Portugal to Maderia to Azores to portugal

[emnick]

We are hoping to get to Portugal next year and to winter the boat out there. Once there we thought it would be a good chance to get to the above. Not sure if its do-able though or in that order .Perhaps Azores first then to Madeira what do the experts think.

Thanks for your help

 

[Peroo]

Yes it's doable but fairly hard sailing on the Madeira to Azores leg and some thought is needed for the Azores to Portugal stretch, but it is very doable at the right time of year. Portugal, Madeira, Azores, Portugal is the route I would suggest, though there will be others who have alternative views. We did this in 2010.

We almost completed this triangle but due to a rig problem didn't manage to complete the Azores to Portugal leg.....instead went back to Madeira from the Azores, then to the Canaries, Cape Verdes and Barbados........odd really.......

However it is doable and quite a few folks regularly do this route.

 

[Sandyman]

What time of year are you considering sailing this route ?

 

[GHA]

The pilot charts can be downloaded free from here, so you can have a look at what wind you might get...

http://www.offshoreblue.com/navigation/pilot-charts.php

 

[emnick]

What time of year are you considering sailing this route ?

Looking mid July to end of August

Thanks for the replies

 

[25931]

We are hoping to get to Portugal next year and to winter the boat out there. Once there we thought it would be a good chance to get to the above. Not sure if its do-able though or in that order .Perhaps Azores first then to Madeira what do the experts think.

Thanks for your help

It depends to a certain extent on the time of year but you might be interested to know that the early Portuguese explorers of Africa discovered the Azores by accident when they had to stand so far west to return to Portugal.

 

[Peroo]

Looking mid July to end of August

Thanks for the replies

The position of the Azores High will impact the degree of sailing/motoring you may find, coupled with some stray ex-hurricanes, so do your research. Crossing from the Azores to Portugal this July, we had calms and winds over 30 knots for several days.......a bit of a mix!

 

[LadyInBed]

Crossing from the Azores to Portugal this July, we had calms and winds over 30 knots for several days.......a bit of a mix!

Was the strong wind fwd or aft of the beam?

 

[macd]

Was the strong wind fwd or aft of the beam?

Can't speak for Peroo, of course, but my last trip from the Azores to Portugal in July 2012 (actually to Ayamonte, Spain, just E of the Algarve) was as near perfect as it gets. Once we cleared the Azores high (which took about eight hours), we had no winds over 18 knots, none below about 12, no seas over 1.5 metres and nothing forward of the beam. Mind you, nothing's perfect so usually we needed a fleece at night. If only it were always like that.
Oh, and we clouted a whale. But it was quite a nice whale.

 

[oldvarnish]

Looking mid July to end of August

Thanks for the replies

Bit late perhaps. Those ex hurricanes can be coming through the Atlantic that time of year - if you're unlucky.

 

[Peroo]

Was the strong wind fwd or aft of the beam?

Initially just forward, but the last two days were just aft...........until we rounded St. Vincent, when we had a night of 30+knots tucked into Sagres.

 

[30boat]

The trip from Madeira is usually not a problem although the trades can kick in and make it a bit lively but since it's from abaft the beam it should be easy enough.Watch out for ships, there's a lot of them where you'll least expect them some just sitting dead in the water for no apparent reason.From Madeira to the Azores it should also be an easy beam reach.Coming back is not a problem but late August is too late and it can get windy.There was a cruise organized by our sailing association a few years ago with the boats leaving later in August and things turned a bit nasty causing some breakages.Having said that I once left late in the month and it was a perfect sail all the way to Lisbon.