California to Europe

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Sure, but, as you know, if the forecast shows the storm hitting in two days and you are still three days from safety, you're screwed. These North Atlantic gales can be seen forming more than two days ahead, but they often turn unexpectedly, and can be so big you just can't get out of their way.


Particularly in a slower boat, which will take at least two if not three weeks to get across, you will not have any guaranty that good weather forecasting will be enough to allow you to avoid every storm.


Most people I know who have done a high Atlantic Eastbound crossing have been hit at least once along the way, and that includes some of the most skillful sailors I know.

Well the longest passage we’ve had was 25 days and we slowed down a couple of times to let a nasty pass ahead of us. While N Atlantic gales can suddenly turn generally their path is predictable for the next couple of days. As we all know anything can happen and even the most careful sailor can be surprised bit it is rare for the best ones

[Happ]

Heading east across the Atlantic is being done quite often now. One route is leaving Beaufort NC to Bermuda about 600 miles. Then to Ireland. Best time to leave Sept -Oct. Another way is during the summer work your way NE along the cost of Canada. Wait for a weather window before jumping off to Ireland.

Sam Holmes just did the Beaufort Bermuda route in a Cape Dory 28.

[jbrasseul]

Eastbound across the Atlantic has to be done in the Spring, May or June, from Bermuda to the Azores, and then Portugal and up to Spain and Northern Europe, or South to the straits of Gibraltar and the Med.

[Happ]

Originally Posted by jbrasseul

Eastbound across the Atlantic has to be done in the Spring, May or June, from Bermuda to the Azores, and then Portugal and up to Spain and Northern Europe, or South to the straits of Gibraltar and the Med.

Sorry to disagree. Out of Beaufort NC Sept-Oct is the best time as the weather is very moderate and consistent. This is a very well known crossing time by sailors as well as the tournament fishing crowd.

[jbrasseul]

Originally Posted by Happ

Sorry to disagree. Out of Beaufort NC Sept-Oct is the best time as the weather is very moderate and consistent. This is a very well known crossing time by sailors as well as the tournament fishing crowd.

Sure, from Beaufort to Bermuda.
But from Bermuda to Europe, I think May/June is better, in September/October across the Atlantic you can get very very bad weather. Most boats do the crossing in the Spring. In Faial, Azores, marina de Horta is full in June/July, there is a reason.

[Happ]

It’s a good route as you’ve just shortened the open water distance in both miles and time exposed to the weather changes. Sept Oct is reasonably calm weather. The further north the shorter the route is in miles. Also by stopping in Bermuda you can look for another weather window. I agree taking the northerly route from Canada with stops in Greenland and Iceland is shorter but that far north the weather is far less stable.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Happ

It’s a good route as you’ve just shortened the open water distance in both miles and time exposed to the weather changes. Sept Oct is reasonably calm weather. The further north the shorter the route is in miles. Also by stopping in Bermuda you can look for another weather window. I agree taking the northerly route from Canada with stops in Greenland and Iceland is shorter but that far north the weather is far less stable.

Sept/oct is the height of hurricane season in the N Atlantic. Leave Bermuda at end may beginning june

[Cpt Mark]

Hi Janet,

Take this for what it is worth. You say meager experience. Ok. But where do you have that meager experience? If in San Diego or So Cal in general than you have experience in a gigantic lake as a general rule. If you have experience in say N California, SF Bay then you you have a completely different "meager" experience and one that would be much more appropriate to the trip you're planning.

Definitely watch the M Jambo video. He was quite surprised by how far North he had to sail before crossing.

How mechanical are you? Stuff, even new top of the line stuff will break and when you're at sea, you are the mechanic.

Seasickness. Are you susceptible? Some know they are going to be sick, others delude themselves they never get sick. Everyone can get sick if the right conditions are present. I was on a dive boat at night off San Diego. 3 foot swells, big deal. But the combination of that boats bottom and the timing and angle of the swells even made the crew lose their dinners. I rarely get seasick but to prevent that I wear one of these when heading offshore.

https://www.amazon.com/Reliefband-An...0-eeda4dea34d6

[Leighpilot]

Budget on ten years to cruise Scotland before you head over to the Baltic. That way you’ll at least hit the high points before leaving.

[Cynara]

Don't know about crossing the Atlantic, but is best to head south from San Diego in November. That is what we did and most people do. Once through the Panama canal you can spend sometime in the san blas islands. They should not be missed .

For more information about heading south subscribe to latitude38 magazine and check out the website latitude38 com.

Large group of sailors do that every year. Check out baja ha ha

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Sept/oct is the height of hurricane season in the N Atlantic. Leave Bermuda at end may beginning june

And arrival in Ireland or the Western UK needs to be complete by end of July , preferably June . any later risks being caught in some awful weather. The summer in ireland is dead and gone by the end of July

[JanekPL]

I'd like to try to get a long term outlook on the weather for the N. Atlantic and the Caribbean. Not sure how useful that may be for me, but I'm curious what kind of year 2022 is shaping up to be in those regions. Does this make sense?

Can anyone recommend some kind of almanac for ocean sailors? Or, is there a way to predict, to whatever small extent, what kind of year 2022 is shaping up to be specifically on the oceans? Can we distill useful information from "farmers' almanacs"? That would be a bit more advanced science than what I'm capable of...

And: What are the best routing/weather services out there? Recommendations, please?

To address a few earlier comments. My experience is mostly the Pacific from the Bay Area to San Diego, including all around the Channel Islands and not much more than 100 nm offshore. Eastern Gulf of Mexico too, but that was pleasure cruising and just an exercise in navigation (pre-GPS times). I've sailed in no more than 40-knot winds and never in really big seas. I blew out one sail, I've repaired 2 sails, and I've dealt with various mechanical and electrical failures. I also rewired pretty much the whole boat, and I put in all new electronics and solar. I am fairly handy and have good tools.

I've done everything to gain the peace of mind of having a solid vessel. Acts of God cannot be prevented. Mistakes can, and that is the biggest challenge, always. And that's why all the wisdom and experience you are sharing is invaluable to me. I am not about to relax completely in the false conviction that my boat is impervious to failures or accidents. But I've minimized the chances of the former and working on reducing the latter.

But I'm not sacrificing the thrills of an ocean adventure, amen!

[JanekPL]

Originally Posted by Leighpilot

Budget on ten years to cruise Scotland before you head over to the Baltic. That way you’ll at least hit the high points before leaving.

Haha, point well taken! ;D

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by JanekPL

Haha, point well taken! ;D

the trouble with Scotland is summer occurs on a Wednesday in July , typically a day or two after the same summer occurs in Ireland

[carstenb]

[QUOTE=goboatingnow;3536907]the trouble with Scotland is summer occurs on a Wednesday afternoon in July , typically a day or two after the same summer occurs in Ireland [/QUOTE]

Fixed that for you