jester routing

[Daydream believer]

It seems that an atlantic crossing & back can be done a lot quicker than going via the ARC & jester is S Handed etc so suddenly it is interesting --if a 31 ft yacht would be accepted
The boat is virtually ready to go except for additional power source
I have been looking at north atlantic routing charts & I would like to ask ---what route those that have actually done it ( rather than the armchair sailors) have actually taken & having done it would they do it different if they did it again
Do you all go well south or do you keep up north a bit & play with head winds
If you go south, how far & for how long ie down to the Azores then almost all of the way across before heading N or more of a curved course only dipping south at mid point

Then what route home? keep north?

What sort of weather did you encounter. I have just spoken to an ARC sailor who has returned via Azores & says he never had more than F7 both ways except for some squalls near Bermuda. All wind was aft & hardly ever sailed on the wind

I just do not want 2 months of tipped over at 45 degrees to the vertical & hammering the boat.
I want to 1) Acheive it 2) Enjoy it
Any experiences much appreciated

 

[sailor211]

My aim was great circle to NEwfoundland, Gc Newfoundland to Newport. No more than 200 miles cross track. Happy not to be hard on the wind. So was not on her ear much. Went south of the ice!.
As you progress, a afew degrees off makes little difference to the distance to go!.
At three days out you have to make more effort to go directly to the finish. So the course matters and after two days you are still three days out if its dead up wind.

 

[andlauer]

Bonjour
On the Oceanracetrack website you will find:
- manny tracks of the previous 2010 JC and my track for the 2006 JC.
http://www.oceanracetrack.com/raceplayer/raceplayer.aspx?event=34
-My track and Pete Hill's track for the JC 2006. Plus my day to day report in French...................................... and English
http://www.oceanracetrack.com/evtChart.aspx?id=22#top
Eric

 

[Gargleblaster]

I just do not want 2 months of tipped over at 45 degrees to the vertical & hammering the boat.
I want to 1) Acheive it 2) Enjoy it
Any experiences much appreciated

If you don't want to spend 2 months beating into strong head winds it might be better to do the Southern route going south of the Azores. However that is no guarantee of an easy passage as the JAC12 was beset by F5/6/7s constantly on the nose. I spent my whole time with either 2 or 3 reefs in.

In 2007 I completed a crossing to Newport staying well south of the Intermediate route. According to the pilot charts 90% should have been in quadrants where there was a 0 record of F8 or above. In my 7 week crossing I encountered 9 Lows of F8 or above.

In 2010 I kept trying to go South but the winds were never favourable. I spent most of my time heading the current in Squeezed Highs on the Intermediate route.

The easiest way to return is to grab the Gulf Stream/Atlantic Drift with mostly Westerlies behind you and enjoy the ride.

 

[Daydream believer]

If you don't want to spend 2 months beating into strong head winds it might be better to do the Southern route going south of the Azores. However that is no guarantee of an easy passage as the JAC12 was beset by F5/6/7s constantly on the nose. I spent my whole time with either 2 or 3 reefs in.

In 2007 I completed a crossing to Newport staying well south of the Intermediate route. According to the pilot charts 90% should have been in quadrants where there was a 0 record of F8 or above. In my 7 week crossing I encountered 9 Lows of F8 or above.

In 2010 I kept trying to go South but the winds were never favourable. I spent most of my time heading the current in Squeezed Highs on the Intermediate route.

The easiest way to return is to grab the Gulf Stream/Atlantic Drift with mostly Westerlies behind you and enjoy the ride.

How long did you take from leaving port & finally coming back?

I have encountered f8 lots of times in the N sea but after 20 odd hours i have usually got to a port. I have also been totally kn..ered. So one of my concerns is how is the motion on these crossings. On one trip i was thrown upwards over a 9 inch high lea cloth & on to the floor.I have been in situations where just going below to get something is an exhausting event. How on earth I would fair over a couple of days is one of my main worries
Is it a motion like the n sea or is it more of a "gentle" sail up & down the swell?

 

[andlauer]

Bonjour
Even on the northern route a gale never last as long as the income! Two days is a maximum and the average must be about a day.
You always have at least a few hours of rest, I don't mean calm, between two blows.
The sea is longer and much more "comfortable" than on the continental shelf as in North sea as it is your reference.
In a blow anyway it is shaky.
eric