sailing from athens to uk?

[woody001]

Hi,

I might be going to pick up a yacht at Athens, greece and deliver back to the UK.

How long do you think this should take me? ON a 40ft yacht.

Before anyone ask’s, yes I know I could work it out with 30 charts, but I am at work and need to book the time of!

woody

 

[HenryB]

Woody,
I'm planning a trip from Preveza to Falmouth this year and that will be about 2,500 miles, so from Athens to (say) the Solent will be more like 2,800 miles.
The wind in the Med doesn't "prevail" too much, but if it does then it will be against us much of the way. I reckon that I would be very fortunate if I can do the trip (in a 33ft boat) in 25 days.
It isn't the easiest of trips.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Approx 4 days on a truck.

 

[woody001]

how much would it cost on a truck? anyone know?
but then again, it would be an awesome trip.

henry - in the 25 days, is this non stop?

 

[HenryB]

Woody,
A friend had a 40 footer transported from UK to the south of France and it cost him £4,500 so I would guess that it would be £7,000 or more from Greece. You might save a bit by sailing to (say) Brindisi and loading there.
I plan to only stop for fuel, food and shelter. I hope to set off at the start of May to get up the west coast of Portugal and Spain before the northerly trades arrive. Unfortunately the weather in the Med can be very unsettled early in the season, so that's where I expect the problems.

 

[Twister_Ken]

A mate trucked a 44 footer back from the SoF.

Reckoned it was cheaper than crewing costs, victualling, parking en-route, and wear and tear would have been if sailing it round.

 

[Sailfree]

Its always cheaper on the back of a truck. In fact the saving of marina fees wear & tear etc I think I will leave it on a truck and rename it caravan!

 

[Amphitrite]

1500 miles from Mallorca to Teneriffe took me 20 days - with 11 nights sailed. Not much stops en route, but some overnighters for the crew to relax and take the scenery...

 

[stephenh]

Pwhelli - Preveza = 2750 nm, took me 30 days with a day off here and there on a 42' Bav
Mostly westerlies in the Med early in the season so lots of motoring your way round !!

 

[HenryB]

Ken,
Your mate was probably correct, but I'll be sailing with SWMBO so no crewing costs and we won't spend any extra from normal on food and drink. We hope not to pay much for parking either.
Wear and tear and fuel could mount up though.
Mind you, keeping SWMBO away from shopping for 4 weeks might compensate!
I once helped deliver a 40 footer from Cyprus to Poole. The trip took 6 weeks which included about 10 days ashore. I think it cost the owner about £7,000.

 

[zefender]

Assuming 6 knots average speed and the 2,800 miles is correct then it will take 19.4 days non stop - without any refuelling or food/water stops.

 

[Stevie_T]

But an average speed of 6 knots is virtually impossible, and if sailing with a head wind is more likely to be as low as 3 knots. Also refuelling and watering stops are kind of essential /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[woody001]

3 knots? please dont say this.....

 

[woody001]

so my friend who took a 31ft moody and told me he did it in two weeks is telling porky pies?

 

[poter]

Yup!!

unless he had a tow.

 

[stephenh]

maybe he went deck cargo ???

 

[woody001]

right, the little t*****!

but surely i can expect more than 3 knots average?

 

[RupertW]

Not sure that the stops are essential - a professional delivery will try to do it with minimum stops and you wouldn't need to stop for food and water in a month and fuel would depend a lot on the wind and how many extra cans you could carry. I'd guess on a couple of nights ashore if things went well and hope for 100 miles a day on average.

If you were doing it as a cruise/delivery then all bets are off on the time it would take

 

[Twister_Ken]

"but surely i can expect more than 3 knots average? "

When sailing maybe, but you have to factor in forced and unforced stops, sheltering from weather, mending stuff, a run in with the Gardacosta, heaving to for the evening G&T, and so it goes.

I'd make it a summer project, and enjoy the trip, instead of trying to do a Day Melon.

 

[Lakesailor]

Even go the scenic route.