Lots do. Probably most that return. I've delivered some. ? Fortunately for me, it's never as bad as some people make out. Certainly a tad more breeze generally, but departures into the summer are far more pleasant. Those that take on the weather in April are probably the ones that have bigged it up. I have done it then too, bit bumpy. And wowser, I was skippering a Lavezzi Catamaran! Heretic or what! ??
Looks like our 39' boat would be the third smallest. How times change.
I'm always interested in the what broke and who broke it and how it broke though. I don't want to appear crass, but there are some people who are very unsympathetic to what they do with gear.Little to be learned about long distance cruising from the boat types on just one event though, what's much more interesting is the "what broke" articles afterwards.
Let's hope they're all long-keeled with skeg-hung rudders, or there'll be tears.
It's a good source, but like lots of such data, some of the accounts have to be read in context. Was it poor quality, lack of maintenance, wrong size for the job, accidental damage, operator error, poor seamanship- etc etc..?
It was a tough trip back for many this year with several days of headwinds up to 35 kts on route to the Azores. We had a couple of days of strong head winds and count ourselves lucky. The previous W to E trip was headwind most of the way. Both trips in May when conditions are supposed to be good. Much prefer going the other way. I think it helps that every day you are getting closer to the Caribbean not the grey skies and grey sea of the UK?
Even going along the mid 30N towards the Azores can be grey and grim, not too dodgy but misty drizzly grey for days on end makes you start to wonder if the white walkers are coming........ ?
I suppose Jimmy Cornell ocean cruising survey is a bit out of date now. But the Saily magazines are quite good at collating the data quite often.
Ask delivery skippers. ?More total guesswork, but suspect much more will break on arc boats than with "normal" full time cruisers, lots will have broke already and the experienced imho will do their best to break as little as possible, less time and money spent at the other end fixing it.
Again guessing, well a little, cruisers having been out for a while will likely have simpler boats than an average AWB on the arc. At the start anyway...
Gone that way six times. I reckon the later the better. Done the other way six times too. The last one was January before last. It was a distinctly chilly trip to the Cape Verdes. Not that warm there either!
Hola Matt, will be watching out for your progress! Good luck with the trip.?
And a Beneteau Oceanis Clipper 331, and a pogo 30 at ARC by las palmas