Best boat to cross the Atlantic on

[Wansworth]

I recall it very clearly. The boat was Muscadet of Harty. (Perhapsit was not a 45 But i thought it was). The moulds were definately leased to the builders. I sat with the owner & his wife at the helm, whilst he explained the deal. We had just been doing the "Holman roll" at the time. It was him that introduced me to the term.

Whilst working atKesalls a 45 foot Holman design was builtuseingthe kelsallsandwich system

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Whilst working atKesalls a 45 foot Holman design was builtuseingthe kelsallsandwich system

Does that mean you were having a sit down eating a sandwich and drinking a mug of tea at the time

 

[Wansworth]

Does that mean you were having a sit down eating a sandwich and drinking a mug of tea at the time

Those were lean times….I found a bed and breakfast ina small hotel and made the breakfast last till I could buy some fish and chips inthe evening,there were no sandwiches as I recall……I was considering building a boat using sandwich construction so applied to work with Kelsall for a few months

 

[GHA]

Just now gently gliding out of the lee of Madeira, Funchal getting smaller astern,

Best boat is the one that gets you there Just anchored in Portimao.
Best passages are when nothing breaks, nothing to do with how long it took, you lot seem in such a hurry!!!! Don't you like it out there?

 

[geem]

Best boat is the one that gets you there Just anchored in Portimao.
Best passages are when nothing breaks, nothing to do with how long it took, you lot seem in such a hurry!!!! Don't you like it out there?

Cruising means different things to different people. I haven't met anybody here in Horta that came across the pond who wishes they had been out there longer! The standard question in the first minute of conversation is how long did it take you? Generally those with bigger boats were faster as you would expect. Those with smaller boats seem to envy the faster passage times of the larger boats. The most broken boat we have come across is a Beneteau 460. A list as long as your arm. You have to wonder if some skippers just up anchor and go with no thought to check systems onboard before departure.
A large FP cat came in. It was towed in and had a ripped genoa. We're heard from a shipwright here it had water damage to both engines and rudder damage. It was here a few days then was towed out, with no repairs to engines and left.
The ARC left today so its now a calmer place. They left with zero wind as is the way of the ARC. The timetable is everything. If they waited until Wednesday, they would have nice winds

 

[GHA]

Those with smaller boats seem to envy the faster passage times of the larger boats.

Suspect we mix in different circles
Think most of the cruisers I know just get on with the day & don't get too bothered what anyone else does Was it a nice passage is more likely to be asked.
I certainly like to keep the boat moving well but it the lords of wind say otherwise then so be it, no great rush. Though 3am this morning hardly moving looking down St Vincent TSS it did seem wise to stick the engine on

 

[capnsensible]

Cruising means different things to different people. I haven't met anybody here in Horta that came across the pond who wishes they had been out there longer! The standard question in the first minute of conversation is how long did it take you? Generally those with bigger boats were faster as you would expect. Those with smaller boats seem to envy the faster passage times of the larger boats. The most broken boat we have come across is a Beneteau 460. A list as long as your arm. You have to wonder if some skippers just up anchor and go with no thought to check systems onboard before departure.
A large FP cat came in. It was towed in and had a ripped genoa. We're heard from a shipwright here it had water damage to both engines and rudder damage. It was here a few days then was towed out, with no repairs to engines and left.
The ARC left today so its now a calmer place. They left with zero wind as is the way of the ARC. The timetable is everything. If they waited until Wednesday, they would have nice winds

Another one of those 'depends' things'?

If I'm on a delivery job, there is that obvious pressure to get there. When I'm cruising though, I don't mind coz I enjoy being at sea.

I generally avoid talking to yachties in Horta, all they want to do is talk about how fast they went and how big the waves were. I'm always off to find footy on the telly. and not in Peter Sport......

 

[Wansworth]

Best boat is the one that gets you there Just anchored in Portimao.
Best passages are when nothing breaks, nothing to do with how long it took, you lot seem in such a hurry!!!! Don't you like it out there?

Yes considering the work and money involved in getting to sea fast passages are heralded as the thing to aim for

 

[geem]

Another one of those 'depends' things'?

If I'm on a delivery job, there is that obvious pressure to get there. When I'm cruising though, I don't mind coz I enjoy being at sea.

I generally avoid talking to yachties in Horta, all they want to do is talk about how fast they went and how big the waves were. I'm always off to find footy on the telly. and not in Peter Sport......

Haha, there we differ. Can't stand footy and I spend a lot of time in Peter Sport Cafe cos they have IPA beer

 

[GHA]

I generally avoid talking to yachties in Horta,

Prefer Flores, stunning walks up the mountains
What about slowest? Last Antigua/Flores took me 32 days. And was a bit glad when the wind died near the end, dreading the crazy fast life in Flores Extremely chilled out at the end of that passage

 

[geem]

Prefer Flores, stunning walks up the mountains
What about slowest? Last Antigua/Flores took me 32 days. And was a bit glad when the wind died near the end, dreading the crazy fast life in Flores Extremely chilled out at the end of that passage

We climbed Pico a few days ago. 3750ft of accent. Legs still sore

 

[capnsensible]

Prefer Flores, stunning walks up the mountains
What about slowest? Last Antigua/Flores took me 32 days. And was a bit glad when the wind died near the end, dreading the crazy fast life in Flores Extremely chilled out at the end of that passage

Love Flores. We got there at the start of a local music festival and stayed a few days longer that we planned. For plan read.....rough idea.

Was fab, free laundry, free Internet in library....was a while ago....met taxi drivers mum, yadda yadda. Remember doing arrival clearance using the bonnet of the police car to rest on at the tiny port. Fab place.

 

[capnsensible]

We climbed Pico a few days ago. 3750ft of accent. Legs still sore

Isn't there somewhere, mebbe next island, where they take you up the mountain in a land rover with bikes you go back down on? Fancied that but not breaking bones...

 

[geem]

Isn't there somewhere, mebbe next island, where they take you up the mountain in a land rover with bikes you go back down on? Fancied that but not breaking bones...

Duarte, the nephew of the principal guy at Peters did that for us last week. Took four of us up in a pickup truck with our bikes and we cycled down. To be fair, you wouldn't really need pedals. Also, he didn't charge us a penny. Super nice guy

 

[Ostara24]

Done the north, south and middle crossings of the N. Atlantic solo, IMHO, its all about sticking to the seasons and waiting patiently for a good weather window. In theory any boat can do it, but I go for an over engineered, heavy, full keeler, that hoves too like a dream, but then I am not in any hurry whatsoever, the ocean is a place to linger not race over, again IMHO.

 

[geem]

Done the north, south and middle crossings of the N. Atlantic solo, IMHO, its all about sticking to the seasons and waiting patiently for a good weather window. In theory any boat can do it, but I go for an over engineered, heavy, full keeler, that hoves too like a dream, but then I am not in any hurry whatsoever, the ocean is a place to linger not race over, again IMHO.

Yep, if we were racing, we would have had crew. I don't think the dog counts as crew. Just me and this Mrs. We will leave the racing for the ARC boats

 

[Wansworth]

Not a greahound then!

 

[noelex]

Those with smaller boats seem to envy the faster passage times of the larger boats.

The time taken for an offshore passage is not just the time taken to complete the voyage.

It is the time taken to complete the voyage plus the time taken to effect repairs. By this criterion some "fast" sailboats are slow.

 

[geem]

The time taken for an offshore passage is not just the time taken to complete the voyage.

It is the time taken to complete the voyage plus the time taken to effect repairs. By this criterion some "fast" sailboats are slow.

Interesting thought. I guess the Imocas crossing the pond now won't see it like that. By your measure, we had a very successful trip but I went through all major systems prior to the trip and upgraded and carried out preventive maintenance. Does that count on my passage time