New and wanting to cross the Atlantic west to east

[BandB]

You have no idea how long the trip is. Oh yes, you can calculate days and miles and you're probably read stories, but until you get on that voyage yourself you can't fully grasp it. For that reason, I'd want to shorten the legs. The best way to do that is Bermuda and Azores. Bermuda a great stop as it gives you a shorter run from the east coast to really find out any issues. Then stop and correct and regroup. Renewing the trip fresh and ready. Azores when the trip is starting to get to you, a perfect place to catch some rest, get out and enjoy. The reward for making the crossing to that point.

I didn't understand your talk about there being more west to east than east to west. Last time I looked there are all the same places.

[GermanAmerican]

Originally Posted by Delancey

"Shortest route, want to cruise with family" or "no schedule, want safest route"? Confusing.

New boat old boat what does it matter? Well, either way it's a new to YOU boat which means you have no experience with it. Lot's of little details.

Agree wth boatman that some kind of pre-crossing trip would give you a chance to sort things out.

Do you have an unlimited budget and are buying a perfectly maintained boat that has circumnavigated recently, or are you on a budget buying a boat that is a dock queen? I don't know. I imagine it would matter.

Never crossed an ocean. Hey that's fine with me. Personally I chose to make my first crossing with someone who had done it before, but to each his own. It's a big ocean. Best of luck.

What's confusing about the safest and shortest route?
If going via Bermuda and Azores is the best way then it would be the safest route. I can plot a course I. The GPS and go direct.
I was looking for someone who has done it and advice in what the the best way in crossing west to east is and time of year.
Of course I'm not on an unlimited budget. Your concern about not having experience with that particular boat is duly noted

I would love to take someone on, but giving liability issues nowadays, etc.

To be honest I rather sail alone and know what I know, then trust a person I don't know.
There is an awesome saying in Germany:

Trust is good, Control is better!

Thanks for the luck part, but I don't believe in luck!
I do believe in human error and technical malfunctions.
Having been a pilot for 15 years, I may look different a things

[GermanAmerican]

Originally Posted by BandB

You have no idea how long the trip is. Oh yes, you can calculate days and miles and you're probably read stories, but until you get on that voyage yourself you can't fully grasp it. For that reason, I'd want to shorten the legs. The best way to do that is Bermuda and Azores. Bermuda a great stop as it gives you a shorter run from the east coast to really find out any issues. Then stop and correct and regroup. Renewing the trip fresh and ready. Azores when the trip is starting to get to you, a perfect place to catch some rest, get out and enjoy. The reward for making the crossing to that point.

I didn't understand your talk about there being more west to east than east to west. Last time I looked there are all the same places.

Thanks.
Braking it up into legs doesn't sound bad, in matter fact I like it

To the last sentence:
If you look online, there is way more east to west crossing references than the other way around. And it's not the same, most people go with the trade winds especially in sailboats

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by GermanAmerican

I would love to take someone on, but giving liability issues nowadays, etc.

To be honest I rather sail alone and know what I know, then trust a person I don't know.
There is an awesome saying in Germany:

Trust is good, Control is better!

And fatigue can be downright deadly. Doesn't matter how much "control" you have when you're faced bad weather and the exhaustion that comes with it, not to mention a problem that requires four hands to fix.

The real liability issue is doing this alone when you don't have to and have no prior experience crossing an ocean solo. Toss in the fact that the boat is new to you and you have a recipe for disaster.

In my opinion, if you buy a boat for less than the cost of shipping it to Europe, you can bet that it won't be initially well enough maintained and equipped to make the trip with confidence.

I agree with Boatie's route advice. If the boat is sorted and you have a good weather window you could even head offshore from Norfolk and head straight for Bermuda, but I would definitely stay on that latitude vs. going more northerly. In June you should get a good SW wind to carry you to Bermuda.

[GermanAmerican]

Originally Posted by Suijin

I agree with Boatie's route advice. If the boat is sorted and you have a good weather window you could even head offshore from Norfolk and head straight for Bermuda, but I would definitely stay on that latitude vs. going more northerly. In June you should get a good SW wind to carry you to Bermuda.

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by GermanAmerican

What's confusing about the safest and shortest route?

First you ask for shortest. Then you ask for safest.

The SHORTEST route from Boston is a great circle route that takes you over the Grand Banks which puts you at risk of fog, ice, and fishing vessels.

I believe Jimmy Cornell advises people leaving New England head south to forty, then take forty east until past the Grand Banks before making any mileage north.

The route being discussed to Bermuda which is being framed as the "safest" is also the LONGEST in terms of mileage and arguably puts you at greater the likelyhood you will have LESS wind.

Since the "safest" route is also the one that is going to take the longest it is arguably the riskiest since it gives you the greatest exposure to encountering a gale.

Try and have your cake and eat it too if you please. You're the one who is asking for advice.

[GermanAmerican]

Originally Posted by Delancey

The SHORTEST route from Boston is a great circle route that takes you over the Grang Banks which puts you at risk of fog, ice, and fishing vessels.

I believe Jimmy Cornell advises people leaving New England head south to forty, then take forty east until past the Grand Banks before making any mileage north.

The route being discussed to Bermuda which is being framed as the "safest" is also the LONGEST in terms of mileage and arguably puts you at the greatest risk for the fact that the further south you go, the greater the likelyhood you will have LESS wind.

Try and have your cake and eat it too if you please. You're the one who is asking for advice.

Yeah, definitely want to avoid the Grand Banks!

I love cake, no reason to be mean dude, chill
But thanks.

Remember folks, if you got nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all

[Delancey]

Mean?

Maybe if you are unfortunate enough to spend five days caught in a North Atlantic gale, badly tear two mainsails, ship water into the cockpit, lose you engine, break a running backstay, and have to give up on Falmouth and bail-out to the Azores after having not slept in days hand steering in city block sized waves you will know what mean is.

I am not mean. I am concerned for someone who sounds flippant about something potentially deadly.

[GermanAmerican]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Mean?

Maybe if you are unfortunate enough to spend five days caught in a North Atlantic gale, badly tear two mainsails, ship water into the cockpit, lose you engine, break a running backstay, and have to give up on Falmouth and bail-out to the Azores after having not slept in days hand steering one-on-one-off watches in city block sized waves, you will know what mean is.

I am not mean. I am concerned for someone who sounds flipant about something potentially deadly.

Thanks dude, I see your concern in the way you write things. Thanks for the concerning advice to a flippant, must be a real hard thing to write stuff like that.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.

I was asking for advice, I don't mind constructive criticism. And yes my friend, you are mean.
You make me regret posting here. Thought people would be helpful, like some are.

Dude, chill it's christmas.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Mean?

Maybe if you are unfortunate enough to spend five days caught in a North Atlantic gale, badly tear two mainsails, ship water into the cockpit, lose you engine, break a running backstay, and have to give up on Falmouth and bail-out to the Azores after having not slept in days hand steering in city block sized waves you will know what mean is.

I am not mean. I am concerned for someone who sounds flippant about something potentially deadly.

Hmmmm... brings to mind a Canadian guy I met in Horta in March this year.. he'd crossed from Canada... got badly beat up.. 52 days if I remember correctly to make it to the Azores.. winter sailing for you..
I'd done the S route from Florida.. only one gale.. also ended up being towed into the Azores..
Not because of the gale may I add.. some electrical issues on the boat combined with my erratic progress on Spot after 160+miles/days caused concern onshore and a rescue boat was dispatched to my position..


Its Christmas.. everyone's a bit jaded..

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by GermanAmerican

Thanks dude, I see your concern in the way you write things. Thanks for the concerning advice to a flippant, must be a real hard thing to write stuff like that.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.

I was asking for advice, I don't mind constructive criticism. And yes my friend, you are mean.
You make me regret posting here. Thought people would be helpful, like some are.

Dude, chill it's christmas.

Delancy may come across to you as harsh but it can get pretty harsh at sea, especially at the higher latitudes you will encounter to reach UK.

I strongly recommend you do a shakedown cruise before attempting the crossing. Triple that since you have never made an ocean crossing, you have no solo experience and you will be in a boat that is new to you.

I've made a few solo trips and one double handed when we got hit with some really nasty weather, the AP failed and we had to hand steer watch on watch for 4-5 days. By the last day we were doing one hour watches because both of us were totally exhausted. If I had been single handing that trip not sure how I would have dealt with it.

What you propose can certainly be done, many have done it but also more than a few sailors with previous experience crossing oceans have come to grief attempting this trip.

[GermanAmerican]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Delancy may come across to you as harsh but it can get pretty harsh at sea, especially at the higher latitudes you will encounter to reach UK.

I strongly recommend you do a shakedown cruise before attempting the crossing. Triple that since you have never made an ocean crossing, you have no solo experience and you will be in a boat that is new to you.

I've made a few solo trips and one double handed when we got hit with some really nasty weather, the AP failed and we had to hand steer watch on watch for 4-5 days. By the last day we were doing one hour watches because both of us were totally exhausted. If I had been single handing that trip not sure how I would have dealt with it.

What you propose can certainly be done, many have done it but also more than a few sailors with previous experience crossing oceans have come to grief attempting this trip.

Thanks, now that's advice!
Harsh? No kidding

I am looking for crew, this is just a worst case scenario.

All I wanted to know is times to go and preferred routes people take. Didn't know this would turn out to be such a pain.

Merry Christmas Y'all

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by GermanAmerican

Thanks, now that's advice!
Harsh? No kidding

Perhaps you are not aware of how seriously a lot of the forum members take the advise they give. When a question is posted in such a way that leaves some possible doubt as to the ability of the questioner to safely make the voyage then many forum members feel a responsibility to point out the potential risks for the trip. Most are not trying to be rude or nasty or put down your plans, just expressing concern.

Originally Posted by GermanAmerican

All I wanted to know is times to go and preferred routes people take. Didn't know this would turn out to be such a pain.

Not intending to be rude or flip myself but it's just a fact of internet life. If you ask for advise on a free and open forum on the internet then anyone who likes is free to answer or comment or ask questions back.

At least on CF there is a very serious rule to "Be Nice!". I've been on plenty of forums where some members don't hesitate to flame away at anything that in their (armchair quarterback, internet expert, probably never been there/done that) opinion is in the least questionable.

[scuba0_1]

You could do a couple of things, the boat for now let's say it's ready, you can hire a captain that sails that route to look over your boat and give you some pointers and tips. Before you take your family out on such a long adventure shakedown cruise would be a good idea. Before you, anventure out into the Atlantic. it might be a good idea to get on a crewed boat that is taking that route so you can get the experience of what it's like out there for a few days or a week. There's a lot of good captains out there that take that route to do just that thing. Even if your boat is ready I'm sure they're will be things that come up that you've never seen or experienced and I'd hate to do that for a first time with a family on board looking to you for reassurance, you could also hire a captain for part of the leg so at least he can give you some training and help you if anything arises that you don't know what the best course of action is to take,
Sent from my SM-N910V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[GermanAmerican]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Perhaps you are not aware of how seriously a lot of the forum members take the advise they give. When a question is posted in such a way that leaves some possible doubt as to the ability of the questioner to safely make the voyage then many forum members feel a responsibility to point out the potential risks for the trip. Most are not trying to be rude or nasty or put down your plans, just expressing concern.




Not intending to be rude or flip myself but it's just a fact of internet life. If you ask for advise on a free and open forum on the internet then anyone who likes is free to answer or comment or ask questions back.

At least on CF there is a very serious rule to "Be Nice!". I've been on plenty of forums where some members don't hesitate to flame away at anything that in their (armchair quarterback, internet expert, probably never been there/done that) opinion is in the least questionable.

Seriously? Concerned?

You makes me laugh. As stated before I have no problem with constructive criticism or anyone's oppinion.
What I do have a problem with, is how it is conveyed.

You are telling me, telling someone, they have no idea, giving a worst case scenario is advice? C'mon, I appreciate any advice, but what I personaly don't like, is the tone some is written.
That's is mean, rude, you name it.
So it's ok in your oppinion, because it's the Internet, to behave like that?
No wonder, that they are kids committing suicide of Facebook comments.
What happend? Now it's my fault for asking? Global warming too?
Well I'm really sorry to have bothered you then, oh wait I was asking for all of it, wasn't I? I deserve it then, thumbs up for freedoms of speech.

I have to say, I'm deeply disturbed what has become of our society and the way we're heading to.

Y'all seriously need to chill people....