NE Atlantic Passage planning

[Tim 500]

Hello all.
I am at the early stages of planning a cruise from U.K east coast to Caneries, Madeira Azores and back next year 2018.
I am looking for month by month wind direction and strength statistics for the areas concerned Recommendations for sources of info welcome.

 

[Budgieboy]

Cornell's Ocean Atlas ....

 

[Roberto]

http://cioss.coas.oregonstate.edu/cogow/index.html

 

[GHA]

Another source for opencpn -

https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/info/pilotcharts.html


Though the average of what the winds have done in the past is only a small part of the picture, IMHO that's too much in a year unless you want to miss lots along the way. Straight to Madeira from SW Portugal might be worth having a think about?

Also maybe ..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ocean-Pass...&sr=8-2&keywords=ocean+passages+and+landfalls

https://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Crui...8162092&sr=1-1&keywords=world+cruising+routes

 

[macd]

As well as the above, monthly wind roses charts are free to download from passageweather.

 

[Tim 500]

Thanks all, am following up all advice, also interested in actual routes taken.
Might think about over wintering in The Sun, any thoughts.

 

[Wansworth]

The canaries have many marinas and easy flights back to the UKplus benign weather....win,win!

 

[blenkinsop]

The problem with the Cornell and Heikell books is that they tempt you to read of ocean passages further afield and want to experience some of them!
'World Cruising Routes' thoroughly recommended

 

[npf1]

Not too sure if it’s still available, but around ten years ago there was a rather useful software package called Visual Passage Planner. It took you start & end points, start date, speed, and polar diagram, then did route optimisations using the monthly passage planning chart data.

 

[alteredoutlook]

......IMHO that's too much in a year unless you want to miss lots along the way.

disagree ......thats no different (apart from a darn sight easier!) from doing an Atlantic circuit within a year. compared to an Atlantic circuit if you do madeira en route to the canaries you then have around 5-6 months to get back to the azores and then back to the UK. No problem......!

 

[GHA]

Thanks all, am following up all advice, also interested in actual routes taken.
Might think about over wintering in The Sun, any thoughts.

Routes are pretty much straight from one place to another. Wait for a nice weather window and off you go.

Overwintering - would you stretch to a marina or anchor? If anchoring then Algarve has a lot going for it, Canaries bit limited on the anchoring front but then you could probably get a good deal in a marina quite reasonable. Climate in Algarve is generally nice and the Canaries even better

Well worth considering though, bet you loads you won't do that trip in one year

 

[GHA]

disagree ......thats no different (apart from a darn sight easier!) from doing an Atlantic circuit within a year. compared to an Atlantic circuit if you do madeira en route to the canaries you then have around 5-6 months to get back to the azores and then back to the UK. No problem......!

Unless you want to see something and have fun along the way
Also the year has winters in Europe, not so bad south of St Vincent but a lot of the year will be out of bounds unless you want to risk getting severely hammered. I'd certainly be twitchy about a really early Biscay and leaving Azores much past September. Suddenly your year is more like 6 months.

 

[srm]

First leg, Kilmore Quay (Ireland) to Praia da Vitoria, Ilha Teceira, Azores. Keeps you west of Biscay.

We are still there so don't rush. Azores islands are well worth a summer's cruising and a winter marina berth, or ashore, is possible in some places.

 

[Tim 500]

Thanks for that, we love to anchor, but for winter would try to find a reasonable marina. That way we could fly back for a month or so.
We are Hungry for any tips on places, routes, local customs etc etc.
Our boat is a venerable 1984 Scanmar 33 in which I have enormous confidence, even more after work we are doing this winter.
Will be investing in liferaft and EPERB, plan to do without RADAR or water maker, however keen to listen to all views.

Tim

 

[KellysEye]

One thought we have been in a low 35 knots gusting 50 over Biscay and it hadn't been in a forecast, sadly a local fishing boat was lost with all hands. In Velsheda we had 50 knots gusting 80 in a secondary low in the English Channel also not in a forecast. So keep an eye on the barometer and reef early as it rises, which was we did both times and kept sailing. The barometer reading was one of the things we updated in our log every two hours.

 

[Heckler]

Hello all.
I am at the early stages of planning a cruise from U.K east coast to Caneries, Madeira Azores and back next year 2018.
I am looking for month by month wind direction and strength statistics for the areas concerned Recommendations for sources of info welcome.

I found this Imray chart has most of what you want on it.
https://www.imray.com/Charts/Imray+Charts/North+Atlantic+Ocean/ICI-C100-1/
Stu

 

[srm]

Our boat is a venerable 1984 Scanmar 33 in which I have enormous confidence, even more after work we are doing this winter.
Will be investing in liferaft and EPERB, plan to do without RADAR or water maker, however keen to listen to all views.

Tim

I would suggest Class B AIS so you can see most other vessels and more importantly be seen. We also have a dual band radar transponder but rarely had any response on it once clear of the Spanish fishing boats SE of Ireland until close to the Azores, so radar was not turned on during that passage. However did speak to a couple of yachts the following year that made an Azores landfall in almost zero vis and both wished they had working radar. Incidentally, radar is only of use if you know how to interpret the display.

Don't see any reason for a water maker unless you plan on going much further afield into areas where water is not readily available or of very dubious quality. A good biological filter on the drinking water supply makes tank water palatable and safe, or many boats simply stock up with lots and lots of plastic bottles of water.

 

[Tim 500]

Thanks
Yes, have just upgraded to a Mcmurdo class B AIS transceiver. Plan to take loads of bottled water.
T

 

[sailaboutvic]

I would suggest Class B AIS so you can see most other vessels and more importantly be seen. We also have a dual band radar transponder but rarely had any response on it once clear of the Spanish fishing boats SE of Ireland until close to the Azores, so radar was not turned on during that passage. However did speak to a couple of yachts the following year that made an Azores landfall in almost zero vis and both wished they had working radar. Incidentally, radar is only of use if you know how to interpret the display.

Don't see any reason for a water maker unless you plan on going much further afield into areas where water is not readily available or of very dubious quality. A good biological filter on the drinking water supply makes tank water palatable and safe, or many boats simply stock up with lots and lots of plastic bottles of water.

I have to say my view was the same as your sailing around the Med , no need of a water maker ) , but since I build and fitted mine , I have a very different point of view . Because we anchor for at less 9 months each year , we haven't got to worry where we going to find our next tap , or worry if my back going to give in carrying containers,
lots more showers and for a lot longer , should had fitted one years ago .

 

[LadyInBed]

As well as the above, monthly wind roses charts are free to download from passageweather.

The original NGA pdf source is:
https://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.p...msi_pub_detail&CCD_itemID=106&pubConstant=APC