Frequented/popular hubs on the Atlantic coast

[kamkabr]

Hello

I wonder from which ports on the Atlantic coast (in Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, perhaps even Britain, etc.), do most yachts and small boats, or small fishing boats sail towards South America and the Caribbean?

Which are the most frequented/popular "hubs" (ports) for yacht and small boats on the Atlantic side of Europe?

In other words: where would be the easiest way to find someone (a small boat/yacht captain) who would transport me, obviously as a PAID SERVICE, to any port in the north of South America (preferably to Colombia, Panama, etc.)

Any information related to the topic would be appreciated.

KK

 

[Roberto]

Hello,
we are in May, the next few months will be full hurricane season so there will not be many leisure boats crossing towards the Caribbean.
Also, boats are usually rather looking for crew, who might as well be unexperienced; it might not be easy to find someone willing to take you onboard as formally "paying passenger", which is quite a different relationship.
Best luck

 

[Yngmar]

Few will be foolish enough to take a complete stranger on such a trip. The crossing takes 2+ weeks on a sailboat and there's plenty of scary stories about axe murderers, drug smugglers and whatnot going around.

 

[Bajansailor]

@kamkabr what do you plan to do once you arrive in South America?
Have you been sailing before?
If you have not, then that will make it even more difficult to hitch a lift on a yacht sailing across.
If your main purpose is to get to South America, it would be easier to simply hop on an aeroplane.

 

[kamkabr]

I see that all three responders have read carefully my question ("Any information RELATED TO THE TOPIC would...").

 

[sarabande]

KK, you have asked a question to which there is no simple short reply.

You have had three pragmatic responses from experienced sailing people, and you must excuse an element of caution in their replies which have given you good advice, especially as it is a very very unusual request to ask for transatlantic sailors to pick up a single "paying" passenger to Columbia or Panama.

You need to give many more details of why you want to do this and how you are going to fund your stay in S America.

 

[Graham376]

I see that all three responders have read carefully my question ("Any information RELATED TO THE TOPIC would...").

OK then, here's two related points - there are no specific ports for departure and paid passage is illegal on any pleasure boat so highly likely anyone will take you on, on that basis.

 

[Roberto]

If you want to pay and do it by sea, sometimes there are cargo ships offering some kind of berths, their departure and arrival ports are different from leisure yachts and FWIK passages are not cheap.
If you are attentive to money, then no one can beat a 747.

 

[BobnLesley]

Regarding the OP's question, I'd say that Las Palmas on Gran Canaria probably sees the biggest concentration of Trans-At yachts; we didn't depart from there ourselves, but a high proportion do and many of the rest at least pass through.
That said, the comments made earlier are relevant Kamkabr, there will be few interested in taking an unknown and presumably inexperienced crew member along, even if paid. Virtually no cruising yachts will be heading directly to Colombia or Panama and depending on your passport, neither of those countries will allow you to just get off the boat and walk away; you'll need to be able to show an onward air-ticket and/or financial resources to do so and should you not be able to, it's the yacht's skipper who will be held responsible for your inability to do so; yet another reason for yachtsmen to be wary of shipping strangers aboard.

 

[Beneteau381]

Hello

I wonder from which ports on the Atlantic coast (in Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands, perhaps even Britain, etc.), do most yachts and small boats, or small fishing boats sail towards South America and the Caribbean?

Which are the most frequented/popular "hubs" (ports) for yacht and small boats on the Atlantic side of Europe?

In other words: where would be the easiest way to find someone (a small boat/yacht captain) who would transport me, obviously as a PAID SERVICE, to any port in the north of South America (preferably to Colombia, Panama, etc.)

Any information related to the topic would be appreciated.

KK

When we were based in La Linea, Alcadeisa Marine we would get swamped about October ish by young people after a lift to the Canaries ready for the ARC. They would have CVs printed out, they were a pest. One pretty young Israeli girl wanderd about on her own, she soon got offers of a lift until her boyfriend pitched up!

 

[srm]

In other words: where would be the easiest way to find someone (a small boat/yacht captain) who would transport me, obviously as a PAID SERVICE, to any port in the north of South America (preferably to Colombia, Panama, etc.)

I have skippered charter yachts so am used to meeting the people I will be spending the next two weeks with for the first time on the day we depart. However, as BobnLesley said in #9 the owner / skipper is legally responsible for the people that they take in to a country. I did have correspondence and often phone calls with my paying charterers, along with deposits, well in advance of the trip so had an idea about who would be joining the boat and (on one way foreign passages) how they would be leaving the country.

This is a very different situation to accepting a 'pier head jump' on board at the start of an ocean passage. Even when I ran a legal charter yacht here is no way that I would take a 'pier head jumper' on board for anything other than a short sail of a few hours. Now that I no longer have a boat registered for charter work I turn down any request for "unofficial" charters or paid trips, as the risks of a brush with officialdom are simply not worth it. If a boat's skipper/owner is suspected of breaking immigration or maritime passenger regulations many authorities can start by arresting or confiscating the vessel while they think about what to do next.

This is just my position should I be approached as the OP suggests, but also seems to be reflected by a number of people above.

If you are serious about your idea there are charter yachts, some of which offer single berths, that do make seasonal passages across the Atlantic. One that offers sailing on 'tall ships' is Classic Sailing - link bellow:

Home

There are probably others if you search on line.

Hope this helps. I am not trying to block your dream - just offering a touch of realism.

 

[AndrewB]

Like other skippers here, I have always been very wary of pier-head jumps, specially internationally. Even more so of a single male offering to pay to a slightly dubious destination (it has happened) than an impecunious student couple looking for adventure.

However, doesn't the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, World Cruising Club) match crew to boats for their annual crossing? Worth taking a look, Kamkabr.