Sailing across the Atlantic on a sailing boat, under 40ft.

[Concerto]

I have not sailed across the Atlantic but I have been following this 31ft Westerly Tempest that has just gone across. At 6ft shorter than the Rustler that 38Mess plans to be on, his crossing will be almost like luxury.

SV Miranda

 

[mattonthesea]

I did it both ways in a Rival 32, (I did it single handed but that was for me, not for show). See signature link

Aries wind vane but no fridge or watermaker or chart plotter (paper and gps)

 

[matt1]

Or this guy in a small Bavaria

 

[Jonny A]

Done it twice, both times on the same Dehler 37. In 1999, with 4 on board we did the ARC, Gran Canaria to St Lucia. Then in 2000 I brought her back to Portugal via the Azores with just me and my 70 year old father on board. The boat (a late 1980s model) was more than capable. Only thing I'd have liked would have been to carry enough spare fuel to run the fridge, but we didn't really have space on deck. Had to listen on the radio net to other boats with washing machines and microwaves, while we sipped warm beer! Still, it was great fun.

Fully intend to do more blue water sailing in years to come with my Contessa 26.

 

[atol]

Apologies I thought we were talking about returning to blighty. Having experienced 3rd-world military custody in Africa, I would knuckle down and drink the kool-aid.

early days,uk is liable to become one of the first countries that have high enough levels of vaccination for the internal population to be able to circulate,i expect effective quarantine controls on our borders will have to be in place untill the rest of the world catches up.
new vaccine resistant variants could pose a big risk,especially from countries with direct links to south america or africa that may be slow to vaccinate.

 

[38mess]

Or this guy in a small Bavaria

I have seen this, great story.

 

[matt1]

I have seen this, great story.

Quite the passage I thought. Pretty long. I'd at least have dived in to Cork for a guinness

 

[38mess]

I have not sailed across the Atlantic but I have been following this 31ft Westerly Tempest that has just gone across. At 6ft shorter than the Rustler that 38Mess plans to be on, his crossing will be almost like luxury.

SV Miranda

Thanks for the link, another one for me to follow. Lockdown life here is lived through YouTube videos of boating. I have just caught up with 'tally ho' amazing project and attention to detail. Even my wife is starting to take interest

 

[38mess]

Quite the passage I thought. Pretty long. I'd at least have dived in to Cork for a guinness

Yes me too?

 

[capnsensible]

Thanks for the link, another one for me to follow. Lockdown life here is lived through YouTube videos of boating. I have just caught up with 'tally ho' amazing project and attention to detail. Even my wife is starting to take interest

Was out sailing yesterday forenoon. But it's actually raining today and forecast again tomorrow. So that's all outdoor activities halted and some sad looking cactus plants wondering what's happening....

 

[Goldie]

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.

Fifteen months ago I crossed exactly as Tomaret described albeit the boat was just over 40ft. Three crew worked really well and for us, the best bit of kit aboard was the wind-vane steering which steered virtually all the way from Scotland to the Caribbean via Madeira, Canaries and Cape Verde. I wouldn’t countenance a short-handed ocean crossing without either wind vane steering or back-up autopilots and spare parts (and the tools and knowledge to use them). It can be done - and I know some who have - but it wasn’t by choice!

You’ll have a great time!

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

How small? Out of the times I've sailed across, I've made the passage four times on my Moody 33.

Yes, the Moody 33 has been in circumnavigations and has been a proven design for that purpose; also, its big for a 33 foot boat.

 

[Poignard]

The owner of the Contessa 26 'Wave Rover' seems to enjoy life crossing oceans in a small yacht.
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC7m3fuU8ASlIKz9LnV-vvJg

 

[capnsensible]

Yes, the Moody 33 has been in circumnavigations and has been a proven design for that purpose; also, its big for a 33 foot boat.

We lived on ours for 22 years!

 

[38mess]

The owner of the Contessa 26 'Wave Rover' seems to enjoy life crossing oceans in a small yacht.
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC7m3fuU8ASlIKz9LnV-vvJg

Another channel for me to watch ? thanks

 

[Wansworth]

Luxury.

I feel Monty python coming on........

 

[Wansworth]

........you where lucky,I crossed the Atlantic in a paper bag with hole in it!

 

[laika]

3 hrs on 6 off so you get plenty of sleep

We're getting into a different and much discussed conversation but I've found 2 on 4 off by night, 3 on 6 off by day works works best for 3: You get your 6 hours sleep if you need it but you don't have to cope with more than 2 hour watches at night when the weather is nasty.

Coming back will be no problem at 40000 feet?

Well you say that and then you realise how much the month's worth of expensive technical books you took to keep you occupied on the crossing will cost you in overweight baggage / postage / re-purchase. Think "kindle" before you leave

 

[dunedin]

Well you say that and then you realise how much the month's worth of expensive technical books you took to keep you occupied on the crossing will cost you in overweight baggage / postage / re-purchase. Think "kindle" before you leave

Thats why most folks take a Kindle these days (in addition to the iPad, as Kindle has better battery life)
The other key item to pack is headphones for the phone to play music / podcasts whilst on watch

 

[Adios]

How can 'they' make you' do that? By what practical, physical methods can someone be forced to stay in a hotel, if they refuse to?

Not sure how anyone would even know you've been anywhere anyway unless you start waving a quarantine flag about. Just come back and tie up? I've never sailed off the edge of the EU so don't know how strict it all is.