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solerom · 13-06-2013, 02:48

So i'm planning on making a sailing journey to Europe from MA, and then from Europe to Cairo, Egypt but i'm an amateur at boating so i'd like to know exactly what i would need in order to do this. I want to know what the best boat to use would be, either motor only or sailboat, etc. and i want a boat that can house at least 8 people. I plan on leaving from the east coast from Massachusetts and heading towards angra do heroiso and stopping there to refill for the journey, and then heading to europe from there. Then from europe i plan on going to Alexandria, Egypt and from there heading down the nile to Cairo, Egypt which will be my final destination. Anyone mind helping me figure out the best and safest route, best boat options, and anything else i'll need like equipment, any legal papers etc for the journey? Thanks!

And by legal papers i meant, Would i need any papers or applications to sail outside the U.S. to europe? and stuff like that.

pillum · 13-06-2013, 03:38

Search threads before asking such a big question, you'll be surprised how much good data is already in here from previously asked questions.

Sandero · 13-06-2013, 03:57

An amateur and you are attempt this? I would say you need about minimum of 5 years of study and experience to take this on. Maybe more.

Paul Lefebvre · 13-06-2013, 04:10

Get a copy of this book and read it cover to cover. It will be a good starting point on your journey.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0071437657

thomm225 · 13-06-2013, 04:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by defjef

An amateur and you are attempt this? I would say you need about minimum of 5 years of study and experience to take this on. Maybe more.

The hell with the books and threads, this guy has the correct answer unless you are depending on luck.................to get you and your pilgrams to your destination.

Teknav · 13-06-2013, 04:47

Unless you are fluent in Arabic, you will not be able to sail through Egypt. Contact a few american schools in Alexandria and in Cairo. They can provide/recommend you guides through your journey. The American University in Cairo would be a good start. I lived in Egypt during my teen years; I'm fluent in Arabic. The culture has changed exponentially towards foreigners; not for the better. You'll need several Arabic speaking guides throughout your journey. Sailing the Nile river to Abu Simbel/Aswan would be a remarkable achievement as very few foreigners are capable of doing it because of the huge bureaucratic red tape. Good luck!

Mauritz
Going to behave now!

chuckr · 13-06-2013, 04:50

we are currently sitting angra after having stopped in horta after sailing across from antiga in the carib -- we have been out 6 years - we made a lot of mistakes and learned from a lot of great sailors - we are really wx hogs and watch carefully -

on our crossing we got emails via ssb on 2 missing boats on our route -- turns out there were 3 boats that left a week ahead of us and were never heard from again - one was a 70' and another was manned by 3 experienced ocean sailors -

the journey you propose is not without a risk and lot of it and the less you know the greater the risk because i can guarantee you that things will go wrong and how you deal with them is the issue -- we had 3 days of winds from 20-30k with seas corresponding and another 2.5 days with winds that ran 25-28k and huge seas - and we had a good crossing -- now imagine a bad crossing

OHHH - make sure your insurance is paid up

just our opinion and thoughts
chuck patty and svsoulmates
in angra azores

solerom · 13-06-2013, 05:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomm225

The hell with the books and threads, this guy has the correct answer unless you are depending on luck.................to get you and your pilgrams to your destination.

So the route i have in mind would be the best? is that what you meant by your post?

solerom · 13-06-2013, 05:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teknav

Unless you are fluent in Arabic, you will not be able to sail through Egypt. Contact a few american schools in Alexandria and in Cairo. They can provide/recommend you guides through your journey. The American University in Cairo would be a good start. I lived in Egypt during my teen years; I'm fluent in Arabic. The culture has changed exponentially towards foreigners; not for the better. You'll need several Arabic speaking guides throughout your journey. Sailing the Nile river to Abu Simbel/Aswan would be a remarkable achievement as very few foreigners are capable of doing it because of the huge bureaucratic red tape. Good luck!

Mauritz
Going to behave now!

Thanks, i'll start picking up some skills in arabic since i plan on leaving around this time next year, but what would you suggest then? that in europe i stop and sell my ship and buy plane tickets to fly into cairo? would that be the safest bet?

solerom · 13-06-2013, 05:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by solerom

Thanks, i'll start picking up some skills in arabic since i plan on leaving around this time next year, but what would you suggest then? that in europe i stop and sell my ship and buy plane tickets to fly into cairo? would that be the safest bet?

Or actually, i will cut my journey to this, leaving from the east coast, stopping at angra do heroismo, and then heading to portugal. how much less of a risk would that be?

Teknav · 13-06-2013, 06:05

Visit Egypt as part of a tourist group without a boat; less hassle. Years ago, Maupintour travel used to have outstanding itineraries to Egypt. Look them up! Because of political unrest, Egypt's tourism industry collapsed. Good luck!

Mauritz
Going to behave now!

denverd0n · 13-06-2013, 06:14

Even for highly skilled and experienced sailors, crossing the Atlantic is a major undertaking that requires a lot of planning and preparation. You are very obviously no where NEAR to ready for a journey like this, and it is highly doubtful that you will be in one year.

If you are set on doing this, the best advice would be to hire a competent and experienced captain to take you across. Next best would be the advice that you've already gotten, which is to do some searching and reading. There are no simple, quick answers to the questions you are asking, so you are not going to get your answers in this thread.

Quit asking questions and go do some more research, so that you can begin to get a tiny grasp of the enormity of what you are planning, and the seriously life-threatening risks that are involved.