Atlantic crossing Eastwards

[mattonthesea]

Hi

as my time in the Caribbean evaporates (and me or the boat staying is not an option) I am wondering about strategies for the return to UK. I plan to leave from St Martens sometime early May for the Azores. The unusual year aside (wins have been 20 kts plus from NE out here) what is the advice from those what have done it before? Must admit that I'm getting nervous about it; it's all been so easy so far!

 

[Kilter]

May is OK. Make sure you have good foulies and warm stuff to wear...it's going to be colder than you think! Get your whale spotters handbook out!

 

[Baggy]

Check out Herbs web site...

http://www3.sympatico.ca/hehilgen/vax498.htm

Getting weather reports when your out there give you so much.. peace of mind

 

[Woodlouse]

Stay below 40 degrees and enjoy yourself. It will get cold at times, and it will be cold and windy at times. As long as you're prepared then there's not much to it really.

 

[oldvarnish]

I've only done the north Atlantic return trip, but I've spoken to a lot of folks who have done the Carbib - Azores route and wished they'd taken more diesel to see them through the calms.

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

Hi

as my time in the Caribbean evaporates (and me or the boat staying is not an option) I am wondering about strategies for the return to UK. I plan to leave from St Martens sometime early May for the Azores. The unusual year aside (wins have been 20 kts plus from NE out here) what is the advice from those what have done it before? Must admit that I'm getting nervous about it; it's all been so easy so far!

My personal preference is to head for Bermuda first, then the Azores and home.

The type of yacht, number of crew, fuel range etc.. would all effect my specific strategy, but the main advice is to monitor the weather patterns closely. Ideally you will have a sat phone or at least ssb and can therefore stay updated. Expect to travel a lot further than the shortest route. Carry as much fuel as possible. Provision carefully. Make sure the yacht is ready and the crew know what they're doing.

If you want to give me a call to discuss your plans I would be glad to answer any questions you might have...

Good luck!

Pete

 

[snowleopard]

I have always stopped in Bermuda and I would recommend that. The second half of the passage to Bermuda could well be motoring. The island is not as expensive as you might expect, especially if you anchor in St Georges. From there to the Azores is a difficult call. Conventional wisdom says go NE until you reach the latitude of the Azores then turn right but we found frontal systems kept pushing us South so we stayed on the latitude of Bermuda till we were almost there.

From the Azores to the UK Jimmy Cornell recommends going North first but both times I've done the trip that wasn't the best course. Last time we stopped off in Camaret waiting for gale force headwinds in the Western Approaches to blow themselves out.

p.s. talk to Herb or at least listen in on his advice to others in your area.

 

[Juniperskip]

Doesn't quite address the question but we shipped back last year. Work hard on Seven Stars and Dockwise to get the best price out of St Thomas to Southampton and you never know, might be surprised..... Thirty other yachts on the same ship and three sailings to Europe in a week so availability is there.

If you do sail then North to Bermuda, a good reach in shorts weather. Wait for a weather window then head out but don't stray too far North "to find the wind" as a friend did a few years ago beacause you will find it! Stay futher south but carry lots of fuel as the Azores High teazes with you. Be prepared for a couple of weeks of foulies.....

 

[mixmaster]

We did this trip last year. Would really recommend going via Bermuda. Some of the boats last year had a miserable time with headwinds and ended up almost as far north as if they had stopped off in Bermuda. Bermuda is worth the visit. 2nd the Herb recommendation. His advice is excellent. Almost too cautious at times.

 

[Twister_Ken]

You could consult tcm who posts here. He makes a habit of turning large circles in the Atlantic for fun.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197288

 

[capnsensible]

Not convinced that going up to Bermuda from St Maarten is really worth it unless you want to, well, visit Bermuda. Its a bit out of the line, really.

Its a great place, have visited 4 times by sea, but is it right from where you are??

The last few times I've done the trip, have taken plenty of Diesel and almost done Rhumb Line to Azores, but left much later, well into June. Chances of a Hurricane are tiny, but depressions in May closing Azores are a certainty. Did it in April once, def. too early.

Depends on your timescale I suppose but getting to Azores a bit later gives a chance to do a bit of island hopping in more settled weather. Punta Del Garda is my favourite.

Onward to UK I've done twice, both June July time and as Snowleopard mentioned, rubbish bit was the western approaches with welcome home gales!!

If I do the trip as a delivery, I rent an Iridium Phone and do a daily text to my trusty router for weather....and football results!

Oh, often meet tcm on his way through to Med, dont think he has done Bermuda but try his Mojomo blog???

Hope this helps.

CS

 

[capnsensible]

Yeah, thought not, chekkitout here

 

[jonic]

Doesn't quite address the question but we shipped back last year. Work hard on Seven Stars and Dockwise to get the best price out of St Thomas to Southampton and you never know, might be surprised..... Thirty other yachts on the same ship and three sailings to Europe in a week so availability is there.

We did too

 

[alant]

Hi

as my time in the Caribbean evaporates (and me or the boat staying is not an option) I am wondering about strategies for the return to UK. I plan to leave from St Martens sometime early May for the Azores. The unusual year aside (wins have been 20 kts plus from NE out here) what is the advice from those what have done it before? Must admit that I'm getting nervous about it; it's all been so easy so far!

Head up toward Bermuda & keep an eye on your barometer, turn right when it starts dropping too much, keeping below 40N.

Might eliminate need to start long distance motoring to cross any high pressure area.

 

[KREW2]

Head up toward Bermuda & keep an eye on your barometer, turn right when it starts dropping too much, keeping below 40N.

Might eliminate need to start long distance motoring to cross any high pressure area.

Turn right when the butter hardens.

 

[Conachair]

Did it last year, not much wind til near Bermuda.
Scribbles here - http://conachair.blogspot.com/

 

[sailor22]

Lots of good advice here.

On my first trip I cruised the Windwards, stped at St Baarts, provisioned at St Maarten, had a good pair of weeks in St Georges, sailed NE to 38N/39N, dropped down to Flores, stopped a Lajes, Flores for a week and then took the great circle route to Plymouth, We worked Herb from Bermuda onwards and his advice was conservative as ever, but good. We arrived in UK in mid-July. It was a comfortable 3-handed trip in a Rival 34. We motored only for about 36 hours and had a 24hr F8.

Second time, left Beaufort, NC on 20th May, 6-day passage to Bermuda, spent 3weeks in St Georges, sailed NE the turned right at 39N, then Herb tookus up to 43N to keep us out of the Azores high which kept creeping north relentlessly, arrived in Horta with a 3 week cruise planned but ended up 3 weeks hauled out in Punta Delgada with a rudder problem, sailed great circle route to Falmouth and arrived in late July. A pleasant 3-handed trip in a 38-footer. Strongest winds were limited to SW F7 approaching Ushant.

Good boat and crew preparation, sensible victualling, water management and weather routing, makes for a pleasant passage. Break it up by enjoying all the islands that you can on the way. After all, when are you next going that way.

Fair winds

 

[mattonthesea]

It was a comfortable 3-handed trip in a Rival 34. We motored only for about 36 hours and had a 24hr F8.

/QUOTE]

Three in a Rival 34? There's only me in aRival 32 and that's crowded

Break it up by enjoying all the islands that you can on the way. After all, when are you next going that way.

Probably in two years time

 

[Neil_Y]

The weather will probably be anything but what is predicted or normal so my only advice is give yourself plenty of time to visit the islands of the Azores if you can, we had a month island hopping and could easily have stayed longer.

Be prepared for anything weather wise, we ended up with surplus wind for our needs 2 or 3 days from the Azores when everyone was saying take lots of diesel for teh Azores high...have a good trip.

 

[tcm]

Hi. Lotsa good advice above. No need to be over-apprehensive, really.

I've done this a few times now. I don't go via Bermuda unless Something Bad happens, and so far, no really Bad Luck. I also like the extra flexibility of have v distant target - Bermuda is 400nm out of the way - and into likely bigger winds.

Best seems to be start waiting in May and be gone mid-June. 32footer is fine, Mike (aka Quinn) has done at least seven circuits via LasPalmas, SXM and Azores in a 28footer, Bristol summink. I go in 50fot cat and target Horta in 14 days, the superyachts do it in around 10days, and a 32footer with at least some diesel should expect do it 4 weeks or less, perhaps a lot less.

Listen VHF Ch 14 net at 0730 local in/near sxm lagoon during April we'll have some get togethers for transat types. Current meetup is Barnacles on Wednesdays from 5pm.

Take loads of diesel, and then some.

Herb for some (not me - he tells you where to go and if you don't do as instructed he dumps you...so who's the skipper?) and you can get plenty enough info/gribfiles via satphone as per capnsensible.

Perhaps think about AIS B transceiver - then you'r a proper ship that broadcasts to big ship systems as such, as opposed to being possible floating pallet.

Erm, 20kts from NE is quite common in SXM - did you mis-type?