NM covered in a day

[johnc1]

I'm planning a crossing from the States to the UK(very early stages at present) & in order to estimate how long it's going to take, has anyone an idea of the average NM that could be covered in a day's sailing in a 40 footer.
I realise a lot depends on weather conditions & currents but all I'm looking for at present is a rough idea.

Thanks,
John

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[ChrisE]

Depends on your waterline length (LWL).

We have a 38 ft yacht with 29 ft LWL and reckon to cover 100 to 150 NM per 24 hours, we reckon to sail until our speed drops below 3 knots then on with the iron tops'l. When I'm planning I allow for 120 NM per 24 hours.

If your LWL is longer then you might get nearer the 150 NM mark but you would need some fair winds to maintain that kind of progress for any period of time.

Best of luck in your endeavours.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[AndrewB]

As you say it depends. The winds are less reliable than in the trades, you can get head-winds and in some places long periods of calm, specially towards the Azores. Will you attempt to motor through these? You do have the Gulf Stream giving you a push -- if you can keep in it. I'd allow for an average of 120 miles per day, about 5 knots VMG.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[johnc1]

Thanks Chris & Andrew.
I was thinking of 5-6 Knots average which works out at 120-144NM.
It's nice to know my thinking's about right!!!

John

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by johnc1 on 16/03/2004 17:07 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[snowleopard]

by way of example, my passage times for the bermuda-azores (1800 miles) leg have been 16 days in a 48 footer and 12 days in a 40 foot cat. other boats around the 40 foot mark took about 3 days longer last time. weather was fairly average, about 70% reaching winds

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jeanne]

The bottom line is, how soon do you start motoring, and have you enough fuel to support your decision. I spent 23 days doing the Bermuda-Azores, [1992] sailing if there was steerage way, and motoring slowly if not, making about 80miles a day,or a 3 knot average. The winds were light all the way, and if I had been trying to keep a 5+ knot average, I may have been short of fuel in the end. My diesel tank is about 250 litres, and my waterline 27ft
Of course, the pilot book says to head north from Bermuda, until you reach the region of westerlies, [mostly young gales], and make your easting there. I preferred a quiet, slow passage. In steady fair winds, I only cover 150 miles a day, [6 knots] so it seems a lot to ask to average anything close to that.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[snowleopard]

<the pilot book says to head north from Bermuda> a lot of people disagree with that, notably Herb. it is common for a front to sit just north of the latitude of bermuda with south westerlies to the south of it and headwinds to the north. last time across we stayed in favourable winds by going due east from bermuda until almost at the azores when the front dipped south and caught us.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[charles_reed]

Well as we don't know the length of the boat or the time of year of crossing no-one can really help.

I'd suggest you allow ￾ãLWL x % of winds >F3 at time of year of crossing X 0.6.

<hr width=100% size=1>