38mess
Well-known member
Has anyone on this forum done this?
Sort of got myself into it next autumn on a 37 footer as crew.How small? Out of the times I've sailed across, I've made the passage four times on my Moody 33.
Luxury.Sort of got myself into it next autumn on a 37 footer as crew.
It seemed like a good idea last night.Some time ago I delivered an Etap 39 from Miami to Gib. My other crossings have been on boats over forty feet.
Has anyone on this forum done this?
It’s not what you’ve got it’s what you do with it that counts.37 foot is a small boat?
I agree 100%It’s not what you’ve got it’s what you do with it that counts.
A reasonably fast well found 35-40’ boat would be a joy to sail across with three crew - 3 hrs on 6 off so you get plenty of sleep and not so large that you need more than two crew for a sail change. If there was a case of crew illness sailing in single-handed mode wouldn’t be impossible with a good autopilot and radar. On a three-four week crossing not every thing has to be done as slickly as when racing round the cans. Many more crew and space is cramped, for stores and crew, there’s not a lot to do - you won’t be sitting on the rail squeezing the last tenth of a knot out of the trade winds - and hot bunking becomes a necessity, if you don’t want people sleeping in the saloon.
if you are confident in the skipper and the yacht there’s no reason to regret the decision. Throw yourself into the preparations, make sure you can all sail together and look forward to it!
Coming back might be a different story!
PS all this is entirely supposition. I went both ways on a 60 footer with 8 on board!
Still is. Don't forget your kindle.It seemed like a good idea last night.
Sort of got myself into it next autumn on a 37 footer as crew.
Leaving Cape Verde Islands in November was the plan, so leaving Milford around September.Which direction, and when? (And perhaps what boat type?)
Lots of boats under 40 foot doing the ARC or similar non-ARC run, each Autumn / Winter. Provided the boat is soundly built, maintained and prepared this would not worry me (though I had the luxury of doing this on a very plush 45 footer).
Coming back can be a lot more bumpy, I believe, though again masses of suitably prepared boats do this each year. I was “busy” when crew was being sought for the route back ;-)
There should be three of us. The last time I went sailing with these guys on this boat was over 5 years ago, it's a rustler 37 I think. Non stop from Liverpool to Plymouth when the skipper bought herIt’s not what you’ve got it’s what you do with it that counts.
A reasonably fast well found 35-40’ boat would be a joy to sail across with three crew - 3 hrs on 6 off so you get plenty of sleep and not so large that you need more than two crew for a sail change. If there was a case of crew illness sailing in single-handed mode wouldn’t be impossible with a good autopilot and radar. On a three-four week crossing not every thing has to be done as slickly as when racing round the cans. Many more crew and space is cramped, for stores and crew, there’s not a lot to do - you won’t be sitting on the rail squeezing the last tenth of a knot out of the trade winds - and hot bunking becomes a necessity, if you don’t want people sleeping in the saloon.
if you are confident in the skipper and the yacht there’s no reason to regret the decision. Throw yourself into the preparations, make sure you can all sail together and look forward to it!
Coming back might be a different story!
PS all this is entirely supposition. I went both ways on a 60 footer with 8 on board!
Nip in for a wet on your way! Rubicon. Lanzarote. Good place to victual, supermarkets will deliver to your boat.There should be three of us. The last time I went sailing with these guys on this boat was over 5 years ago, it's a rustler 37 I think. Non stop from Liverpool to Plymouth when the skipper bought her