Gibratar to New York

[Old Frenchie]

I am planning to cruise from Gibraltar to New York (Spring 2013) with a "Van de Stat" 38' built in Canada in 1981. Any tip and information would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

[atoll]

get your b1/b2 visa,and be there by june

[Old Frenchie]

Thanks Atoll,

Already have a B1/B2. Thanks for the tip anyway.

[atoll]

in gib morrisons supermarket is good for stocking up,cheap fuel available at bp in marina bay.
on the n african coast tangier,safi,agadir can be entered in any weather.
las palmas has a good marina and supermarkets before hopping across to antigua.

The global site for cruising sailors — Noonsite has good uptodate country info

[donradcliffe]

The easier but longer way is via the Canaries and the Virgins, then Florida and up the Coast.

[simonpickard]

Hiya,

Just wondering if I could ask about the post above as I also have an interest in the same route. Is it easier due to the winds? I.e. going from the Med to New York is hard work? What sort of times would you undertake a trip like that if possible?

Regards,
Simon

[atoll]

taking the trade wind route via canaries,carib,bahamas,eastcoast.
is best done between dec and june.
about a 2-3month trip,mostly in warm weather conditions.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by simonpickard

Hiya,

Just wondering if I could ask about the post above as I also have an interest in the same route. Is it easier due to the winds? I.e. going from the Med to New York is hard work? What sort of times would you undertake a trip like that if possible?

Regards,
Simon

Hi Simon,

It's a long trip if you want good weather and based around the position of the Azores High. That high wanders up and down the Atlantic by season and the Trade Winds are south of it.

So you can't do a rhumb line fromGibralter to New York, you need to go south, then west right across the Atlantic and then north.

However, the good news is you don't have to take to old sailing ship route but with modern boats you can go much higher, close to the center of the Azores High. Also you don't have to stop in at any of the places/islands along the way and that saves a great deal of time as they are all many miles off your straight through route.

Optimum would be Gribralter to near Maderia, west to near the Caribbean, north outside (east) of the Bahamas, north to NY.

The duration is the tricky thing because of the location of the Azores High, too early or late and you don't go anywhere, or cop storms that one really doesn't want to be in.

The best times at November (late Nov) to April (early) but in reality you don't want to get to NY before May.

The direct route in leaving first of April should get you to NY by mid May.

Of course the better idea is to stop off along the way leaving Gibralter in September, leaving Canaries late November at the time of the ARC, Christmas in the Caribbean, march April in the Bahamas and leaving May 1 st for New York

Fast or slow it is a great trip provided you sail in the correct season and those months given above are the correct season. No other months are viable because of winter in America and Hurricanes in the southern North Atlantic.


Mark

[donradcliffe]

The position of the high varies, but when I came across in April, the trades were lighter and lower down than when I did the trip in December. I had to drop down to the latitude of St Lucia to get some wind, and even then it was 10-12 knots. Still, it was a pleasant trip until I got near Florida and hit the daily thunderstorms.

[Old Frenchie]

Originally Posted by simonpickard

Hiya,

Just wondering if I could ask about the post above as I also have an interest in the same route. Is it easier due to the winds? I.e. going from the Med to New York is hard work? What sort of times would you undertake a trip like that if possible?

Regards,
Simon

Hi Simon,

Sorry for my late reply; I was travelling. Well, I am the owner and not the captain. The captain, an old friend of mine with thousands of miles around the globe, intends to leave in March from the French Riviera. We shall call in Madeira Island before sailing off heading to the US. He expects the trip to take around two months.