Land Ahoy!

[geem]

Personally, being on a small boat with the engine running for 13 solid days is not an attractive proposition.

Nope, but we and most others consider the trip a delivery trip. You have hurricane season starting in the Caribbean and there is no point in being sat out there waiting for wind if you have fuel. In light wind crossing seasons, it is not uncommon to motor a lot of the trip. In 2005 on our previous boat, doing this trip, we got diesel from a ship. We were 1000nm from land and there was no wind forecast. Its one of the reasons why, when choosing our next boat, we wanted something that sailed very well in light airs. Certainly proved its worth on this trip

 

[Daydream believer]

Certainly puts one off doing the ARC atlantic in the first place. I know that my friends disliked the last 6 days of the crossing westwards & complained of the excessive heat. They were not particularly enamoured with the Carribbean having waited for the return just wandering around waiting . I got the impression that it is bucket list & that is it.
When asked if they wanted to go back the reply was a big NO

 

[capnsensible]

Certainly puts one off doing the ARC atlantic in the first place. I know that my friends disliked the last 6 days of the crossing westwards & complained of the excessive heat. They were not particularly enamoured with the Carribbean having waited for the return just wandering around waiting . I got the impression that it is bucket list & that is it.
When asked if they wanted to go back the reply was a big NO

I reckon that not being able to enjoy oneself in the windies must lead to a thousand other problems....

 

[geem]

Certainly puts one off doing the ARC atlantic in the first place. I know that my friends disliked the last 6 days of the crossing westwards & complained of the excessive heat. They were not particularly enamoured with the Carribbean having waited for the return just wandering around waiting . I got the impression that it is bucket list & that is it.
When asked if they wanted to go back the reply was a big NO

I would never do the ARC anything. It has no purpose in my mind. Why would you leave to any long haul trip on a predetermined date? The only weather you can choose on any long trip is the weather you leave on. Its nice to be able to bed in to a trip with favourable conditions.
The Caribbean has some of the best sailing in the world. 25 different countries all easily accessible with mainly day sails. If somebody can't deal with the heat then why did they go to the Caribbean? They could easily have researched the climate before leaving. For me the climate is perfect. Its a winter season when Europe is not fit for sailing. No where better to be on a yacht in winter in my opinion