Sailing a yacht from Lagos, Portugal to UK

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Peter

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Just purchased our new (new to us) yacht, if I knew how to post a picture of her I would. Currently she is berthed in Lagos and we want to sail her back to the UK in July. Would appreciate any advice i.e., charts, pilot books, routes etc on how to achieve this epic to us adventure from anyone who has done similar

Thanks

Peter
 
How much time do you have ? If only July Then up to Baqyonna and dash across Biscay.If you have longer then coastal pasage Northern Spain,Atlantic France and Channel.But must ask WHY? head South and into Med.Latest edition RCC pilots S.Biscay and Atlantic Spain & Portugal due out in June Check www.Imray for availabilty
Good sailing in your new boat
 
I have sailed back from Majorca up the coast of Spain and Portugal. Stopped at Bayonna. Generally speaking currents and wind will be against you. The RCC Pilotage for N spain and Portugal would be a good starting point.
 
You will find the trip as far as Bayonne or possibly Finnesterre is all to windward. The best way to achieve the passage is to take on plenty of diesel. Leave as early as possible each morning at nautical sunrise and motor like stink. The wind will come up around `13.00 each day - the land breeze - and increase until around 17.00 when it will steady and drop away by sunset to nothing.

If it gets above 20 knots give it up and head into the first port there is - there are lots as you will see from the pilot books....

Once you get to Finisterre you have to make a decision. Either wait for a 'window' to cross Biscay in one hit for Falmouth or possibly Sillies... or to do the delightful Rias of Northern Spain. Really good cruising and a pleasure after the somewhat dull Portuguese coast.

Having got to the Junction with France you have to do a Day night day to get to La Rochelle - Royan is not worth the hassle and it is more or less the same for Archechon....

From La Rochelle you can day sail up the channel Islands or go for it in one hit - 3 or 4 days to Falmouth again....

should be able to find a fair wind from La Rochelle up to the UK but you may have to wait for it - or day sail it......

regards

Michael
 
The "big hop" option is to go into the atlantic towards (or even to) the azores, and from out there you can lay a direct route up the channel. In practice you may only have to go offshore a couple of hundred miles to pick up genrally southerly rather than generally northerly winds. I would want to stay at least 100 miles out to be clear of shipping lanes- or trudge up hugging the coast, but they do like their fishing pots.

New-to-you boat with nice coastline i wd probly day sail it. Again, be sure you stay clear of shipping lanes at night - the ships load all day and motor all night at 20 knots or more.

Bayonna is very nice - but praps go to the older marina behind the fort and whose clubhouse is part of the fort: the newer marina directly ahead send out marinaros in dinghies to "escort" you to to their marina which doesn't have the elevated view of the bay...

for more detailed musings on the subject (free) there is http://www.rccpf.org.uk/Passage/Passage%20Planning%20Intro.htm
 
We brought out "new" boat back to Ireland from the Med last year in June. We had one stop and that was in Lagos. After that we headed out - had no other option as we had F7-8 North to North East for first 24 hours and then and then F6-7 North to North East for the following 48 hours. That brought us out to about 400 miles west of Portugal before we could set a course for home, and even then we had the wind on the nose the whole way back. SO although we had somewhat contrary winds, this worked fine for us. More time, and then I would do the journey in more hops.
 
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