first ever crossing of the ATLANTIC!.

[darrenbagnall123]

Im lookin to bring a 40 footer back to south wales from the usa. my sailing experience(as with my 4 crew members ) has been costal only(never seen past british water's,and only in daylight.so as you can understand....its goin to be an adventure.....but im lookin for people who have done this route so as to shed some light on what equipement would be best.....any knowledge would be gratefully recieved.

 

[davidej]

Since no one has replied, let me start and I expect more experienced folk will join in.

My first crossing was on a 31 ft 30 yr old Westerly and we had nothing more sophisticated than a fixed GPS, a hand held one as a spare, an SSB reciever for weather reports, a liferaft and wind vave steering.

On my second we also had a proper autopilot, an SSB which would also transmit as well as recieve and an EPIRB.

Not much more than you would take across the channel - only lots more food drink and diesel !

I expect many will come up with a much longer list, but essential - I don't think so.

 

[bbg]

A few thoughts, from someone who's never been across the Atlantic.

I suspect davidej is right - there is a big difference between what you need and what is "nice to have".

You might want to pick up a copy of Yacthing World's ARC Gear Test issue. There might be some useful information in there for you.

You might also try looking at the ARC website and see if you can find a required equipment list. Even if you don't do the event, it will provide you with a list to use as a starting point. Some of it you might already have, some you might choose not to include, but maybe there will be one or two items that you think,"Wow, I never would have thought of that - what a good idea!"

 

[Twister_Ken]

I've never done it either, but over and above normal equipment I'd feel obliged to take along some rigging spares and sail repair kit, a whacking great pump, a way of receiving weather info, a fishing line, a damn fine liferaft and an EPIRB. And lots of reading material.

 

[davidej]

You are quite right - i forgot to list lots of cheap novels!

 

[aslabend]

Wind vane steering is great.
Weather routing by Herb over SSB is very good.
A working jib on a removable forestay was very handy for us.
A towed generator worked very well for us especially as it could be reconfigured as a wind gen for when you're in port.

Take some fishing gear as a tuna or mahi-mahi is tasty (we also caught a shark but had to cut it lose).

Don't know your route but we departed from Morehead City North Carolina and arrived Falmouth via Bermuda and the Azores. A chance to see something other than the sea is nice (unless like me you get itchy feet when in port for mare than a day) and gives you a chance to get the boat sorted for the next leg.

Foodwise, that depends on how good you are as cooks, what refrigeration you have and also if you're going to stop to restock. We took lots of tinned stuff, some that could be eaten cold in salads ( beans etc), some that was quick and easy for when the weather's not nice. Baking your own bread is fun but I'm not much of a baker. The prepacked Tortillas have very long sell by dates and can be stuffed with anything. We used net bags to keep veg aired in and used a lot of carrots, onions and cabbage to make coldslaw which was good. Ready mix Brownies (chockie not dib-dib-dib) were a good treat.

The skipper on my crossing was a stickler for getting every last little thing ready before departure (which drove me up the wall but on hindsight was well worth it and something I strive for now on my boat) as if it's not done in port it is 10 times the effort at sea.

Hope that helps.

Oh yes, take a good sense of humour for the US customs (or department for homeland security or whatever they call themselves now).

 

[darrenbagnall123]

thanx for all the input....i will be flyin to the usa ,then purchasing a forty footer because they are cheaper......im sourcing it from a few web sites.....and after arriving in cardiff....will refit and sell. then return and repeat the process.....until i find THE ONE to keep...lol.....again thank you for your input

 

[KellysEye]

As has been said look at the ARC site and the safety equipment they require, it's best to carry all of it.

On ocean passages many things will break, some are critical such as the alternator, water pump and toilet. The list is long but check the model numbers of the kit you have on board and buy the spares pack for everything. Make sure you and the crew understand how things work and can fix things - major toolkit required plus duct tape, nuts and bolts of various sizes, electrical tape, self almalgamating tape, duct tape, spare electrical wire, a few blocks of wood - for bodge jobs. Other thins - spare shackles, hose clips and cable ties sizes to fit different hose sizes for example.

Autopilots often fail due to rudder loadings not experienced before. With five people you should be able to hand steer, short handed crews should carry a spare.Two things we always carried were a spare alternator and rigging wire of each size cut to the longest length and Stalok fittings.

Provision for one week more than your passage plan and carry a few 5 gallon water containers for emergency use.

Check and double check everything on the boat including going up the mast. Consider what you would do in a full gale e.g. cold food, is everything secured, do you shorten the watches, have you got a comprehensive medical kit and is it easily accessed etc.

Also carry the obvious things such fuel and oil filters, oil etc. Carry more than you expect to use especially fuel filters if the boat has been laid up for a while.

I would also strongly recomment that two of you do the RYA's Sea Survival and Medical courses. Do not underestimate what you are about to do and and as a shakedown do at least two 100 mile night sails before crossing. You must must be able to move inside the boat at night knowing instinctively where the handholds are. We originally practised in daylight with our eyes closed.

if you have any specific questions feel free to PM me. Also if you have time the Ocean Cruising Club have a free mentoring programme for people planning to go ocean sailing. Full details at www.oceancruisingclub.org.

 

[DownWest]

The OP might want to look at some of the threads about importing boats from the USA and the RCD implications. Could effect his business model.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Assure a solid electrical system.

Do a shakedown cruise before you leave.

 

[matt1]

I had only done coastal and xchannel sailing until I crossed (many years ago) and whilst it is initially very daunting to set off, you will however soon enjoy it. I would suggest;

1) If possible make sure you gain some rough weather experience, preferably on different points of sail beforehand. this will give you confidence in the boat, you and allow you to test the various sail combinations.

2) Prepare well - navigation & weather wise and also prepare the boat. For instance we taped cardboard over the spreaders and had some very strong preventers rigged. Also think about stowage of gear below, weight distribution. Think about the point of sail - maybe invest in a different cut of sail or a pole for poling out headsails - it could make a huge difference. Have new halliards fitted...sounds simple but you dont want to take th risk. Chafe could be the biggest enemy!

3) Fill your ipod up with as much stuff as possible and take a lot of books. The biggest danger is complacency (maybe not so much on the more challenging northern return route). The problem is you will settle into a routine and when the weather does turn for the wost you need to be "active" and ready to respond.

Enjoy!!

 

[prv]

On ocean passages many things will break, some are critical such as the alternator, water pump and toilet.

Not sure I'd put the toilet on the "critical" list. Granted, spares for it are a good idea, especially if it's the Jabsco style with fiddly valves, but it's not a threat to life and limb if it goes wrong. Plenty of small cruisers have got by without them; indeed I rarely use mine (compartment impractically cramped).

Pete

 

[KellysEye]

>then purchasing a forty footer because they are cheaper

Look at the US price then add what you spend to equip the boat and the damage repairs. It definitely won't work as a business model even if you transfer the EPIRB, liferaft etc to another US boat. Then think about the costs of flying the kit back to the US let alone the issues of kit with air cylinders and batteries.

If it worked as a business somebody would already be doing it.

 

[KellysEye]

>Not sure I'd put the toilet on the "critical" list.

The last thing you need on an ocean passage is hassle. With five people on board and no loo it would it would be a serious pain in the arse. Not critical perhaps but for the price of a service pack...

 

[tcm]

Where in the USA?

Imho, far more important than your ability to sail is you ability to fix stuff, or to have planned ahead to allow for failures. Like lotsa tools and spares and bits. I'd prefer the boat to be newish or well-known and it sounds like it mite be neither, hm.

You should be planning to leave USA perhaps May, I think. More fuel gives you the flexibility to avoid having to just sit and wait.

SSB hum, not used much on last ARC. Wx via email+satphones allows forecasts several times a day instead patiently waiting for Herb to give you a *******ing and not-always-perfect info - I'm not a fan since unless you follow his routing - you're out!

Water use a load of mostly-filled water bottles as emergency (they float).

Food should include lotsa things that are okay if fridge/freezer fails.

Confidence is a big factor. For the uphill gig WtoE, i think it would be a good idea to take someone who's done it before.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Any boat you buy over there and sell over here has to be Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) compliant. If you can't find one that already is, it can be a VERY expensive and tedious process to make it conform: most of the RCD stuff is built in at the time of manufacture. And if it doesn't conform, you won't be able to resell it, or – I believe – even transfer it into UK ownership. Plus, you'll have to pay VAT on the import - soon to be 20% of whatever you paid for it - more if HMRC believe it was undervalued in relation to the UK market.

The real advantage of buying in the US comes when you want to cruise non-European waters, when you can forget all of the foregoing.

 

[pugwash60]

I'd check rigging, including chain plates, mast, sails and rudder. Not much else is needed although lots of other stuff could be nice to have. Personally I'd not bother much with weather info. once I'd left, in my experience you spend more time thinking and worrying about what might happen (and which route to take for the best whilst the weather never complies with your plans anyway) rather than just sailing and dealing with what you get. With 4 of you there's no real need for any autopilot or self steering but it'd be nice and probably cheaper to fit in the US,
I can't see why buying an ex european boat from the States needs to involve the RCD and have thought of this myself but not actually done it, good luck. I'd look for an old European boat with diesel ( not 'gas') engine, in good condition buy loads of food fill the water tanks, take a few gallons spare water in bottles and head off, probably stopping at the Azores on the way back where the authorities are great and unlikely to start asking for ridiculous pieces of paper, and you'll already be checked into Europe by the time you arrive in Cornwall.

 

[iangrant]

My happenny worth

dental kit, blood pressure monitor (boots 30 quid to re-assure crew with heartburn they are not having a heart attack) some way of making electric.. genset. windgen, towing gen, plastic squid hook, you'll catch dorado at dusk, potatoes. eggs (forget the vaseline, turning nonsense) lots of beer, hand held GPS and spare batteries, sat phone with laptop connection with email, shore captain checking storms and directing, (no need for downloading gribs when the broadband land based fella says route south/north etc..) bread mix, spare gas pipe in case internal plumbing fails, gas bottle on deck direct to cooker, epirb, liferaft, tinned stores, rice, dry stores, water maker, or loads of water bottles, medipack registration - gets you a doctor on call a medical pack with morphine, spare alternator, spare sails, ............. and enjoy

Ian

 

[ianat182]

Have not crossed the pond myself, but reckon on about 30 days if all goes well and if you are lucky enough to select your most favourable weather/route.

You may need to check for US safety regs whilst in their waters with the US Coastguard.
A Sat phone and back-up radio would seem to be the more recent additions and the EPIRBS.
As your destination is Wales you may consider charts for SW Ireland if forced to divert through weather or gear problems.

You don't say where you are starting from, but fog may also be an important consideration - even in May.

Hope all goes well for you.

ianat182

 

[alant]

Have not crossed the pond myself, but reckon on about 30 days if all goes well and if you are lucky enough to select your most favourable weather/route.

You may need to check for US safety regs whilst in their waters with the US Coastguard.
A Sat phone and back-up radio would seem to be the more recent additions and the EPIRBS.
As your destination is Wales you may consider charts for SW Ireland if forced to divert through weather or gear problems.

You don't say where you are starting from, but fog may also be an important consideration - even in May.

Hope all goes well for you.

ianat182

What US safety regs?

Tried to get some information from USCG when bringing a 42' ketch back from Long Island.
Useless, couldn't even advise on weather sites & local radio/tv was very local.

Local marina guys were very scathing about the USCG - bemedalled & looking like true professionals - they have 100k miles they said, but all on inland waters/lakes.
We tried posting a sitrep on departing States & CG showed little interest, didn't seem to understand that anyone would sail across to Europe.

One big problem, was sourcing decent gear, including lifejackets/harnesses. West Marine were the main chandlers & their harness strops were inclined to fail under modest load.
Deliveries from online sources were difficult to monitor/progress. Once they had been dispatched, they seemed to lose interest in where stuff was - not their responsibility. Myth of US efficiency/service destroyed completely.