outside the season is much more likely to mean gales and storms, higher risk, and at a minimum greater discomfort.

Greg

[HeinSdL]

Originally Posted by Pete7

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

Oh yes, saw the slider and I get the point. Not the right time of the year to be making the crossing

[Franziska]

Right, but hurricane season is more of a concern when going E-W, you are further south than.

When going W-E it's more the gales of autumn, winter and spring which are worrying, especially as you need to be further north to catch the westerlies.

Originally Posted by ccannan

Hurricane season in the Atlantic ends 30 November.

[CarinaPDX]

It is not unusual for hurricanes to follow the W->E path that cruisers take, passing near Bermuda then crossing the ocean north of the high, often arriving in Europe. My first autumn in Europe Carina was up in sticks in Ireland when the remnants of a hurricane arrived as a storm (F10 IIRC), blowing boats over in the yard. I was staying aboard and had to get out every few hours and tap the wedges with a sledgehammer as the vibration was working them loose. There is no way I would ever want to have been on the way to Europe when that storm hit.

Greg

[Emouchet]

A good way to do it is by staying south of the 5640m contour displayed by the 500mb weather map.

It will guaranty winds below 35kn. Still windy, but manageable, versus the possible 45-50kn+ that late fall and winter storm can generate.

[TeddyDiver]

With a solid boat and competent crew at least three watches not a problem. There's no chance to avoid gales but so what.. A weather routing may help some to avoid the worst but do not count on that as the forecast at best is just thereabouts.. For short handed crew, don't try!

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Nothing wrong with sailing up here in winter. Just pick your weather windows very, very carefully. I've just been sailing around the Oresund, and had a wonderful time, and might do a little cruise of the Kattegat in December.

The problem is that during this time of year, violent weather systems track from Canada to N. Europe along the jet stream, like a caravan of elephants.

These are tough latitudes and sailing here might as well be on a different planet, from sailing in the trades. Even in the summer you are guaranteed to get whacked by at least a gale or two, crossing W to E. The winter systems are survival storms.

Someone advised staying below 40N, but Cowes is at 50N and you have to go pretty far North to find prevailing Westerlies. The only thing worse than a gale in the N. Atlantic is a gale in your teeth, in the N. Atlantic.

My advice is to read Jimmy Cornell and do what he says.

June after one of the summer high pressure domes forms would be a good time. Even then, be ready to cope with a significant gale or two.

Good info. Thanks.

Here's one lad who is from Norway and is planning such a trip. At the 23:30 mark he shows the circumnavigation of the very north Atlantic he is planning. Throughout the video he occasionally has some footage of conditions up north.

[Greg K]

If I'm not mistaken, Robin Knox Johnston with a couple crew attempted a west to east Atlantic crossing in the winter of 1989. He made it as far as the Azores under jury rig after Suhaili took a number of knockdowns and eventually was dismasted.


My guess would be that anyone even asking that question probably doesn't belong offshore.