Best time to cross Biscay ?

[Badger]

Does anyone have any advice in the best time to cross Biscay and how long it will take on average in a 28 foot yacht ? Rough plan start at Falmouth, end at La Coruna Northern Spain. Would like to stay in Spain for a month so passage weather obviously priority but would like it to be pleasant but not too hot at the other end. Looking to do it in one hit but would be interested in views on ports of refuge although my feeling is it is just one big lee shore and I probably need to be a along way out as I may be singlehanded (by choice, not because I haven't got willing crew ). Particulary interested to hear from anyone who has done the trip in anything under 30 foot. Thanks Badger

 

[Wansworth]

Are you thinking of this year or next.At the moment we have an anticyclone which is giving us ne wind here in Galicia but we should be having a system of lows about this time.I crossed twicw once via Larochelle-Santanda and the other Plymouth La coruna both about August.We met with nasty black fog off the coast for several days,this is quite common inlate summer.I have known people cross around Christmas time when we seem to have anticyclone weather,very quiet weather,but short days.

 

[footsoldier]

I think you've already sussed it out for yourself.

Single-handed in a small boat you need to be prepared to wait for a reliable weather window. For ports of refuge to be viable, you would need to be close in which is just where I would not want to be if it starts to blow up. My mantra is - the further out the better.

 

[snowleopard]

Well I|'ve been across under sail twice - once in a 40 footer, the other in a 170 footer.

I would guess 4-5 days Plymouth - La Coruna in a 28 footer, i.e. too long to rely on a forecast weather window.

I have heard is said that, when heading South, you should be South of Gibraltar by the end of August. That may be a bit pessimistic, indeed my trips were in Sept and Oct but I wouldn't go this year in a small boat.

 

[TQA]

I would stage out of Camaret in August and WAIT FOR A GOOD WINDOW.

 

[webcraft]

Crossing Biscay

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We have done it Scillies to La Coruna at the end of August and back Camarinas to Waterford late July. (Albin Vega, 27ft)

On the way South the crucial thing for us was to be across the bay before the end of August, which is comon advice bourne out by what insurers tend to say. We left at 3.20pm on a Sunday and arrived about 8am on the following Wednesday, about 90 hours for a total of 431nm. We left as a front went through, expecting bad conditions at the start thten getting better - which is what I prefer doing to get as long a weather window as possible. Much better to leave in conditions which you know will improve rather than deteriorate.
That trip in more detail

On the way back we had got used to using GRIB files and so had a better handle on what the weather was doing - we could get GRIBs at sea via satphone. There had been a run of bad weather in the bay, and we took a window between weather systems. We again left in fairly rough conditions on the back of one weather system, and two days out slowed the boat down to avoid running into bad weather further North on our track. We also decided on passage in the light of the GRIBs to bypass the Scillies and head straight to Ireland.

On this return journey we left Camarinas late Thursday afternoon and arrived in Waterford Tuesday lunchtime. (591 nm) . Worst thing on the way North was crossing the shipping lanes in poor vis and big seas. If we go again we will definitely have an AIS.
This passage in detail.

I have also motored across the Bay in a flat calm in May one year on a Moody 33 - but you can't count on this. June, July and August are statistically the best months for a crossing, but you should be prepared to wait for a window. Stay well offshore - don't even think about running for shelter in the Bay, once you set off you head to La Coruna or back to Falmouth. If you are forced into the bay there are a few alternatives along the coast of North Spain, but best to give yourself some breathing space and stay further offshore. Many people prefer to head straight for Camarinas and pass Finisterre well offshore, but La Coruna is well worth a visit.

- W

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

In a Twister I don't think you would do it in less than 5 days going direct from Falmouth and solo you may play safe at night and have a little less sail up.

We did it direct from Plymouth last year in a larger yacht. 500NM/4 days, a bit less mileage on the return trip.
La Caruna was our intended destination but towards the end of our trip the wind was almost on the nose, so we went East to Vivero/Viveiro
http://www.maplandia.com/spain/galicia/lugo/vivero-43-38-0-n-7-35-0-w/
This proved a good bolt hole, cheap mooring in comparison to much of Spain, well sheltered, a reasonable town and easy to get to other more interesting places by hire car.

I would recommend a wind vane (rather than rely on battery power), AIS through a plotter and Radar if possible, as you wil be crossing or near shipping lanes on that route.
Farther out when the depth guage gives over 4KM, you would hopefully get less steep faced waves yet all the obvious problems exist in a small 'wet' boat as far as safety is concerned.

Malcome has recently done the Azores in his Twister and will answer questions via the Twister website, or PM me with your details and I can ask him to get in touch if you want more advice.

 

[CPD]

Hello badger, on the way back from the Azores last year, I had no option other than to cross, and do so when I arrived north of Portugal (I was blown rather too East for my liking, but you get what you get !). I think all I would say is be prepared for anything, and if it blows, ten the further offshore you are, the better. Good luck.

 

[Genoa]

3 crossings in 40-60 ft boats so feel free to ignore my comments.
I am a great believer in having a plan B so;

I would go to Cameret sur mer as your warm up, and wait there if necessary. Getting going again is easy, but if you do break anything they are easily supplied and worst case / back up Brest airport is not so far.

I would then not head for Coruna - the sail round the corner is a pig. Go straight round the corner to Vigo, much nicer and you don't have 50 miles upwind, round a cracker of a headland when you restart.

I'd ditto the GRIB files. excellent. - Again via Cameret you can get updates via mobile phone, if you have no Satcom or SSB.

May crossing - F6/7 NNW
May crossing - F5/7 WNW
Sept crossing - F3 SSW

 

[boatmike]

According to Jimmy Cornell (World Cruising Routes Guru) the best time to leave is between May and July. I have only done it twice myself, both times in June and both times left Falmouth after a front had passed and NW winds were forecast. This is exactly what JC suggests and both times I had a good crossing and picked up the Portugese trade winds down to the Algarve. Personally I would plan the same again but the canals beckon next time time!

 

[Deleted member 36384]

....... I would then not head for Coruna - the sail round the corner is a pig. Go straight round the corner to Vigo, much nicer and you don't have 50 miles upwind, round a cracker of a headland when you restart......

OP questions: I have not done it single handed, 40 foot is the smallest boat I have done this in, departed in November from Newlyn, Foggy out of Newlyn across the shipping channels, then a nice sail all the way.

I would second the advice from Genoa. I thought La Coruna was a dump - Full of beggars with bandy legs and hypodermic needles.

The worst time at sea I have had was beating round the top of Spain and down to Porto. The seas were huge and a lot of ships about. Its about another 100 - 120 NM to Vigo. The advantage of going straight to Vigo is that it keeps you off the continental shelf edge until you turn into Vigo.

It may keep you out of the inner passage for coastal vessels sailing north / south for longer as well.

I have rarely sailed single handed and not on any overnighter, so perhaps minimising the time at sea is better. Hope this helps and pleasant winds.

As a by the way I have started using Google Earth to look at coast lines when passage planning - the images are worth a thousand words. Check out the La Coruna to Vigo coast. It all helps.

 

[Csail]

I was going to post but what Blowingoldboots said is identical.
Ps. Single handed will be hard, There are millions of ships but worse zig zagging trawlers at night.

 

[Sybarite]

Rather than have Cameret as a jumping off point I would at least clear the Raz de Sein first and put in at Audierne, Le Guilvenec, Benodet or, preferably, Concarneau where there is more to see and do while you are waiting. If you require chandlery or yard back-up then Port La Forêt.

This would reduce your travel time by about half a day.

Make sure of your window because the arrival zone is more prone to bad weather than the start point. Moreover if you are singlehanding, remember that there are a lot of fishingboats off NW Spain.

Avoid the N. Spanish coast because there is a local phenomen of where hot wind from the plateau spills over the mountain ridge and can lead to very high winds (100mph +)without or with little notice.

John

 

[Ariadne]

When YOU as the Skipper/Master/Captain of the boat have a good feel about the latest 5 day forecast is the best bet, what ever time of year! But if you really feel the need to ask this question, you shouldn't be contemplating a Biscay crosssing should you?

Anyway, if your going to do it in 1 hop, stay out to sea and aim to pass Finisterre about 10-20 miles west of the TSZ to avoid heavy traffic. Then carry on down to Baiona and a well earned beer or two.


Enjoy, remember Biscay is only a bay - but a big one, so give yourself plenty of sea room.