For what it is worth, I've just downloaded the wind gribs for the coming week and would suggest that you head NE until at least 46N then east to France. That way you should have winds from a favourable direction all the way and not stronger than F6. The gribs show ENE winds up to F7 close to the NW of Spain from mid week onwards, so keep well away. At the same time the wind in "mid Biscay" is more like NNE F3 to 4.
Echo that. Keep well off Finisterre as the strong winds can funnel around for bloody weeks on end
It's where IanGrant took a dusting when I was routing them Canaries. No choice for them really, but they didn't enjoy it very much. I'd head up direction Falmouth (oe even Ireland) and turn at 46N as suggested
looks good with mostly high pressure ang favourable winds.low pressure could spoil things around 22nd but that is to far ahead to be accurate.take plenty of fuel.cant see point of going too far north unless by atlantic france you mean brest. even then the northing is just standard advice for destination uk ie falmouth. have fun
chris
Chris,
The main reason for my suggestion to head NE until 46N or more is that this route should give them either following winds or very light ones, after 46N and going east towards Les sables d'Olonne (I think that is where they are heading) they should encounter N to NNE winds of F4 or less. The more direct route will give them several days of winds up to F7 on the nose. The deviation only adds 20 miles to the journey. All based on the current NOAA forecast.
depends on whose charts you look at.i use bracknell/european centre medium term forcasting and wetterzentral.i make my own interpretations.i am sometimes wrong.time will tell.agree though keep well clear finistere.my gues is we mean more or less the same route
chris
There's a nasty depression which should pass by NY by Saturday morning, then favourable winds until another depression moves up from the south on Monday night, but the forecast won't be very accurate that far out. Then shows strong easterlies for a couple of days. Can give you a better idea if you tell me what sort of speed you are likely to be making.
Henry
Hi Alan,
It's a tricky one, rather you than me - there's another depression passing close offshore on Friday night so leaving early Saturday will give you a more comfortable start. Can you find any Gulf Stream charts because there appears to be a few places where the current eases and would make crossing easier although there is a narrow band at about 40-45N 63-20W which sets easterly at 3 to 4 knots for almost 300 miles.
It looks as if you will have a rough day or two towards the end of next week when you have to get through a front. The gribs show N or NE winds of 6 or 7 to the NW of the front but lighter southerly winds to the SE.
I hope that it turns out well for you,