Sailing South Along the West Coast

[Houston]

Hi friends,
Does anyone have experience or understanding of sailing south along the West coast from the U.S. down as far as Patagonia Chile? In particular what are the wind patterns and currents like for heading south and what times of the year might be an advantage? Thanks.

[Benz]

Getting from Ecuador to Peru is a problem, as well as making southing along the Chilean coast. The rest is doable as long as you get south of Guatemala before Hurricane season, and don't get blasted by a Tehuantepecer or Papagallo unawares before Hurricane season.
Bring a raincoat!
Ben

[Jimbo485]

You ideally need to follow in the wake of the very lucky Pizarro and do it when the Humboldt reverses or stops. Once every 5 or 10 years.

In "normal" years you have 2 choices:

1. Ecuador to Galapagos to Easter Is to Chile.
2. Take your time, use the land breezes, keep close to the coast etc from Colombia to Chile.

We will be doing the first half of choice 1 once we come thru the canal and then on to Pitcairn, Tuomotus, etc.

Good luck, it is a tough trip.