Passage sail/blue water stuff???

[irishmark]

ok guys and gals....never done a long(ish) passage sail/blue water stuff. I'd like to next year just for the sake of it. I'll have two weeks, so that rules out the arc but i'm sure i could do the azores-uk leg of arc europe. Any other ideas?? I can't go in july., october or december ( maybe rules out delivery of boat down to canaries for the arc). I'd be crewing. Have my Ym coastal. I would quite like to go in and out of a few places rather than 2 wks at sea. This isn't to build miles etc really for my ym exam as i'm getting that experience closer to home. but then again it can't hurt, can it...so any ideas????

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[StellaGirl]

The Azored leg of ARC Europe starts in the Azores so you would have to go out there and then join the fleet for the trip back.
You could consider Rally Portugal. Its deisgned for people delivering their boat for the ARC and it starts in June from Plymouth.
Its organised by World Cruising too and this is the blurb from their website about it:

"The Start: The Rally starts each year from Plymouth in early June, crossing to Bayona in northwestern Spain. Crossing at this time of year normally offers stable weather conditions in the Bay, while the northerly trade-winds should be firmly established, to give you enjoyable coastal sailing in Portugal.
The Route: The Rally follows a cruising route of short legs down the coast of Portugal to finish at Marina de Lagos on the Algarve. Secure overnight stops are arranged in attractive ports where there will be opportunities to visit places of interest and to enjoy the company of fellow participants and local sailors at parties and other social functions. World Cruising Club have made special arrangements with Portuguese Customs and Immigration, to ensure that the formalities are kept to an absolute minimum.

The Rally: Yachting Monthly Rally Portugal provides you with a pre-planned itinerary, so that you can organise any crew changes and plan your contact with home. There is a detailed skippers briefing before each leg, giving details of the route and the next landfall. To ensure a pleasant and trouble free visit, our experienced staff are on hand in every port to welcome you on arrival and brief you about local facilities.

The Finish:The Rally ends at the magnificent Marina de Lagos. This fully serviced marina lies close to the attractive old town of Lagos, with its fine beaches and within easy reach of good international flight connections from Faro Airport. To round off the Rally, there is a final prize giving party at which class and fun prizes will be awarded."

Theres usually about 25 boats that enter so the atmosphere is I guess good. Have a look at the World Cruising website for more information.

Happy sailing!...

<hr width=100% size=1>Its 11.59am - lets open the beers...

 

[snowleopard]

i'd endorse the idea of joining rally portugal. there are lots of boats heading down for the ARC who are fighting off potential crew for the ARC itself but are short-handed on the way down, especially for the biscay crossing. also you'll only have around a 3-day crossing rather than the 10 for azores-uk and by the time boats reach the azores their crewing arrangements are likely to be well sorted.

the place to look for berths is <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.worldcruising.com/]here>http://www.worldcruising.com/]here</A> though this may be a bit early for next year.

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[JR_Hamble]

I agree too. However, long passages are a drag, but good experience. Biscay will ensure that you get into proper watch routines etc. but once across Biscay, La Couruna and the Reas are fantastic!

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[snowleopard]

<La Couruna and the Reas are fantastic!>

that's one of the two big disadvantages of rally sailing - Rally Portugal goes straight to Bayona and misses out the rias!

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[JR_Hamble]

Sorry - I didn't know where the Rally Portugal goes exactly... Other than lots of them turned back because of the weather last year, when I was stuck in the middle of Biscay, thinking 'why am I doing this! - then...... La Coruna, Rias, and Portugal beckoned!

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[irishmark]

is the best place to get crewing on the rally portugal the world cc site?? to sail training etc boats do it?? any other ideas? ideally because i'd be new to long distance stuff i'd like to do it with but a well experienced skipper and someone who can impart knowledge easily...

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[Jeremy_W]

>>> ideally because i'd be new to long distance stuff i'd like to do it with but a well experienced skipper and someone who can impart knowledge easily...

Most "Rally Portugal" skippers are Biscay Virgins - that's why they're on an organised Rally rather than planning their own itinerary and timing. If you want a week with 3 - 5 days' sailing out of sight of land with highly-experienced instructors, try Chay Blyth's "Challenge" crowd.

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[snowleopard]

we found the WCC site the best place for recruiting crew when we went down for the ARC. we didn't join Rally Portugal as the times didn't work for us but we got crew for biscay and portugal-madeira-canaries from the ARC forum, plus those who came on the crossing.

i think it would be easier to get places on the way to the canaries than for the ARC itself, but they will all be one-way trips!

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[irishmark]

thanks

the challange thing sounds good....but do they only have the big challange boats?? the only problem with useing the WCC website is that i'm trying to start to arrange something now, as i'm trying to be organised for once. I kind of get the impression people use the wcc forum maybe 3 months before, longer maybe for the ARC.

anyhow thanks...anyone have any other ideas or know or any other suitable companies? requirements are good skip, ( good at imparting knowlegde) reasonable mix of long distance stuff and can plan a fair bit in advance. as well as the normal stuff of well equiped boat /safe coded etc etc

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