isle of wight to portugal route

[davethedog]

Hello all,

we are looking to head off to Portugal soon (mid next week looking at the weather) and currently considering the following route options:

Yarmouth (IOW) to Brest, going to the west of the Channel Isles.
Stop over at Brest and await for a good 5 day weather window.
Brest across the Bay of Biscay to A Coruna (heading SW from Brest to get way offshore then heading South.



Thoughts ref this?

Vessel is a 41ft sailboat and crew of 2 of us and a dog!

DTD

 

[Minchsailor]

I've done similar with a stopover at L'Aberwrach waiting for a fair wind to get us to La Coruna. Easy passage. Took about 6 days (39-40ft Moody)

 

[LadyInBed]

Heading offshore as you indicate will put you close or into the shipping route.
I go to Camaret rather than Brest, then down the Raz

From my 2013 log:
Left 1410 all started well with the wind behind me, and passed the Ile du Sein at 2010, 27.8mls in 6hrs averaging about 4.6 knots. Now set 210 degrees for Spain 340 mls away! Lots of fishing boats around but nothing near me – AIS aerial that I put up the mizzen just before leaving is picking up ships at 50 mls! Trying to work out my sleep routine, at the moment, just taking cat naps on the saloon berth.

and from my 2015 log:
Once down past the Raz, the wind was SW 3-4 so the best I could make was 190, which put me on course for Gijon.

 

[webcraft]

Brest to A Coruna in your boat should take less than 4 days. You are as well waiting for a window and going direct from IOW.

- W

 

[davethedog]

Brest to A Coruna in your boat should take less than 4 days. You are as well waiting for a window and going direct from IOW.

- W

That is an option too of course!

 

[RobbieW]

Heading offshore as you indicate will put you close or into the shipping route...

Concur with that, on your planning chart join the ends of the TSSs off Finisterre and Ouessant then plan your route at least 10 Nm or so either side

 

[superheat6k]

West
South West
South South West
South
East
Made it. (Just add distances)

 

[lw395]

Brest to A Coruna in your boat should take less than 4 days. You are as well waiting for a window and going direct from IOW.

- W

I'm inclined to disagree.
IOW to Brest might eat up a sgnificant fraction of your weather window depending on wind direction.
If you're happy to sit in Brest or Falmouth or whatever, then getting West while it's convenient and waiting for a 4 day window might beat waiting for a 6 day window in Cowes.
OTOH if you can be earning money while waiting in Cowes, your value system might vary.

With hindsight, many journeys would have gone a bit better if we'd started earlier.

 

[LadyInBed]

I would much rather sit and wait in Camaret than IoW !

 

[KompetentKrew]

I go to Camaret rather than Brest, then down the Raz

Camaret is gorgeous.

When we did it last year we left Yarmouth at dawn one day, arriving Dartmouth that evening.
We left Dartmouth again early the next morning, arriving in Camaret about 24 hours later.

 

[Tomahawk]

Recommend Sada instead of La Coruna.

Cheaper, and nicer town with lots of restaurants right next to the marians and a good supermarket in easy carrying distance.

 

[viago]

Hello all,

we are looking to head off to Portugal soon (mid next week looking at the weather) and currently considering the following route options:

Yarmouth (IOW) to Brest, going to the west of the Channel Isles.
Stop over at Brest and await for a good 5 day weather window.
Brest across the Bay of Biscay to A Coruna (heading SW from Brest to get way offshore then heading South.

View attachment 78986

Thoughts ref this?

Vessel is a 41ft sailboat and crew of 2 of us and a dog!

DTD

what's your hurry man?

to travel is better than to arrive.

you are missing a great number of interesting stop overs.

the nazi u-boat base at la rochelle is worth a visit the dog might enjoy. as is the tower. decent mullet to catch in the marina.

aviles is very nice as is la caruna. st thomas's church is spectacular for a small church. i love spanish churches.

i'd hug the coast, ease the risks of biscay and enjoy the trip. the dog needs exercise ffs.

 

[FlyingGoose]

what's your hurry man?

to travel is better than to arrive.

you are missing a great number of interesting stop overs.

the nazi u-boat base at la rochelle is worth a visit the dog might enjoy. as is the tower. decent mullet to catch in the marina.

aviles is very nice as is la caruna. st thomas's church is spectacular for a small church. i love spanish churches.

i'd hug the coast, ease the risks of biscay and enjoy the trip. the dog needs exercise ffs.

The dog can pish up front and you can always tie a rope on it and fling it intot the sea for a swim

 

[viago]

The dog can pish up front and you can always tie a rope on it and fling it intot the sea for a swim

 

[Lightwave395]

Camaret is gorgeous.

When we did it last year we left Yarmouth at dawn one day, arriving Dartmouth that evening.
We left Dartmouth again early the next morning, arriving in Camaret about 24 hours later.

IMHO Camaret is a bit jaded of late (I was there overnight in April this year ) If you're going to be around there for a few days waiting for a weather window, Brest Chateau Marina is much nicer if only for the showers. Not much difference if you get the tide right through the channel out of Brest, I was stuck in Brest for 4 days before the weather moderated and went down to the Raz from there in 4 hours

 

[LadyInBed]

Recommend Sada instead of La Coruna.

Cheaper, and nicer town with lots of restaurants right next to the marians and a good supermarket in easy carrying distance.

I liked Sada as a jump off point for return trip but arriving late at night I anchor across the Ria from La Coruna in Ensenada Mera, easy access and nice and quiet.
Oh! forgot to say - Also very cheap
(as is anchoring off Camaret when waiting to go)