2016 Weather to the Azores

[olianta]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

PS If you do make it without a touch down in the Azores, I will be most grateful if you could post your report on the forum. I want to sail non stop one day too and would be interested in hearing your observations and impressions. I am sure other members here would be happy too.

Cheers,
b.

Hi, I will try to describe the experience on our return passage from Martinique to Lisbon without stop: We started on May 20 at 15:00 UTC and docked in Marina Parque Das Nacois in Lisbon (10 miles up the Tagus river) on June 10 at 11:00 UTC. It took us 20 days and 20 hours from pontoon to pontoon. First 5 days beating hard in force 4-5 east (and sometimes east northeast) wind and waves. We tried to maintain 35 degrees apparent wind angle in wind vane mode. Sometimes pointing lower or higher depending of direction of waves. This was the hardest part of the passage, especially the first 4 days. When reaching the 24th parallel we entered in the ridge, first motorsailed in week southeasterlies and then purely motored (all in all 56 hours), the last day keeping course due east south of the 30th parallel to avoid the big waves from the passing north cyclone. Thus we prolonged the motoring time but avoided the 6-7 meter waves. Then we set up the track mode again and in force 5-6 northwest to southwest passed 20 miles south of Santa Maria. Thought for a while to make a brief stop for refuelling but finally decided to move on becuase of the coming new cyclone that was due to hit the Azores on June 6. After passing the Azores we sailed in force 4-5 southerlies. The cyclone was not interested in our track and turned north (though previous forecasts showed that would partially hit us on June 7). On June 8 evening to June 9 noon, motored for another 18 hours before the north wind appeared and freshened and during the night of June 9 and morning of June 10 it was blowing force 6 with confused waves.
Throughout the whole our average speed over ground was 6,7 knots. We sailed on all points of sail, using all our sails (main, jib, spinnaker and Code 0), except the storm jib that we were lucky not to use. As a conclusion I would concur to the dissenting with common wisdom opinion that it is better to start in June. If you start earlier you should keep as south as possible and passing south of the Azores if your goal is south Portugal or the Med. This will make the first 4-5 days or week an enduring close reach. You need a good reserve of fuel for 100 hours of motoring. We managed with 130 litres but up the river Tagus we were on the edge.

Rumen

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by olianta

Hi, I will try to describe the experience on our return passage from Martinique to Lisbon without stop: We started on May 20 at 15:00 UTC and docked in Marina Parque Das Nacois in Lisbon (10 miles up the Tagus river) on June 10 at 11:00 UTC. It took us 20 days and 20 hours from pontoon to pontoon. First 5 days beating hard in force 4-5 east (and sometimes east northeast) wind and waves. We tried to maintain 35 degrees apparent wind angle in wind vane mode. Sometimes pointing lower or higher depending of direction of waves. This was the hardest part of the passage, especially the first 4 days. When reaching the 24th parallel we entered in the ridge, first motorsailed in week southeasterlies and then purely motored (all in all 56 hours), the last day keeping course due east south of the 30th parallel to avoid the big waves from the passing north cyclone. Thus we prolonged the motoring time but avoided the 6-7 meter waves. Then we set up the track mode again and in force 5-6 northwest to southwest passed 20 miles south of Santa Maria. Thought for a while to make a brief stop for refuelling but finally decided to move on becuase of the coming new cyclone that was due to hit the Azores on June 6. After passing the Azores we sailed in force 4-5 southerlies. The cyclone was not interested in our track and turned north (though previous forecasts showed that would partially hit us on June 7). On June 8 evening to June 9 noon, motored for another 18 hours before the north wind appeared and freshened and during the night of June 9 and morning of June 10 it was blowing force 6 with confused waves.
Throughout the whole our average speed over ground was 6,7 knots. We sailed on all points of sail, using all our sails (main, jib, spinnaker and Code 0), except the storm jib that we were lucky not to use. As a conclusion I would concur to the dissenting with common wisdom opinion that it is better to start in June. If you start earlier you should keep as south as possible and passing south of the Azores if your goal is south Portugal or the Med. This will make the first 4-5 days or week an enduring close reach. You need a good reserve of fuel for 100 hours of motoring. We managed with 130 litres but up the river Tagus we were on the edge.

Rumen

Nice run!

What length of boat do you have?


Matt

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by olianta

Hi, I will try to describe the experience on our return passage from Martinique to Lisbon without stop:

(...)

Rumen,

GREAT thanks for sharing your report. This route may be my future challenge as I always dream of sailing this non stop rather than with the Azorean pitstop. Maybe next year!

I am surprised how little you motored but then again you set off early when calms are less pronounced.

Right now the weather is still less stable than average. We saw one good High system and then it got all mellow again.

Thanks again!

Best regards,
barnakiel

[olianta]

Matt, my boat ihas the following basic parameters; LOL 37' or 11,20 meters, LWL -9.70 meters, Beam - 2,75 meteors, 1,85 meters draft and 4 tons displacement.
Rumen


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[barnakiel]

I thought it could be nice to pin up the first serious Azorean High this summer.

It looks like this year, early June was a decent time to leave on the direct route (for a small boat, like ours).

It also looks like Boatman will need all that fuel before he makes it to Horta (for refueling ;-).

Bueno. Guys, Girls: love each other, and sail safe!

PS My naked pictures attached.

Regards,
barnakiel

[barnakiel]

I have started a new thread to cover and discuss the situation in 2017.

It is here:

2017 Weather to the Azores - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

All the best to all readers. Fair winds!

barnakiel