Singlehanded Canaries back to UK?

Tim Good

Tim Good

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So if we ever get released from this lockdown I plan to sail back to the UK singlehanded from Gran Canaria. Aim being to head for Svalbard next year.

Anyway this will be my first offshore singlehanded passage so far and I fancy the challenge. I’d planned to go via Maderia and then I have the option of the Azores or via Galicia.

I’d really like to see the Azores but by the time this lockdown ends, I doubt I’ll have a whole lot of time to see them and explore. With that in mind I’m curious what others recommend or have done when returning from the Canaries?

Also I’m happy to receive advice / wisdom from anyone that made physiological jump from short singlehanded passages to singlehanded offshore passages? Until now I’ve done plenty of singlehanding but never more than 2 days.
 
northcave said:
So if we ever get released from this lockdown I plan to sail back to the UK singlehanded from Gran Canaria. Aim being to head for Svalbard next year.

Anyway this will be my first offshore singlehanded passage so far and I fancy the challenge. I’d planned to go via Maderia and then I have the option of the Azores or via Galicia.

I’d really like to see the Azores but by the time this lockdown ends, I doubt I’ll have a whole lot of time to see them and explore. With that in mind I’m curious what others recommend or have done when returning from the Canaries?

Also I’m happy to receive advice / wisdom from anyone that made physiological jump from short singlehanded passages to singlehanded offshore passages? Until now I’ve done plenty of singlehanding but never more than 2 days.
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Try a more realistic offshore trip first, then you can check out what the likely problems are.
 
The Azores are well worth the visit as they are stunning imo, however when I tried heading back from the Canaries weather dictated the way. Up to Madeira was easy enough and was progress in the right direction but from there I ended up out in the Azores a 600 mile passage and only gained 6 miles towards my home waypoint which was very demoralising. If you have plenty of time go for it if not then get north as much as possible from Madeira.
 
Madeira sounds like an excellent shakedown trip to ensure you and the boat like singlehanding. Hopefully just one tack most of the way and a run back to the Canaries from any point if you change your mind or have trouble.
 
RupertW said:
Madeira sounds like an excellent shakedown trip to ensure you and the boat like singlehanding. Hopefully just one tack most of the way and a run back to the Canaries from any point if you change your mind or have trouble.
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He's based in Bristol, would have though a trip to somwher like Kinsale would be more appropriate for a shakedown, since he hasn't done any offshore passages before.
 
Sharky34 said:
He's based in Bristol, would have though a trip to somwher like Kinsale would be more appropriate for a shakedown, since he hasn't done any offshore passages before.
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No, I think he was out sailing the Atlantic islands and got stuck in the lockdown.
 
Sharky34 said:
He's based in Bristol, would have though a trip to somwher like Kinsale would be more appropriate for a shakedown, since he hasn't done any offshore passages before.
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Er isnt the point that Op boat in Gran Canaria??

Last time I did that trip (2 crew with me, last year) Madiera was a straightforward 2 day trip, although didnt stop. Passed just west of island, was pushed off a bit west by wind but it shifted nicely for us. Only pit stop, Bayona, for diesel and crew to 'immerse themselves' in local culture.
Sso very doable single handed, with Madiera available as a test run. Once in Biscay it gets busy so perhaps stay as west as practicable until towards Western Approaches.

Loadsa people take the Azores option but its a loong way off track.

Enjoy your sail!
 
Done Canaries/Madiera/Azores and Azores/UK solo. Think I'd be keeping as open a mind as possible, takes a good few days for me to really get into the groove solo so if the wind was good and the boat felt happy I'd prob just keep going. Or if not go to where the boat felt it wanted to go and felt right. Going to Azores the the wind went round so I went to Madeira for a few days then a windy 3 day fast passage up to the Azores. But if coming back to UK and the wind was fair and the boat happy I wouldn't be thinking of stopping. Do remember not being a happy bunny at all getting past the scillies with lots traffic and nasty square waves after the piece and quiet of the open ocean :)
 
My First ever single handed sail was from the Carib to Azores, and before the world jumps on my back for being reckless it was the culmination of years of practice. I had already done a number of transats and a trans pacific and had just spent the last year and a half sailing the Atlantic with swmbo. I knew the boat inside out i knew every maneuver of by heart . I knew i could achieve them safely by myself. Probably 6 months before ; i first started to contemplate sailing back by myself and it probably took that long to be comfortable with the idea, i was prepared. Apart from the first 2 days after departure where i was very nervous, after that it never bothered me, i had an easy if not slow 2 weeks after which i got hammered all the way back to the UK. When you are mentally capable you will know it
 
lonederanger said:
Apart from the first 2 days after departure where i was very nervous, after that it never bothered me, i had an easy if not slow 2 weeks after which i got hammered all the way back to the UK. When you are mentally capable you will know it
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Do you find you are nervous for the first two days of any singlehanded offshore passage or was it literally just the first 2 days of the first passage?

I too know my boat inside out and have been cruising the last 3 years around Scotland, Norway and then down to the Canaries. I'm confident in my boat and abilities,,, I suppose it is just the mental aspect and its good to hear of others taking offshore passages in their stride.
 
lonederanger said:
My First ever single handed sail was from the Carib to Azores, and before the world jumps on my back for being reckless it was the culmination of years of practice. I had already done a number of transats and a trans pacific and had just spent the last year and a half sailing the Atlantic with swmbo. I knew the boat inside out i knew every maneuver of by heart . I knew i could achieve them safely by myself. Probably 6 months before ; i first started to contemplate sailing back by myself and it probably took that long to be comfortable with the idea, i was prepared. Apart from the first 2 days after departure where i was very nervous, after that it never bothered me, i had an easy if not slow 2 weeks after which i got hammered all the way back to the UK. When you are mentally capable you will know it
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Out of interest, how did you manage to keep watch for other boats over the extended period when single handed?

When we did a fully crewed Atlantic crossing we often didn’t see another boat for 4 days or so. And only saw 3 ships in total.

BUT Sod’s law all of the ships were at night, and one had a CPA under a mile and required avoiding action. We also had two close encounters with other sailing yachts at night requiring course changes, one on AIS one not.
And around the same time two solo racers managed to collide in the dark mid Atlantic - fortunately only a glancing blow.

Clearly some risks reduced nowadays by broadcasting on AIS and using AIS alarm. But not all boats are visible on AIS.
 
northcave said:
Do you find you are nervous for the first two days of any singlehanded offshore passage or was it literally just the first 2 days of the first passage?

I too know my boat inside out and have been cruising the last 3 years around Scotland, Norway and then down to the Canaries. I'm confident in my boat and abilities,,, I suppose it is just the mental aspect and its good to hear of others taking offshore passages in their stride.
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Takes me about maybe 5 days to really settle down, leaving port is worst but ten minutes after that it's fine but just a little on edge for a while. Then it's glorious!!! :cool:
Most of the time ;)
Though shows how unreliable memories are, I'll look back at the log sometimes and have a very different memory of what was written down at the time.
 
dunedin said:
Out of interest, how did you manage to keep watch for other boats over the extended period when single handed?

When we did a fully crewed Atlantic crossing we often didn’t see another boat for 4 days or so. And only saw 3 ships in total.

BUT Sod’s law all of the ships were at night, and one had a CPA under a mile and required avoiding action. We also had two close encounters with other sailing yachts at night requiring course changes, one on AIS one not.
And around the same time two solo racers managed to collide in the dark mid Atlantic - fortunately only a glancing blow.

Clearly some risks reduced nowadays by broadcasting on AIS and using AIS alarm. But not all boats are visible on AIS.
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I go with ais alarm and radar alarm. Radar is handy as it picks up squalls as well. So you can get the bucket under the gooseneck for water and get the shampoo out :)
Then alarm for every 2 hours, go through a check list and write the time in the log (otherwise you won't know if you've slept for 2 hours or ten hours ;) ) but never really wake up completely unless something needs doing. Then it's coffee for ten minutes and think through the task.
 
northcave said:
Do you find you are nervous for the first two days of any singlehanded offshore passage or was it literally just the first 2 days of the first passage?
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Seeing as i have only single handed from St Martin to Azores and the Azores to Falmouth, i wasn't nervous leaving the Azores, but by then you are nearly home, i think it was more the fact that it was such a long way and you have nowhere to bail out to.

dunedin said:
Out of interest, how did you manage to keep watch for other boats over the extended period when single handed?
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I unfortunately i did not have any clever gizmos on the boat and it is vitally important to sleep. I went to sleep for 3 hours got up checked for an hour and went back to sleep. You will likely see another sailing yacht with this strategy however you will still be run down by a tanker. But i am not overly concerned over my death, i would just rather not kill someone else.
If i ever get the boat back into the water i will invest in a AIS tranciever it will reduce some of my concerns
 
GHA said:
Takes me about maybe 5 days to really settle down, leaving port is worst but ten minutes after that it's fine but just a little on edge for a while. Then it's glorious!!! :cool:
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The longest Biscay crossing I have done was my first, it took me four and a half days, but I found that I settled in quite quickly. I was making progress in the right direction, all be it slow, I had plenty of food and drink and was getting good naps, I didn't set an alarm. I reached a point where I didn't want the passage to end as things were so tranquil. The other side of the coin was a bumpy crossing and I was glad when it was over!
I do enjoy sailing solo, no one to please or worry about except yourself.
 
Sharky34 said:
He's based in Bristol, would have though a trip to somwher like Kinsale would be more appropriate for a shakedown, since he hasn't done any offshore passages before.
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I think if you read a couple of the articles the OP has had published in PBO and ST you'll realise he doesn't need the experience of sailing to Kinsale from Bristol.
 
lonederanger said:
If i ever get the boat back into the water i will invest in a AIS tranciever it will reduce some of my concerns
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Thanks. Yeah we have an AIS transeiver on the masthead and the CPA alarm is a nice thing to have. I've never known it not to work and its hooked to a load siren in the cabin. Very rarely bother with my radar any longer.
 
Quiddle said:
I think if you read a couple of the articles the OP has had published in PBO and ST you'll realise he doesn't need the experience of sailing to Kinsale from Bristol.
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Glad someone is reading them ;). Interestingly Kinsale might be a nice landfall after the passage. Never been. Looks like a rather nice place on Google Maps and well sheltered for an approach day or night.
 
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