dart
New member
Considering going North up Portugal this Aygust. Any advice/experience? Going South was OK not looking forward to going back however!
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Going North up Portugal
- Thread starter dart
- Start date
tcm
...
hi. We did this recently.
Not sure what sort of boat you are in?
Either way, i would get a very decent radar reflector if you plan to run overnight, cos there are shipping lanes, with lots of ships all doing 20ish knots at night, even in fog. I would also stay out of the shipping lanes, and also out of the non-official parts that join the TSS areas. Nighttime is when there seem to be far more ships - cos they are in port during daytimes i suppose. Poring over a radar is effectively all they have to avoid any other vessels, so poncing around in the shipping lanes is a good way of getting whacked, like playing on a motorway. Cascais nr Lisbon is a very easy and quick stopover.
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Not sure what sort of boat you are in?
Either way, i would get a very decent radar reflector if you plan to run overnight, cos there are shipping lanes, with lots of ships all doing 20ish knots at night, even in fog. I would also stay out of the shipping lanes, and also out of the non-official parts that join the TSS areas. Nighttime is when there seem to be far more ships - cos they are in port during daytimes i suppose. Poring over a radar is effectively all they have to avoid any other vessels, so poncing around in the shipping lanes is a good way of getting whacked, like playing on a motorway. Cascais nr Lisbon is a very easy and quick stopover.
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Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Trad answer is to go west far enough to get out of the way of coastal shipping and fishing, southerly current and northerly breeze, then turn north until you pick up the westerlies coming around an Atlantic depression, slap her into third and scream up the channel.
Of course, this can hardly be described as the scenic route.
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
Of course, this can hardly be described as the scenic route.
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
Sunnyseeker
New member
We had southerlies for weeks when we were trying to get South...tacking between the ships and rocks..so if your really lucky you might get a nice SE'ly loads of lovely places to stop so you can do it in daysails (most of it) and hence avoid the very busy ship bits...
One problem we heard of with an English couple, when the swell is up some Portuguese ports are officially closed, dont go in, a yacht was impounded for several days. They do it because the entrances are dangerous in a swell. Trouble is if you call on the radio to ask if the harbour is open before committing often you get no reply as the radio operator doesn't speak english....when this couple arrived in the harbour they were initially asked if they'd radio'd, they said they had and got no reply, when police asked the radio operator at the port if anyone had called he said no.
If the swell is anything over 5-6 m then avoid the harbours that have warnings in the guide, even if your dieing for some Tapas.
Apart from that I wish I was going!
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One problem we heard of with an English couple, when the swell is up some Portuguese ports are officially closed, dont go in, a yacht was impounded for several days. They do it because the entrances are dangerous in a swell. Trouble is if you call on the radio to ask if the harbour is open before committing often you get no reply as the radio operator doesn't speak english....when this couple arrived in the harbour they were initially asked if they'd radio'd, they said they had and got no reply, when police asked the radio operator at the port if anyone had called he said no.
If the swell is anything over 5-6 m then avoid the harbours that have warnings in the guide, even if your dieing for some Tapas.
Apart from that I wish I was going!
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zefender
Active member
You'll probably encounter winds on the nose, most of the way up (the P. trades). Also a bit of a current running South too. So, it's motor, motor, unless you do as TKen says and whizz of Azoresish and on from there - but that's a long offshore trip. Fog is major hazard, particularly further North up coast. Huge fishing fleets too - oh and lobster pots in >100 metres water.
I day motorsailed my way up a couple of years ago. It's a bit of a schlep. If you want any info on stopovers etc, let me know.
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I day motorsailed my way up a couple of years ago. It's a bit of a schlep. If you want any info on stopovers etc, let me know.
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temptress
Well-known member
HI,
I've done this several times and it's not fun. If you have the boat and crew for it I would recomment going out to the Azores and then back in. If not then the wind will be on the nose most of the way. You should expect F5 to 6 during thg the day increasing to 7 and even 8's around ther big headlands.
The last time i came up there it took me 5 attempts to get around Cabo Rocha near lisbon. Still I was in good company the 75ft Truly Classic 'Saphire' did the same.
The wind is generally less at night but it will still blow. I alway thing that March and April ar ethe best times to go up portugal but then Biscay is not so good then.
Good luck,
<hr width=100% size=1>Temptress of Down
Southsea Marina
Hants
UK
I've done this several times and it's not fun. If you have the boat and crew for it I would recomment going out to the Azores and then back in. If not then the wind will be on the nose most of the way. You should expect F5 to 6 during thg the day increasing to 7 and even 8's around ther big headlands.
The last time i came up there it took me 5 attempts to get around Cabo Rocha near lisbon. Still I was in good company the 75ft Truly Classic 'Saphire' did the same.
The wind is generally less at night but it will still blow. I alway thing that March and April ar ethe best times to go up portugal but then Biscay is not so good then.
Good luck,
<hr width=100% size=1>Temptress of Down
Southsea Marina
Hants
UK
temptress
Well-known member
HI,
I've done this several times and it's not fun. If you have the boat and crew for it I would recomment going out to the Azores and then back in. If not then the wind will be on the nose most of the way. You should expect F5 to 6 during thg the day increasing to 7 and even 8's around ther big headlands.
The last time i came up there it took me 5 attempts to get around Cabo Rocha near lisbon. Still I was in good company the 75ft Truly Classic 'Saphire' did the same.
The wind is generally less at night but it will still blow. I alway thing that March and April ar ethe best times to go up portugal but then Biscay is not so good then.
Good luck,
<hr width=100% size=1>Temptress of Down
Southsea Marina
Hants
UK
I've done this several times and it's not fun. If you have the boat and crew for it I would recomment going out to the Azores and then back in. If not then the wind will be on the nose most of the way. You should expect F5 to 6 during thg the day increasing to 7 and even 8's around ther big headlands.
The last time i came up there it took me 5 attempts to get around Cabo Rocha near lisbon. Still I was in good company the 75ft Truly Classic 'Saphire' did the same.
The wind is generally less at night but it will still blow. I alway thing that March and April ar ethe best times to go up portugal but then Biscay is not so good then.
Good luck,
<hr width=100% size=1>Temptress of Down
Southsea Marina
Hants
UK
aditi
New member
I.did the trip with wife and son (11) in 2002.
We were lucky to do a delivery from vilamoura to holland in a Hallberg rassy 352.
We've had a wonderfull experience and wishes we had more time to visit all the beautifull places.
We made the choise to do it in mostly daytrips .Our experience is that a radar and a chartplotter are beautiful extra's and give you a lot of rest.
When the weather is hot you've got a lot of fog about 2,5 out of the coast , this becouse of the heat that builds up at the concrete coast and the cold temperature of the water.
If you become a mile or 2 out of the coast the fog is gone.
Also the pilots we used are all written by english people.they are all written in the southgoing direction so you have to read them backwards.(becouse you're going north).
The people from the customs are rarely speaking english,We made copy's of the first custompapers and so the people could copy it in their own language.
Every harbour they ask you your shipspapars and insurance and so on and so on.
A friend of us who is a liveaboard for 16 years in Lagos and who did several deliveries advised us to the 100 meter depthline along the coast ,you have less higher waves and you're out of the fog.and not in the shipping lane.
You will see that there are much more boats going southwards and if you talk to them the most are leaving for a sabatical or a permanent leave.going to the fun that you're letting behind.
The Food is (if you like fish products) very good .
Best going in a street a litle further from the boulevards it will deliver a much,much cheaper bill.Ask a local or the harbourmaster for the best local food.it will pay off.
Look at your fuellconsumption in the first days ,becouse you have to motorsail a lot and than you see that the tankholdingcapacity of a sailingboat is not as big as you wish. It could allso be handy for the biscay crossing .We did it in 100 hours from Spain to Brest in france
From there in 2 tides to Sint Peter's port(the channel Isles) after That to Blankenberge (Belgium)and the last to Numansdorp in Holland .
It was a great experience which when asked we do again .
If there are any questions you can allways mail me .
Wishing you a beautiful trip and a safe homecoming .
Arthur Leentvaar s.y.ADITI
Numansdorp Holland
<hr width=100% size=1>
We were lucky to do a delivery from vilamoura to holland in a Hallberg rassy 352.
We've had a wonderfull experience and wishes we had more time to visit all the beautifull places.
We made the choise to do it in mostly daytrips .Our experience is that a radar and a chartplotter are beautiful extra's and give you a lot of rest.
When the weather is hot you've got a lot of fog about 2,5 out of the coast , this becouse of the heat that builds up at the concrete coast and the cold temperature of the water.
If you become a mile or 2 out of the coast the fog is gone.
Also the pilots we used are all written by english people.they are all written in the southgoing direction so you have to read them backwards.(becouse you're going north).
The people from the customs are rarely speaking english,We made copy's of the first custompapers and so the people could copy it in their own language.
Every harbour they ask you your shipspapars and insurance and so on and so on.
A friend of us who is a liveaboard for 16 years in Lagos and who did several deliveries advised us to the 100 meter depthline along the coast ,you have less higher waves and you're out of the fog.and not in the shipping lane.
You will see that there are much more boats going southwards and if you talk to them the most are leaving for a sabatical or a permanent leave.going to the fun that you're letting behind.
The Food is (if you like fish products) very good .
Best going in a street a litle further from the boulevards it will deliver a much,much cheaper bill.Ask a local or the harbourmaster for the best local food.it will pay off.
Look at your fuellconsumption in the first days ,becouse you have to motorsail a lot and than you see that the tankholdingcapacity of a sailingboat is not as big as you wish. It could allso be handy for the biscay crossing .We did it in 100 hours from Spain to Brest in france
From there in 2 tides to Sint Peter's port(the channel Isles) after That to Blankenberge (Belgium)and the last to Numansdorp in Holland .
It was a great experience which when asked we do again .
If there are any questions you can allways mail me .
Wishing you a beautiful trip and a safe homecoming .
Arthur Leentvaar s.y.ADITI
Numansdorp Holland
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