Sailing route

[Aden]

My mates and I start planning the route sailing from the UK in May to Caribbean next year, and here is our roughly route but not sure if it is a good and efficient plan for the average sailors.

Falmouth (April/May)->
la coruna ->
along the coast Spain and Portugal (stop by any places if possible) ->
Lisbon ->
Gibraltar ->
Madeira (September)->
Canaries (October)->
Caribbean (December)

1. Hopefully we can stay in Canaries for a few months until the hurricane season is over in December, and then sail to Caribbean.

2. We would like to stay longer in Caribbean until June/July, so where we can go to avoid the hurricane season there.

We are British and think we don't need to apply for any visa sailing around these countries. I will check the maximum days staying in there. However, I still need to do more research on the routes.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Aden

My mates and I start planning the route sailing from the UK in May to Caribbean next year, and here is our roughly route but not sure if it is a good and efficient plan for the average sailors.

Falmouth (April/May)->
la coruna ->
along the coast Spain and Portugal (stop by any places if possible) ->
Lisbon ->
Gibraltar ->
Madeira (September)->
Canaries (October)->
Caribbean (December)

1. Hopefully we can stay in Canaries for a few months until the hurricane season is over in December, and then sail to Caribbean.

2. We would like to stay longer in Caribbean until June/July, so where we can go to avoid the hurricane season there.

We are British and think we don't need to apply for any visa sailing around these countries. I will check the maximum days staying in there. However, I still need to do more research on the routes.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Personally I'd skip La Coruna.. sail further out and pass Finisterre and make your stop in Baiona.
Going down the Portuguese coast remember that many of the ports are on rivers with dangerous bars that kill boats and crew if there's a big swell.
Porto is worth a stop/visit if you've time, with Lisbon your better of using Cascais marina as berths upriver are hard to find.. theres a good cheap train service into the city an easy walk from the marina.
After that theres not much before Lagos after you round St Vincent and there's good anchoring in Portimao and the Faro/Olhau lagoon.. should anyone need to catch a cheap flight back to the UK.
Another thing.. do not understand why Gibraltar if your going to Madeira.. be better jumping off from Portugal but hey.. maybe you like supermarkets.
Have not been to Funchal since the marina got wrecked a few years back but it was the worst marina/facilities I'd been to back then.. there are newer better marina's both E and W of there.
From there down to the Canaries is pretty straight forward and you can start the crossing anytime mid November on via the Cape Verdes.. hurricane season ends late November and officially starts 1st June.
With the Canaries avoid Gran Canaria as the ARC's grab all the berths.. head for the smaller isles which are in fact much nicer.
You should be good in the Caribe till mid July but should warn you the islands get pretty quiet where cruisers are concerned June onwards.. many places shut down and board up for the season.
Another thing.. if your planning on sailing back in July go direct to the Azores rather than up Hurricane Alley to Bermuda.. if your staying head down to Grenada/Trinidad.. the further S the safer usually.. though there are the odd Hurricanes hit there as well.. 2005 springs to mind..
As for visa's.. you do not need any to the best of my knowledge.. but if you want to play safe aim for the French islands which are classed as part of the EU.

[Aden]

Thanks Boatman61

We may sail to French ploynesia, New Zealand and Australia.
It would be very challenging for us to sail the pacific ocean.

How about starting from UK to Guernesy and Jersey, as we would like to stop between the places.

May I ask if there are any tropical storms between May and November when sailing from UK to Canaries?
It would be good to have some advice and we can plan the journey properly.

[boatman61]

If your doing a straight run across the Biscay.. and plan on stopping off at the CI's make a stop at Aber Wrac'h (easy entrance all states of tide) for a weather update before going through Ushant.. there's usually the odd front swinging through that time of year.. basically you want a minimum 4 day window of N'lies for a good fast run.
If going from Falmouth much the same but pass outside Ushant.
If your coast hopping not so important as there's lots of yachtie hidey holes down to Bordeaux after which its just 24-30hrs to San Sebastian or Santander.. you could tuck in behind Cap Ferret however I'd only try it in fine weather with minimum swells.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Aden

Any suggestions are appreciated.

A few thoughts...

You'll be late.
It's all lovely and it's easy to want to see everything, so when the wind is good - go, go, go!

Camarinas is a lovely spot for landfall after Biscay, plus not far of the route south so you save some time. Diesel available in the little marina. But beware the Rias, it's gorgeous up there, beware the clock

Start anchoring straight away, staying out of marinas saves loads and is just nicer anyway. If you do get stuck in the Rias and the wind is good a few days will take you down to St Vincent. I did l'aber Wrac'h - Faro solo is just under couple of weeks in April, camarinas - anchor cais cais - anchor sines - faro.

Why bother with Gib?

But sounds great, to keep eating the miles I prefer long legs, a few days straight, then spend a bit of time somewhere rather than trying to see everything, it's all lovely


"and we can plan the journey properly."
No you can't
Just never works that way.

[barnakiel]

Your plan looks about right.

Avoid leaving UK too early. Spring storms are bad and can last into early summer in some years.

Cross the Bizcaya only with a very positive mid range forecast and avoid going over the shelf, unless you have plenty of experience and understand the risks.

Avoid leaving Madeira or Gib too late. Past September there can be longer periods of less stable weather on the way to the Canaries.

From the Canaries you can depart any time, if you stop at CV. If you do not stop at CV, avoid departing too early. Many boats depart from here in between October and February. Most in November, December and early January, I think.

Cheers,
b.