How long does it take to complete one circumnavigation?

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The first around the world [circumnavigation] sailing record was by Juan Sebastián Elcano, and the remaining members of Ferdinand Magellan's crew, who completed their journey in 1522, aboard “Victoria”. Their journey took about three years.

The claim of Juan Sebastián Elcano, and the remaining members of Ferdinand Magellan's crew to be 'first circumnavigators' is only valid if you dismiss the claim of Enrique de Malacca.

Enrique aka Black Henry aka Henry of Malacca likely was a slave of Magellan, possibly captured and enslaved in Malacca in 1511.

Pigafetta, the scholar who accompanied Magellan, mentioned Enrique in Pigafetta's journal, but mention of Enrique ends about the time that Magellan left the planet from Mactan (in late April 1521).

Many assume that Enrique made his own way back to his home town of Malacca after Lapu Lapu showed Magellan what the sharp end of an arrow looks like.

Pedro Palma made a movie 'Henry of Malacca, a Malay, and Magellan'.
Luis Franca wrote a playscript 'Black Henry'.

Ateneo de Manila University, a university established by the Society of Jesus (aka Jesuits), is running an on-line panel discussion on Legacies of the Encounter of Seafaring and Trade: Weaving Cultures and examining the interlocking cultures of Iberia and the Malayo-Polynesian cultures of the Great Archipelago (Maritime Southeast Asia and the Pacific).

Should you be interested in watching:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGG1IrtXxEo

and
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtN...lq3ixbp6uuxyBA

Enrique will be mentioned, of course. Pedro Palma and Luis Franca will participate.

[donradcliffe]

When I met my current wife, who had already sailed around the world in 18 months with Windjammer, I asked her where we should go. She said "take 5 laps of the South Pacific, and forget the rest", I we did another rtw lap together, but what she said makes a lot of sense

[wingssail]

We spent 18 years circumnavigating, although we never agreed (admitted) that it was our goal. Rather, we wanted to live on our boat and visit some interesting places, generally warm places.

We did that.

We visited about 35 countries lived and worked in 5 or 6 for a year or two, raced in quite a few of them, sailed 55,000 miles, refit the boat in three, but never said it was a goal to go around the world.

It's just if you keep going west, eventually you get around.

And we did.

[Paul L]

"It's just if you keep going west, eventually you get around."
That requires pretty strong faith in the world not being flat.

[Wckoek]

Originally Posted by BobFord

My vessel,Crowther 45 in 1987. (4) children and wife. Australia,Chagos Med via Red Sea , ,UK,Caribbean,New York ,Panama,Papeete,Australia 40,000nm -3 years and nearly went broke !!Wish I was young enough to do it again.

Probably it was something one should consider doing when he is still young, 3 years away is not too long.

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

When I met my current wife, who had already sailed around the world in 18 months with Windjammer, I asked her where we should go. She said "take 5 laps of the South Pacific, and forget the rest", I we did another rtw lap together, but what she said makes a lot of sense

Not the Mediterranean, Europe?

Originally Posted by AiniA

We did it in five years, friends took 21. in some ways it becomes inevitable if you like to sail off the wind. You could view a circumnavigation as a series of hops that take advantage of the prevailing winds - for most people westward in the trades, for the hearty eastbound via the capes.

For those who have circumnavigated for years, was weather a huge factor for the delay and how long it took.
You have to wait for the trade wind, appropriate sailing season etc?

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

...For those who have circumnavigated for years, was weather a huge factor for the delay and how long it took.
You have to wait for the trade wind, appropriate sailing season etc?

If anything, weather considerations tend to speed one along because impending cyclone seasons make you leave many places, maybe before you are ready.

In our case we had no desire to do a quick circumnavigation. In fact circumnavigating at all was not even a priority. We wanted to fully experience the lands and cultures and we tended to stay for long periods (subject to weather).

[Wckoek]

Originally Posted by wingssail

If anything, weather considerations tend to speed one along because impending cyclone seasons make you leave many places, maybe before you are ready.

In our case we had no desire to do a quick circumnavigation. In fact circumnavigating at all was not even a priority. We wanted to fully experience the lands and cultures and we tended to stay for long periods (subject to weather).

I am asking this because it amazes me that in my initial post of this topic, that a 38 feet motorcruiser circumnavigate at just under 7 months, I understand those that took more than a decade to circumnavigate wanted to stay to visit more places, ARC rally took 15 months, I would wondered how much time could be save by motoring if one's primary purpose is to cruise.


If a 3 year circumnavigation be shorten to 1, or a 7 year circumnavigation can be shorten to 3 if one were to choose a motorcruiser or even a motorsailer not hampered by the sailing/wind season.

[Dogscout]

How long does it take? How close to the pole are you?

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

I am asking this because it amazes me that in my initial post of this topic, that a 38 feet motorcruiser circumnavigate at just under 7 months, I understand those that took more than a decade to circumnavigate wanted to stay to visit more places, ARC rally took 15 months, I would wondered how much time could be save by motoring if one's primary purpose is to cruise.


If a 3 year circumnavigation be shorten to 1, or a 7 year circumnavigation can be shorten to 3 if one were to choose a motorcruiser or even a motorsailer not hampered by the sailing/wind season.

The Byglia II circumnavigator was about as fast as posdible ehile driving a trawler at 7kts.

Not sure why you are trying to take years off the various circumnavigation time frames. If someone does a 7 year circle, they aren't in a hurry. They may rush a bit on the last few oceans, but they are not interested in cutting out years at the start.
You can't shorten a 7 year circumnavigation where the cruiser spends 2 seasons in French Polynesia, 6 months in New Zealand, 6 months Aus, a year in SE Asia, etc and still have the same experience.
I'd say the 15 months of the World Arc is about the shortest practical circumnavigation, sail or power in an average sized boat.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

I am asking this because it amazes me that in my initial post of this topic, that a 38 feet motorcruiser circumnavigate at just under 7 months, I understand those that took more than a decade to circumnavigate wanted to stay to visit more places, ARC rally took 15 months, I would wondered how much time could be save by motoring if one's primary purpose is to cruise.


If a 3 year circumnavigation be shorten to 1, or a 7 year circumnavigation can be shorten to 3 if one were to choose a motorcruiser or even a motorsailer not hampered by the sailing/wind season.

The majority of the time is spent parked and sightseeing. The Dashew's in their book said that their poll put them at the high end of sailing to parked at 1 day sailing in 14 days parked. Most people in their poll were parked more.

The Nordhavn 46 mentioned before has a claimed cruising speed of 8.2 knots, or just under 200 miles per day. Most cruising sailboats do 100-150 miles per day. So you could cut the just travel part down from 200 to 100 days, assuming 21,000 miles traveled.

But - this discounts do you really want to travel in hurricane season, or bash straight into headwinds no matter how big the waves, or other factors?

[Wckoek]

Originally Posted by Paul L

The Byglia II circumnavigator was about as fast as posdible ehile driving a trawler at 7kts.

Not sure why you are trying to take years off the various circumnavigation time frames. If someone does a 7 year circle, they aren't in a hurry. They may rush a bit on the last few oceans, but they are not interested in cutting out years at the start.
You can't shorten a 7 year circumnavigation where the cruiser spends 2 seasons in French Polynesia, 6 months in New Zealand, 6 months Aus, a year in SE Asia, etc and still have the same experience.
I'd say the 15 months of the World Arc is about the shortest practical circumnavigation, sail or power in an average sized boat.

Yes, I am just trying to determine how much of the time is delayed by weather rather than the time people actually decide to stay.
I am thinking if anyone can take the same experience in 3 years rather than 7 if not for the weather/trade wind delay etc.

Originally Posted by cal40john

The majority of the time is spent parked and sightseeing. The Dashew's in their book said that their poll put them at the high end of sailing to parked at 1 day sailing in 14 days parked. Most people in their poll were parked more.

The Nordhavn 46 mentioned before has a claimed cruising speed of 8.2 knots, or just under 200 miles per day. Most cruising sailboats do 100-150 miles per day. So you could cut the just travel part down from 200 to 100 days, assuming 21,000 miles traveled.

But - this discounts do you really want to travel in hurricane season, or bash straight into headwinds no matter how big the waves, or other factors?

Not really for the hurricane, but if it wasn't trade wind season, ie SEA area, I wondered if it cut off much time with motor vs sail in terms of cruising.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

Yes, I am just trying to determine how much of the time is delayed by weather rather than the time people actually decide to stay.
I am thinking if anyone can take the same experience in 3 years rather than 7 if not for the weather/trade wind delay etc.

Not really for the hurricane, but if it wasn't trade wind season, ie SEA area, I wondered if it cut off much time with motor vs sail in terms of cruising.

Wckoek, Your question is a bit odd. You seem to suggest that circumnavigators are delayed by the season being wrong (lack of trade winds, or such). And somehow I sense that to you to "cruise" means to be underway.

Most cruisers I have met think that cruising means stopping and visiting places. The time underway is often referred to as "passage making".

If you are thinking that doing it in a powerboat means you could be underway more often, even if the weather was unsuitable for sailing, and by doing it this way you could cut time off of the circumnavigation, your goal is not a world cruise, but a faster circumnavigation. It leads me to wonder, why?

But if that is the case, get a long and lean powerboat which can make good time in displacement mode and stop only when needed for fuel and provisions (and repairs). You could get around guite fast and tick off that box sooner.

To my way of thinking you'd miss out the cultural experiences of a lifetime and by the way, it wouldn't be the same experience in any way shape or form.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Wckoek

I am asking this because it amazes me that in my initial post of this topic, that a 38 feet motorcruiser circumnavigate at just under 7 months, I understand those that took more than a decade to circumnavigate wanted to stay to visit more places, ARC rally took 15 months, I would wondered how much time could be save by motoring if one's primary purpose is to cruise.


If a 3 year circumnavigation be shorten to 1, or a 7 year circumnavigation can be shorten to 3 if one were to choose a motorcruiser or even a motorsailer not hampered by the sailing/wind season.

No matter what you take, you will be effected by the weather/seasons.

Motorsailers, in general, are not any faster than a sailboat. And many are not really offshore boats.

For a motor vessel, esp a faster one, fuel costs become a significant factor (see earlier posts). By contrast, you can spend days or weeks under sail and never burn an ounce of fuel.

If the objective is just to get from point to pont then why bother with a boat?

[Wckoek]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Wckoek, Your question is a bit odd. You seem to suggest that circumnavigators are delayed by the season being wrong (lack of trade winds, or such). And somehow I sense that to you to "cruise" means to be underway.

Most cruisers I have met think that cruising means stopping and visiting places. The time underway is often referred to as "passage making".

If you are thinking that doing it in a powerboat means you could be underway more often, even if the weather was unsuitable for sailing, and by doing it this way you could cut time off of the circumnavigation, your goal is not a world cruise, but a faster circumnavigation. It leads me to wonder, why?

But if that is the case, get a long and lean powerboat which can make good time in displacement mode and stop only when needed for fuel and provisions (and repairs). You could get around guite fast and tick off that box sooner.

To my way of thinking you'd miss out the cultural experiences of a lifetime and by the way, it wouldn't be the same experience in any way shape or form.

A 38' displacement powerboat is not exactly long, I think by waterline, it is about the same as a sailboat in terms of ARC circumnavigation, still 15 months vs 7 months, a sailboat took twice amount the time, though I didn't know the mount of time ARC participants stay on shore vs the time underway.

[Wckoek]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

No matter what you take, you will be effected by the weather/seasons.

Motorsailers, in general, are not any faster than a sailboat. And many are not really offshore boats.

For a motor vessel, esp a faster one, fuel costs become a significant factor (see earlier posts). By contrast, you can spend days or weeks under sail and never burn an ounce of fuel.

If the objective is just to get from point to pont then why bother with a boat?

Yes, for a displacement boat about the same weight as a sailboat, say under 20 tonnes, just minus the sails and much less ballast but with more fuel, so I wondered if cost evens out with the advantage in time and flexibility.