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PROVISIONING
I don’t need to explain why taking the right foods for a longer sailing trip is so important, but here is a quick guide to the provisions we take:
- The number one rule is to take foods that will keep for a long time. Dry store goods – tinned foods, pasta sauce, cup-a-soups, crackers, tea, coffee, cereals, bread flour, long-life milk and water; not forgetting easy to grab snacks such as nuts, dried fruit, cereal bars, chocolates, biscuits, crisps. Baking ingredients let you cook on the move, and who doesn’t love finishing a night watch to the smell of freshly baked bread?
- Fresh fruit and vegetables that keep well and can be kept out the fridge for a long period are important. Apples, oranges, pears, grapefruit, unripened avocados, unripened bananas, pineapple, mango, watermelon, carrots, corn, potatoes, onions, pumpkin, celery and peppers all fall into this list. When planning meals, it’s important to work around when this produce will start to go off so nothing is wasted.
- Frozen foods are great too, so fresh produce is available throughout the passage. We take frozen vegetables, frozen berries and other fruit that can be thrown in a smoothie. Meat and ready-made pizzas are good and bread can also be frozen and toasted easily.
- Don’t forget – anti-seasickness provisions like ginger biscuits, ginger and peppermint teas, and mints are essential, although hopefully not necessary!
FOOD PREPARATION
Our chef will prepare three meals a day for seven people for +/- 16 days, which is the average time it takes us to sail across the Atlantic. Below are some handy hints from how our chef does this:
- Fruit and vegetables are cut up, portioned and frozen for future use.
- Some dishes are made in advance and frozen – these include lasagne, pies, stews, curries, chilli and soups.
- Wrap fresh herbs and leaves in damp paper towels to make them last longer.
- Home-made dips like hummus are preprepared and we continue to prepare foods like this as we sail.
SAFETY DRILLS
It is important everyone knows their responsibilities in case of an emergency. So we run through all our safety checks and drills to pick up anything that might be amiss before we leave.
- Life jackets must be checked for wear and tear.
- Locations of safety equipment are identified and we remove all the covers and run through how everything works.
- We test the alarms and emergency exits.
- We do a full run through of fire, man overboard and abandon ship drills.
MECHANICAL CHECKS
- We test all the alarms including fire and bilge alarms.
- Start up the generators and engine to make sure they run smoothly.
- Winches and hydraulics are all tested.
- Service intervals on machinery are checked.
- The bow and stern thrusters are tested to ensure a smooth take off once we slip the lines.
DECK CHECKS
Not only do we have the fishing rods ready to supplement our diet with fresh and sustainably caught fish, but we also needed to check the following:
- the jack-stays have been set up and tested to ensure they are tight.
- winches have been set up with the correct lines.
- the stainless steel is polished to protect it from the salt water and do a final wash down.
- all hatches are stowed and locked close, ready to go to sea!
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How to sail across the Atlantic and back
Confined to quarters during the pandemic, many sailors are itching to slip their lines and sail for the sun. Elaine Bunting explains exactly how to break free and sail across the Atlantic and back
If your dream is sailing off into the sunset, making it a reality could be easier than you think
Just as the island of Hiddensee drew across the wake of the boat, Malin Andersson took up her camera and shot a video, writes Elaine Bunting .
When she looks at it now, a late summer scene from the Baltic coast of Germany, she remembers it as the instant she knew for certain she was right to think of leaving work to go cruising.
Malin and her partner Kaj Maass, both from Sweden and aged in their late twenties, met as students and formed a plan to take a year off before starting a family.
After years of scrimping, they bought a Bavaria 38 and renamed her Cross Ocean .
With the last tiny island of a summer cruise behind them, they began to prepare to sail across the Atlantic and back, and a year of adventure.
‘From then, we have never had a moment of regret about setting off,’ she says.
Each year, hundreds of yachtsmen of all ages sail across the Atlantic.
Some have only a few months of freedom, others plan to cruise indefinitely.
Their ambitions shape diverse choices in terms of boat design and preparations.
Here, we look at some of the biggest considerations if that is your goal, too.
A good place to start might be with the question: can I sail across the Atlantic and back in the yacht I have now?
In most cases, the answer is yes.
Almost any well-prepared yacht of 30ft and upwards can tackle the downwind crossing, and indeed there is no reason why an even smaller boat can’t do it successfully.
People have crossed in Folkboats; the legendary American sailor Webb Chiles sailed across the Pacific in a converted 24ft dayboat, and some masochistic adventurers have crossed oceans in micro yachts not even long enough for them to stretch out in.
Two sailors I have repeatedly met over the years are Swedes Pekka and Barbro Karlsson.
They first crossed the Atlantic in 1986 in their 32ft Arvid Lauren-designed double-ender, Corona AQ .
Pekka and Barbo Karisson have sailed their 32ft double ender across the Atlantic multiple times over 30 years. Credit: World Cruising Club
Over the last 30 years, they have made multiple crossings back and forth, observing boats getting ever larger, even of the same LOA as theirs.
By comparison, theirs is dwarfed in every dimension, including beam and freeboard, yet it has everything this experienced couple need for living on board for six or more months every year.
So, really, it is a matter of cost, preference and expectation.
The big question is whether your current yacht is the best tool for the job given your budget.
Is it large enough for the crew you intend for longer passages, for the provisions, fuel and water?
A 35-footer might take 25-28 days to sail across the Atlantic from the Canaries to the West Indies.
Obviously, the longer and faster your boat is, the more stowage and water tankage you will have for less time at sea.
You might also ask yourself which parts of the adventure are the most valuable to you.
A solid yacht set up for bluewater cruising is a good option and can be sold once you return home. Credit: Tor Johnson
If you don’t intend to do the more arduous return home to Europe, maybe you don’t need a bigger, more expensive, more complex long-legged bluewater cruiser; you could consider shipping back – more on that option later.
If you intend to live on board for longer, then perhaps you will want more space, including for guests, greater comforts and faster passage times.
In that case, one solution might be to buy for the duration of the project a second-hand bluewater cruiser already well kitted out with the right gear, then sell her right afterwards.
‘I think that makes total sense,’ says Sue Grant, managing director of Berthon International, the well-known brokers specialising in bluewater cruisers.
‘The best thing you can do for a North Atlantic circuit is to buy from the guy who had the dream, had the money and didn’t go. A refit will always cost you more than you think.’
For a two- to three-season transocean cruise, Grant advocates stretching up to your next level, especially to a yacht that doesn’t need a big refit and brands with a strong residual value.
‘If you buy a high-quality Hallberg-Rassy or an Oyster then sell it you’d lose 10% of value but have three years for it.’
While in the Azores in 2012 I met Stuart and Anne Letton, who were sailing their Island Packet 45, Time Bandit , back to the UK.
Their boat was brimming with sensible ideas for living aboard and I have kept in touch with them over the years as they are a wonderful source of thoughtful advice.
Since then they have sold the Island Packet , bought an Outremer 51 catamaran, sailed across the Atlantic again, and are presently in Indonesia having sailed across the Pacific.
In total, they have now logged a very impressive 60,000 miles.
Catamarans are increasingly popular thanks to their speed and space. Credit: Stuart & Anne Letton
‘Before we went cruising, I spent a lot of time looking at what would be the best, safest mode of transport. I wanted a proven, tough, sturdy, bombproof ocean cruiser, hence Time Bandit [the Island Packet], the “Beige Battleship”,’ says Stuart.
‘Having spent my sailing career racing performance dinghies and keel boats, this was something of a departure for me. It was safe. And a bit boring. However, the reality is you all end up in the same place, give or take a few days. With reflection, though, I’d say, buy a boat that will make you happy, one that reflects your sailing style and capabilities. We opted for slow but safe and used the safe features a handful of days in 10 years. Those were years we could have been enjoying more rewarding sailing.
‘Buy what you will enjoy, can afford and are able to keep running. Do the maths on running costs, rig, insurance and repairs, and work that into the budget.’
Asked about their ideas of the ideal size for a couple, the Lettons comment: ‘Generally I’d say bigger is better, but the costs are exponential. Personally, for two up, I think around 40-45ft feet is a good size: big enough to be safe and comfortable, small enough to manage.’
The couple own the Outremer 51, Time Bandit and have completed four Atlantic crossings and sailed 60,000 miles
Stuart and Anne Letton.
‘Being very well set up for dead downwind sailing is important, especially well thought-out preventers, fore and aft on the spinnaker pole and main boom.
‘An asymmetric or spinnaker will keep you moving in lighter air.
‘Save on gas with a Thermal Cookpot and get as much free power from water and sun as you can.
‘Trade in your trusty CQR or Bruce anchor for a spade or similar “new technology” anchor .
Like the Lettons, I think 40-45ft is something of a sweet spot, offering the volume and tankage required for longer cruising, yet still manageable by a small crew.
Bigger has its advantages, even up to 55ft (above that the loads become too large to handle manually and maintenance is a massive chore for a family crew, requiring significant time and budget).
The waterline length and extra speed will be your friend, most of the time.
Speed is your ally in evading bad weather, and if you are sailing to a schedule.
The Witt family sailed around the world as part of the World Cruising Club World ARC
Karsten Witt and his wife, Sheila, circumnavigated in the World ARC in their X-55 Gunvør XL , and he says: ‘It was hardest work for the smaller or slower boats. They are at sea longer, therefore experience more and sometimes harder weather, arrive later in port, get more tired and have less time to make repairs and bank downtime.
‘I would always go for a modern boat that’s faster,’ he adds.
‘If you had a heavy 40ft cruiser you would miss weather windows. Other boats spend days battling headwinds because they were doing 6-7 knots upwind and they couldn’t point. We averaged 200 miles a day every day, so in five days were a long way away and in completely different weather.’
But you certainly don’t need a large or expensive yacht, just a well-prepared one.
Starting with the basics: safety gear, fire and gas installations, good sails with deep reefs, in date and inspected rig, winches and all machinery serviced, and power and battery systems upgraded if necessary, plus full inspection of keel fastenings and rudder, skeg and bearings.
After that, you really need to know how everything on board works, how you’d repair or service it and, if you can’t, how you would manage without.
Karsten and Sheila Witt and family enjoyed the extra pace and comfort of their X-55. Credit: World Cruising Club
Only after considering that is it worth adding complexity.
Multiple power generation systems, including hydro-generator and solar panels, watermakers, diesel generators and WiFi networks.
Mark Matthews is marine surveyor who ran Professional Yacht Deliveries for 12 years, a company that moves around 200 yachts and averages 350,000 miles a year.
When he made his own Atlantic crossing, it was in a 42ft production yacht.
‘We kept the original sail plan and sails and did not have a generator or other means of charging the batteries apart from the engine. We took bottled water to supplement the on-board tankage. We only invested in a secondhand satellite phone, jerrycans for additional fuel, fishing tackle, wind scoops for the West Indies and provisions for the crossing. We crossed from the Canaries to the West Indies in 17 days,’ he explains.
But if you are looking at a boat for the way back to Europe or outside the downwind routes of the tropics, maybe you should look at more conservative, heavier displacement types, he suggests.
The downwind Tradewinds crossing can really be tackled in any well-prepared boat large enough for your crew, so one way to look at an Atlantic circuit is to weigh up first how you feel about the way back home, and factor that into the cost equation.
A growing number of sailors spend the winter season in the sun, or several consecutive seasons between periods of work, then ship their boat back.
This on-off cruising lifestyle could be compatible with some remote working, so while extremely expensive in itself, shipping represents a trade-off that could be worth considering.
You may find a smaller boat adequate, especially if you are shipping it home. Credit: Neville Hockley
Minus requirements dictated by the longer, more windward crossing back home, perhaps you could go in a ‘one-way/downwind-only/island-hopping’ boat option.
That could be a much smaller boat, a lighter, simpler or more performance-orientated yacht.
A one-way voyage involves relatively short times at sea, possibly three weeks at most, and you might be able to manage without spending a fortune on equipment.
This year, Peters & May will be loading from Antigua, St Lucia and Martinique and have ships going into the Med, Southampton and other North Sea or Baltic ports.
Michael Wood, general manager of Peters & May, quotes typical prices of US$10,200 for a 32-footer and US$21,600 for a 41-footer.
Unlike a delivery service, shipping saves on the wear and tear from an Atlantic crossing, so is also something to weigh up.
Typically, getting ready to go off for an Atlantic circuit or more needs a two- to three-year runway.
I have met people who have done it much quicker – I recently met an American family who only decided to go cruising last June and were in the Canary Islands with a brand new catamaran in November – but it is stressful, and you risk sailing away with a long list of warranty work needed, and jobs lists incomplete.
It might take most of a year to choose, trial and select the right boat, then you could spend the next year sailing from your home port, preparing, fitting new gear, testing and sea trialling everything and upping your knowledge level.
Kaj Maass and Malin Andersson, an engineer and a pre-school teacher respectively, bought their Bavaria 38 Cross Ocean in 2016 for €80,000 and lived on board for a summer and winter to increase their savings.
You’ll need space to store enough food for the crew – though choice in foreign ports may be limited. Credit: Kaj Maass & Malin Andersson
‘You don’t have to set off for several years right away, you could make the adventure in smaller parts,’ says Kaj.
‘We met several sailors who sailed for a couple of months, left the boat, flew back home, and continued later on. We adjusted upgrades, the time frame for the adventure, and saved during our day-to-day lives before setting off.’
Do make sure everything you fit for your cruise is well-tested and problems ironed out before you set out to sail across the Atlantic.
If you buy a new boat, expect lots of snagging.
Sorry to say it, but yards tend to put switches, filters and so on in silly places, and because yachts have relatively low volume sales, information about fitting or installation problems can take a while to circle back and be corrected.
Kaj and Malin replaced their engine for peace of mind. Credit: Kaj Maass & Malin Andersson
If you leave before inevitable glitches are corrected, you could spend days arguing with the boatbuilder or manufacturer about who is responsible and how they are going to get spare parts to you.
This quickly rubs the nap off a dream cruising life.
A year of home-range cruising will also allow you to gain all the knowledge and training you need, which should include essential maintenance know-how and medical and sea survival training (people tend to rave about the latter, interestingly).
It will also allow you time to prepare a manual about your boat, with info and serial numbers and specs of everything on board, which will pay you back handsomely if you need advice or spares.
The couple own the Bavaria 38, Cross Ocean and have sailed from Sweden to the Caribbean and back via the Azores
Malin hoists a courtesy flag as their Bavaria 38 makes landfall in St Lucia. Credit: Kaj Maass & Malin Andersson
‘You do not need that much. Less equipment equals fewer breakages.
‘We would never go without a windvane and we are definitely pleased with having a centre cockpit boat, which keeps you safe and dry in the centre of the boat, though the master cabin is worthless at sea.’
There has been a big upswing in families taking a year or 18 months out from normal lives, to return later.
This seems to coincide with that point in an established, stable career where a sabbatical is possible, there is enough money to buy a boat for a special project, parents are healthy and the kids are not yet in the run up to major exams.
Most often, the sailing families I meet have children aged between five and 12.
Crossing an ocean with a family is entirely feasible. The Paterson family took part in the 2018 ARC on their Moody 471. Credit: World Cruising Club/James Mitchell
The obvious rewards for children spending every day with their mum and dad have to be weighed against the considerable extra work and commitment, though I have yet to meet a parent who regretted it.
In 2019, Russell and Kate Hall sailed across the Atlantic in their Hallberg-Rassy 46 with their boys, Hugo, 8, and Felix, 6.
‘Somebody said to us that living with kids on a boat for a year is like living on land with them for four years,’ Kate laughs.
‘It can be quite draining but it’s also part of the reason why we are doing this, so it’s the yin and yang.
Additional crew can help with sailing and school when you sail across the Atlantic. Credit: Erin Carey
‘There are jobs that require both of us and you have to rely on the children to keep themselves safe at times. They sleep really well on board and they go to bed at sunset and wake at sunrise, then they’re full of beans. You might not have had much sleep. It takes a while to adjust.’
The Halls concentrated on the basics of English and maths, and then tailored history or geography or science projects around places they were visiting.
This seems to work for most families.
Schools will usually provide a curriculum plan for time out, and there are a lot of distance learning and ‘school in a box’ courses for homeschooling children, such as Calvert and Oak Meadow.
‘My advice would be to be easy on yourself,’ advises Kate Hall.
Celebrating milestones can help bolster a young crew’s morale when you sail across the Atlantic. Credit: Erin Carey
‘We started with five hours’ schooling a day and then reduced that to two-and-a-half. Chill and relax; it all works out. There are always things to learn.’
If you are planning to sail across the Atlantic with kids, look at taking on extra hands to help with the sailing.
Also consider joining the ARC rally where in port you share a pontoon with all the other family boats so there are lots of other kids of different ages for yours to socialise with, as well as an organised daily kids club.
The friendships made between adults and children also often shape later cruising plans.
If you are planning on sailing across the Atlantic, don’t leave it too late to set off across Biscay – late August or September is pushing your luck from a weather point of view.
Ideally, make the most of the summer cruising opportunities travelling south through France, Spain and Portugal – these could be among the best parts of the trip.
Annually, the ARC rally leaves the Canary Islands in November, the ARC+ heading for Mindelo in Cape Verde first, and the ARC direct to St Lucia.
This is so that crews can be in the Caribbean for Christmas.
White sails can make a solid downwind sail plan if well set up with preventers and guys
It is early in the season for Tradewinds, though, and you may have to be prepared for a trough, a front, or calms – or all three – on the way across unless you wait until January.
Whether you cross early or not, my own personal preference would be to go via Cape Verde.
It’s a fascinating archipelago and culture, a place to re-provision or make repairs, and it breaks up the crossing.
It lengthens the time away and overall distance, as Mindelo is 800 miles south- west of the Canaries, but the leg south into ‘butter melting’ latitudes will then put you into almost guaranteed Trades, even in November.
From the Caribbean, you can then sail up to Florida via the Bahamas, or the US East Coast, or return to Europe via the Azores.
The routes to sail across the Atlantic and back. Credit: Maxine Heath
For the return to Europe, most cruisers generally strike out from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands or St Maarten, both good for provisioning, spares, chandlery and repairs, or head up to Bermuda and wait for a springboard forecast for Horta.
From here, crews will again wait to pick their timing to head across to Spain or Portugal or up to the UK.
According to Jimmy Cornell, author of World Cruising Routes , as early as March and as late as mid-May there are reasonable chances of favourable south-easterly and south-westerly winds on leaving the Eastern Caribbean.
The advice he offers is to track north-easterly towards the Azores and stay south of 30°N until 40°W.
For cruisers a southerly route is generally the preferable passage to choose, staying south of the Gulf Stream in lighter winds and taking on extra fuel and motoring if conditions deem necessary.
Cruising costs will depend on how you wish to live while cruising.
If you want to spend time in marinas, eat out regularly, hire cars, take tours and fly home occasionally, obviously that will be different to a more self-contained life on board at anchor.
As a guide, we asked Swedish couple Kaj and Malin to add up their costs to prepare for their trip and during the 14-month sabbatical.
Costs will be much lower where you can stay at anchor rather than berth in a marine. Credit: Kaj Maass/Malin Andersson
‘The budget for our trip was €80,000 to buy the boat, and €30,000 of upgrades,’ Kaj says.
The upgrades included a new engine, new standing rigging, a Hydrovane and satellite communications.
They dropped the rudder and the keel and reinforced the area around it.
Of the total budget, around €10,000 was spent on safety equipment.
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Their cruising costs were around €2,500 a month for the two of them, averaging out the most expensive parts of the journey from Sweden to the Canary Islands, when harbour fees were costing around €40 a night.
This would cover some eating out ashore and car rental for tours.
Over the longer term, a good rule of thumb is to allow 20% of the cost of your boat for running repairs to cover antifouling, sail replacement, servicing and, if you are leaving your boat to return home, you’ll need to factor in haul-out, storage and hurricane tie-downs.
If you plan to buy a boat, sail it back and sell it right after your trip, however, you may be able sidestep some ongoing costs.
Maybe you don’t have to wait until retirement to go cruising.
There is a strong argument for taking a career break (or breaks) and working for longer if necessary as it spreads the cost and reduces the risk of the big adventure never happening.
Additional offwind sails, like a furling Code 0, can keep the boat moving in light airs for more enjoyable sailing and to save fuel. Credit World Cruising Club
Around half of the people I meet on transatlantic rallies are taking sabbaticals and intending to return to the same post, or have quit a job.
Both options have become quite acceptable, and in some professions and countries sabbaticals are actively encouraged as a retention incentive.
‘Tell the world you are leaving,’ advises Kaj Maass.
‘Make sure you create some pressure on yourself to realise your dream. Involve your employer early on in the planning process. A modern employer will understand and respect your decision to explore the world and live out your dreams, maybe they even see a long-term benefit from the knowledge and experience you will gain from it and you can [negotiate] a leave of absence.’
Satellite comms add a level of safety and keeping in touch but can be costly. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images
Those running a business may bring in a trusted general manager or step up a family member while they are away.
Keeping tabs on business while away is possible (though it can be expensive in satellite data) but it’s not something that generally works well on a day-to-day basis.
You do need to be able to cut the ties to enjoy cruising, not least because the cruising life comes with its own workload, from maintenance to laundry.
Long-distance cruising comes with its own workload and maintenance. Credit: Kaj Maass/Malin Andersson
‘Trying to mix work and pleasure compromises both,’ says Stuart Letton.
Before setting out, the Lettons brought their son in to run their web-based business supplying global brands with customisable marketing material.
‘While our business was under new management, it was still a struggle for me to let go. I can remember sitting in WiFi cafés from Spain to the Galapagos trying to blend cruising with work and, while it helped my conscience, I doubt the effort did much for work or cruising.
‘That’s not to say it isn’t possible. With good WiFi and satellite connections you really can work pretty much anywhere . But if you don’t need to, I’d cut the ties, burn the bridges and go. If you need to work, fine, just get your management team in place, communication systems properly set up and resourced, and go.’
It helps to set a deadline so you can realise your dream and sail across the Atlantic. Credit: Kaj Maass/Malin Andersson
However you plan to break free, what really helps is a deadline: a date that you are going set off, with a scene you can visualise to keep you motivated as you work through the preparations and demands of shore life.
Most preparations are really just logistics, and you’re probably already pretty good at that.
The bigger obstacle is often mustering the courage to leave.
I often hear cruisers describe hassles – one described cruising as the act of sailing from one place where you couldn’t get something fixed to another where you hoped you would – yet when I ask for their best advice it usually boils down to a simple prescription: just go.
Kaj Maass said exactly that when I asked him that question.
‘Just do it. Life is too short not to live out your dreams.’
This is entirely a personal choice.
Advantages of the ARC , which is the best organised and biggest, are great seminars, preparation information and tools.
It’s also an ideal way to meet lots of fascinating, like-minded people, and is agreed to be good value despite costs.
It also gives you a departure date to hold yourself too.
For a first taste of ocean sailing, it can be reassuring and fun to join a rally to sail across the Atlantic, like the ARC. Credit: James Mitchell/World Cruising Club
Plus is has good parties and entertainment on tap to keep crew happy.
The cons would be its early crossing date for the Tradewinds season, large fleet size (though check out ARC+, which is smaller) or if you just want to be low-key and go it alone.
The Viking Explorers rally is one alternative, but not many others still run.
If you do your own thing, you will still find a wonderful cruising community anywhere cruisers other, and there is fantastic support across the world for independent voyaging through the Ocean Cruising Club.
While in no way a comprehensive list of preparations, here are some jumping off points to think about when planning your voyage:
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Experienced cruisers often discover Kadey-Krogen Yachts because they begin to search for yachts capable of crossing the Atlantic. If one searches the listings for Transatlantic boats for sale or contacts a broker with a very specific request to hear about yachts that can cross the Atlantic, they’re bound to discover plenty of superyachts, and some custom trawlers, and, of course, a selection of our models that are built to take on long bluewater cruising legs such as one takes on for an ocean crossinig.
Those who are more serious about open-ocean crossings begin to think about the best time to cross the Atlantic west to east and also consider provisioning, crew, a timetable, potential destinations, and all the factors, large and small, that enter into this exciting equation.
Our ultimate guide on things to consider if you're planning to sail across the Atlantic
Photo: Tor Johnson
The Atlantic crossing season occurs every winter. In the months leading up to Christmas, some 4-5,000 sailors will cross from Europe to the Caribbean on one of the biggest sailing adventures of their lives.
In most cases, the crossing is the culmination of years of planning and preparation. But if it’s your first time, are you missing something? You might be.
Here is a list of my top 15 tips for an Atlantic crossing, which I’ve drawn up both from my own ocean passages in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, and from talking to hundreds of transatlantic sailors over the years. So what do you really need to consider when planning your Atlantic crossing…
Time was when a proper offshore cruising yacht had chines, a ketch rig and self-steering gear at the stern. That was a perception, and perceptions change. Numerically, the most common transatlantic yachts these days are ordinary production cruisers with standard kit.
As for a watermaker, generator, SSB radio, etc: they’re all useful, but every additional item adds complication and service cost/time. Apart from a sound boat, all you really need is water, food, fuel and a (paper) copy of ‘North Atlantic, Southern Part’.
A smart crossing is all about consistent speed, 24 hours a day. The key is not to have downtime.
There’s no need to fiddle around with twin headsails, Twistlerig or expensive new asymmetric spinnaker; a main and poled-out genoa ‘barn doors’ set-up will do fine. In fact, me and my other half won the ARC rally overall one year after sailing wing-and-wing almost the entire way.
Just keep an eye out for chafe, and be sure to set up a preventer on the boom and a foreguy topping lift and downhaul when poling out the headsail so you can furl in quickly when that night-time squall hits (which it will).
Whatever power you think you’ll use on an ocean crossing, add on another third. Nav lights, radar, radio scheds, autopilot, watermaker, fridge, freezer, computer, fans – you name it, they all add up.
Increase the means of generating electricity with a diesel generator, larger alternator, solar panels and/or a towed turbine and look at means of making savings, such as fitting LED lights.
There are several things to consider when asking the question: “How far can a yacht journey?”
There are many different variables, including the type of yacht, the size of the fuel tank(s), the weather, and the amount of crew/gear aboard.
Not to mention the skill and experience of the captain.
Generally, a motorized yacht about 35 feet in length can travel around 200 miles at approximately 25 knots in an 8 hour day. At 35 knots, they can travel close to 300 miles in a day. With enough fuel or fill-ups, you can go on for thousands of miles.
With the addition of sails, a yacht can travel even further, but it takes longer.
Here’s everything you need to know!
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This question is difficult to answer on its own.
However, on average, a 75-foot motorized yacht with a tank that can carry 11,000 liters of fuel can travel up to 1500 nautical miles.
If you are comparing your yacht to this average, make sure also to compare your tank size.
For example:
Think of it this way: the bigger the boat, the bigger the fuel compartment.
The bigger the fuel tank (for the size of the boat,) the farther it can travel.
Other variables can affect those numbers, but these are the main factors you need to consider.
We have an article here with much more statistics and numbers on boating .
Different yachts have different-sized gas tanks on board.
The size of the fuel tank has a lot to do with how far it can travel.
After all, no fuel = no travel, right?
Not necessarily.
For a motorized yacht, there are really only two things to consider when trying to determine the distance it can travel:
Side note: generally speaking, it is a good idea to have about one and a half times the amount of fuel you will need for the trip you want to make.
Different weather conditions can affect how slow your trip is, as well. Yachts are slower in rough weather. If there are bad weather conditions, yachts won’t be able to travel as far. On the opposite side, a yacht can travel much further in optimum weather conditions, when the engines don’t have to fight against the wind and choppy waters.
On the other hand, sailing boats are powered by the winds on the sea.
Weather can be finicky, and, because of that, most sailing yachts have an alternative form of power.
Some of those include:
Remember to read up on international flag rules for boats before leaving.
Even superyachts come in different sizes and with different sized fuel tanks.
However, let’s say that you’re on a 130-foot yacht with a fuel tank of 22,420 liters.
If the yacht is cruising at around 20 knots, it can travel about 1500 nautical miles on that fuel tank.
To find how far you can go on one tank of fuel, you will have to:
The fuel burn rate calculation is = fuel used / hours, resulting in liters or gallons per hour. The calculation for fuel efficiency is distance/fuel used, resulting in miles per gallon or liters.
The fuel burn rate and fuel efficiency (fuel mileage) are different at different speeds. If both are calculated at the vessel’s standard cruising speed, the fuel efficiency is the cruising speed divided by the fuel burn rate.
For example, a yacht cruising at 10 knots burning 2.5 gallons per hour has a fuel efficiency of 4 nautical miles per gallon (10 / 2.5).
Depending on the vessel, you can sail anywhere from one day (on a small sailing yacht ) to a month, and some boats have sailed around the world without stopping.
You must account for:
A 30-foot sailing yacht can carry enough supplies for someone to stay aboard for 90 days (or even longer).
There is a nonstop ocean sailing yacht race where some of the participants stay on their yachts from 110 to 160 days! Some even sail for 200 days!
You can also apply for jobs on boats to travel that far.
Cruising around the world is a big dream for several yacht enthusiasts.
Being able to leave their day-to-day lives and do an amazing adventure like “boating around the world” is a legacy you can leave with your family.
Generally speaking, it takes about 10 – 12 days to cross the Pacific Ocean on a large yacht.
However, not all yachts are capable of making the trip.
The following summary describes the capabilities of the four yacht design categories used in the EU and UK:
Category D yachts are rated for sheltered coasts and inland boating.
This means you can use them in lakes, protected harbors, and rivers. They would be fine as long as the waves don’t reach 4 feet in height as a rule.
However, these boats wouldn’t be able to make the cross-ocean trip.
Category C yachts are used inshore.
Inshore means that you can go away from the protected harbors for some distance, but these boats still can’t handle waves that reach up to 8 feet in height.
So, while they can move safely around large lakes and bays, they still wouldn’t be able to make the cross-ocean trip.
Category B yachts are used offshore and can handle waves that reach up to 13 feet in height and strong winds.
However, you still wouldn’t want to take a category B yacht on the cross-ocean trip because it isn’t self-sustaining.
At least, not for the time it takes to cross the Pacific Ocean. Besides, it wouldn’t do well in rough weather.
Category A yachts can handle waves up to 23 feet in height and wind over 47 knots.
They are also designed to be self-sustainable for long voyages.
In other words, they are explorer’s vessels.
To cross the Atlantic, an average motorized yacht would need a tank with a capacity of about 5000 liters of fuel at a fuel efficiency of 2.5 nautical miles per gallon.
This would be for a fuel use rate of 4 gallons per hour at 10 knots cruising speed. This is at cruising speed, of course. hey can’t be traveling at maximum speed for long periods of time (which would burn through the fuel faster).
At 10 knots, the trip (about 3,000 miles) would take 300 hours or 12.5 days.
Sailing yachts travel the Atlantic every year since the only fuel they need is for generators that power onboard appliances.
Though, some fuel may be used to power the boat when the weather isn’t cooperating.
It takes about 4 – 5 days to cross the Atlantic Ocean on a fast yacht going 25 knots . However, it would take longer in a sailing yacht (which also depends on the winds).
We have much more info on what you need to know about which yacht types can cross oceans. It’s a must-read if you are considering a trip over the bigger oceans on a yacht.
Long-range expedition yachts are yachts that are self-sustaining.
They are also built with long voyages in mind.
They normally feature:
They have to withstand extreme weather conditions since they have to travel across large water bodies. They should be able to withstand the effects of sailing thousands of miles of traveling a year.
They must be easy to maintain and operate. This is due to the distance they must travel. After all, these yachts are often operated by a few laymen boaters (in addition to having a few experienced sailors with them).
Fishing trawlers (designed for many days at sea with cabins) are hearty and can travel the same distance (within range of their fuel tanks) as an expedition yacht but are typically not finished as a yacht.
They also have the appearance of a hearty, military-style craft with tall bows, broken sheers, and vertical or forward raking windshields.
If painted naval gray, they definitely fit the aesthetic of a military-grade vessel. But the reason for all of those features is because both expedition yachts and military vessels move long distances for extended periods of time.
The distance that a yacht can travel depends on the size of the fuel tank(s) and the fuel use rate.
A yacht with a large fuel tank or a sailing yacht (which only requires the wind and carries fuel for onboard generators) can travel much further than a small day cruiser yacht.
If you want to take a long voyage, make sure to take the right precautions first. When crossing either the Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean , you must make sure your boat is a category A yacht (or an expedition yacht). You must also ensure that your crew is experienced in crossing the ocean.
If you are on a yacht, it is never recommended to cross the ocean by yourself. While you may handle a smaller boat in waters closer to the shore, there is quite a bit of difference in a large yacht—especially when you are far from land.
You’ll also have to make sure you upgrade some amenities. Your water maker, power generation system, autopilot, and your freezer, just to name a few, are some of the systems which need to be in peak condition when making that long voyage.
In the end, the differences between having a boat that travels a short distance and a long one are:
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For many, the idea of sailing across the Atlantic in a catamaran and spending the summer sailing around the Mediterranean or Caribbean sounds like the ideal form of retirement. While cruising the open sea is certainly an adventure of a lifetime, you need to have an idea of the amount of time your voyage will take so you can stock up adequately and plan ahead. So, how long does it take to cross the Atlantic with a catamaran?
Crossing the Atlantic Ocean with a catamaran normally takes three to four weeks. The exact duration of your voyage may vary depending on wind speed and patterns, the path you take, and the speed of your catamaran.
As complex as sailing is in itself, taking a voyage across the open ocean on a sailboat at the mercy of the wind is even more complicated. Read on to learn more about the complexities of sailing across the Atlantic on a catamaran, how fast you are likely to travel, and more.
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One of the largest challenges people face when sailing is finding consistent wind blowing in the correct direction. Wind patterns are one of the main determinants of navigable sailing routes.
After hundreds of years of sailing across the Atlantic, multiple routes have been discovered, but not all are deemed navigable. Generally, sailors tend to favor these two routes:
These routes are based on a series of consistent wind patterns known as the trade winds. Each spans approximately 4,000 nautical miles (7,408 km), with each nautical mile spanning approximately 1.15 land miles (1.85 km).
However, it is generally advised to add approximately 15-20% of the theoretical distance traveled because sailors often need to adjust course to match the wind. That brings the real distance of the voyage to about 4,700 nautical miles (8,704.4 km).
Covering 5,000 miles (8,046.72 km) on a sailboat takes a significant amount of time. While the speed of your catamaran is arguably the biggest determinant of the duration of your voyage, the amount of time you’re willing to be on the move also factors in.
Some people limit their sailing speed during the night, while others cruise at constant speeds. The number of hours you are sailing per day will greatly impact how quickly you cross the ocean.
As for the speed, catamaran’s can max out at around 15 to 20 knots, with some of the fastest hitting speeds of 60 knots. However, the average speed for most sailors is about 5-9 knots. Knots are the nautical equivalent of miles per hour. Moving at the speed of 1 knot means that you are moving 1 nautical mile per hour (1.85 kilometers per hour).
If you were to travel at a speed of 7 knots for 24 hours, you would travel about 170 miles. However, most people move slower than that, meaning you’re likely to cover less than that distance in a day.
The daily range of your catamaran may also factor in. Most catamarans can easily cover 100 nautical miles (185.2 km) per day. That range largely depends on the wind speed and direction, as well as whether you engage the engine. The farther you can travel in a day, the shorter your voyage will be.
What does all this mean for your sailing time? In a phrase, you can control most of the variables.
If you decide to sail your catamaran at 7 knots every day for 24 hours, you will get across the Atlantic in about 24 days (a little more than three weeks).
If you decide to travel at that speed for less time, or go slower or faster for different amounts of time, your voyage duration will change accordingly.
Having understood the length of the voyage and how much time it may take to complete, you’re probably wondering whether there are other difficulties you might encounter. It’s a valid concern, too, because challenges can significantly increase the time you take to cross the Atlantic by boat.
As far as difficulties go, the most critical ones have to do with the weather conditions. Things like storms and rough waters can not only affect your voyage duration, but also your safety.
The good news is that most decent catamarans can take on almost any form of weather with a solid crew at the helm. As long as you are not sailing the Atlantic during a hurricane, your voyage won’t be too bad. With light air and beautiful scenery, crossing the Atlantic can be a phenomenal, hassle-free experience.
But if you are underprepared or do not have the skills to sail, crossing the Atlantic by catamaran will be incredibly difficult.
Storms on the open ocean are nothing like what they are on land, and the wind and waves will be significantly larger than you might have ever seen.
It can be psychologically draining if you are alone in the open ocean. So in addition to making sure that you have the correct supplies and skills, you’ll want to bring a crew or a few friends for company.
Traveling across the Atlantic by catamaran will take anywhere between 21 and 31 days. This can be longer or shorter depending on the speed of the catamaran and the number of hours you sail a day.
Should you decide to cross the ocean by catamaran, be sure that you have the equipment and skills for such a voyage . Hire a crew if you need to, or at least find someone to help and company. Once you do this, you can enjoy your smooth sailing!
Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!
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How large does a motor yacht need to be for it to be capable of crossing the atlantic in relative comfort and safety? I am considering buying a yacht in the range od 20-60m. I know the larger yachts can move between the med and the carribean what about say a 20m vessel? Thanks Jon
Anything is possible, but this is what I should do with a 20-40 m yacht; http://www.yacht-transport.com/index.php?sid=1&l=eng
Heesens' 3700's can cross the Atlantic...which i think is phenomenal for a vessel their size...
yachtluver said: Heesens' 3700's can cross the Atlantic...which i think is phenomenal for a vessel their size... Click to expand...
The Nordhaven Rally crossed the Atlantic in motor yachts (trawler style) from 46 feet to 72 feet. I believe there were about a dozen yachts in the rally. The Delta 70 foot trawler "Zopilote" circumnavigated on it's own bottom, including the Pacific crossings. On the other hand I know of several 170 plus foot motoryachts that are not able to cross the Atlantic, let alone the Pacific. It's not the size that matters, it's the design and intended purpose of the vessel. Dave
sailronin said: It's not the size that matters, it's the design and intended purpose of the vessel. Dave Click to expand...
C4ENG said: That Heesens Man of Steel 3700 did do a crossing but just barely made it in with hardly any fuel left. I don't think I would had taken that chance unless I was going to get paid huge (and yet I would still be thinking good and hard if I wanted to chance it or not). A rule of thumb I always heard is when you are taking a trip you should always try to plan in having a third of fuel in reserve for when you arrive at your destination. That way if you do get held up, you have that reserve already for the unexpected. Those smaller yachts just don't have that sort of capacity for that long distance. AMG has the safest and best tried and proven idea for doing the crossings in what I have seen in my experiences. Click to expand...
I belive that Thor Heyerdahl crossed with a very small crew on RaII back in 1970 or so. This vessel crossed the widest part of the Atlantic 6100 km (3270 nautical miles) in 57 days, from Safi to Barbados. I might be smoking as I write this though...
Horray... to Barbados my home Island!...lol
Seeing as this has gone slightly off track I thought I might post this link http://www.miniclassus.com
Gotta' love doing a transat alone in a 21 foot sailboat!
that is insane...what tempts these people to do these things?
I dunno', but I'd try it. If I had the money, sponsors, and time I'd give a solo transat a shot for sure!!
yachtluver said: that is insane...what tempts these people to do these things? Click to expand...
LOL I haven't even done a quarter of what I'd like to in life, but a Mini Transat is already on my list.
1984 - brazilian Amyr Klink crossed (alone) the South Atlantic in a rowing small boat. No sails, no engine. LOA: 5.94 m Displacement: 1200 kg Propulsion: human muscles (ocean streams also helped) Fuel: dry food and water (soft) Duration: 100 days Distance: 3500 nm Oops, doesnt fit this thread requirements. Not a motor yacht, no comfort and no crew.
Antonio Torres said: Oops, doesnt fit this thread requirements. Not a motor yacht, no comfort and no crew. Click to expand...
You guys are mad but i guess thats the adventurous side of people. I wasnt going nowhere is something so small.
Yacht News said: ↑ that is insane...what tempts these people to do these things? Click to expand...
pamibach said: ↑ LOL! I was thinking the same thing! WHY?? Click to expand...
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The size of yacht needed to safely and comfortably cross the Atlantic Ocean will depend on factors such as the number of people on board, the type of voyage, and the experience of the captain and crew. Generally, the vessel should be a minimum of 36 feet in length and have enough stowage capacity to carry enough supplies and provisions for the ...
To cross the Atlantic, you'll need a boat that's at least 30 feet long, whether you're sailing or motoring. For safety and comfort, your boat should be at least 40 feet long. Although the experience of sailing or motoring across the Atlantic is vastly different, both require a boat of this size. If you plan on having a crew on board, you ...
Yes, mega yachts and superyachts can cross the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean. We know it would take a superyacht around 10 days to cross, but the Pacific Ocean is a larger body of water for superyachts to cross but it is possible to do so. When yachts are traveling from the US to areas such as Fiji or the Islands of Tahiti, the boats will sail ...
There are also sailing cargo Atlantic crossing possibilities out there. ' Tres Hombres ' is a 32 metres Schooner transporting traditional goods like rum and chocolate between the Caribbean and Europe. Timbercoast is a 1920 built 43.5m Schooner that transports goods like coffee and gin.
The Atlantic is a notoriously windy ocean and can be treacherous in the winter months. -Make sure you have a good weather forecast and are prepared for rough seas. -Make sure the sails are in good condition, the hull is clean and free of barnacles, and the engine is well-maintained. -Finally, you need to make sure your yacht is in good condition.
The best yachts for a transatlantic crossing. Neel 51. Outremer 5X. Hallberg-Rassy 57. There are many yachts which are suitable for a transatlantic passage. Some will be less expensive, some will be more comfortable, faster, or better suited to you, your experience, and your budget.
Yachts. My first Atlantic Crossing took roughly fourteen days to complete. Most Superyachts take nine to fourteen days to cross. Yachts typically tend to cross at slower cruising speeds of 8 - 15kts. For more information on what defines a yacht, see our previous lesson.
Last year, when we carried out our annual survey of ARC skippers, we found that yachts of between 46ft and 55ft had a battery capacity, on average, of 700ah, rising to 1,000ah for yachts over 56ft ...
One of those yachts is this superbly equipped top of the range Sunreef Yachts 70ft sailing catamaran. Book her now from 100,000 - 125,000 Eur for a 5 week adventure crossing the Atlantic from Gran Canaria to Martinique. You could also extend the experience and request a one week stopover in Cape Verde or start in the Mediterranean 2-3 weeks ...
Atlantic Crossing: Sailboat or Catamaran. The vastness of the Atlantic Ocean tests crews' sailing skills and endurance, whether they choose to ply the waves aboard a traditional sailboat or a modern catamaran. Both vessels have advantages, offering completely different sailing experiences. Sailing boat: strong emotions and contact with the sea.
2. 30 expert tips for crossing the Atlantic: 6-10; 3. 30 expert tips for crossing the Atlantic: 11-15; 4. 30 expert tips for crossing the Atlantic: 16-20; 5. 30 expert tips for crossing the ...
FOOD PREPARATION. Our chef will prepare three meals a day for seven people for +/- 16 days, which is the average time it takes us to sail across the Atlantic. Below are some handy hints from how our chef does this: - Fruit and vegetables are cut up, portioned and frozen for future use. - Some dishes are made in advance and frozen - these ...
Crossing the Atlantic has long been regarded as one of the most exhilarating maritime adventures you can have. From the days of Christopher Columbus in the 15th century to modern times, this journey continues to captivate the imaginations of sailors, superyacht owners, and boating enthusiasts. Today, advancements in technology and yacht design have made this ambitious voyage more attainable ...
A 35-footer might take 25-28 days to sail across the Atlantic from the Canaries to the West Indies. Obviously, the longer and faster your boat is, the more stowage and water tankage you will have for less time at sea. You might also ask yourself which parts of the adventure are the most valuable to you.
Crossing the Atlantic on a Yacht in Comfort. Experienced cruisers often discover Kadey-Krogen Yachts because they begin to search for yachts capable of crossing the Atlantic. If one searches the listings for Transatlantic boats for sale or contacts a broker with a very specific request to hear about yachts that can cross the Atlantic, they're ...
Most boats take a more middle route, depending on the forecast. Chris Tibbs is a meteorologist and sailor with over 250,000 miles at sea, including three circumnavigations and six speed records.
25 MPH. Airplane. 2010. London - New York. 8 Hours. 478 Knots. 550 MPH. Table comparing time to complete an Atlantic crossing. Looking at this table we can clearly see that the time it takes to cross the Atlantic has decreased exponentially.
You can cross the Pacific and Atlantic oceans on a sailing yacht or a motor yacht. It would be best to have a big enough tank to hold the amount of fuel you expect to burn. This being said, not all yachts are capable of making these trips. If you decide to cross either of these oceans, you'll want to make sure you have an ocean-faring yacht ...
Yes, a 40-foot yacht can cross the Atlantic Ocean if she is suitably prepared and outfitted to do so. Bluewater yachts are for those looking to explore the world; who want to throw off the bow lines and leave the safe harbor to see what lies across the ocean. There are many types of yachts that can safely travel the ocean; to see some of the ...
Just keep an eye out for chafe, and be sure to set up a preventer on the boom and a foreguy topping lift and downhaul when poling out the headsail so you can furl in quickly when that night-time ...
A 95-foot yacht with a 9000-liter fuel tank can travel up to 1,200 nautical miles. A 40-foot yacht with a 5,000-liter fuel tank can travel up to 3,000 nautical miles. Think of it this way: the bigger the boat, the bigger the fuel compartment. ... To cross the Atlantic, an average motorized yacht would need a tank with a capacity of about 5000 ...
As for the speed, catamaran's can max out at around 15 to 20 knots, with some of the fastest hitting speeds of 60 knots. However, the average speed for most sailors is about 5-9 knots. Knots are the nautical equivalent of miles per hour. Moving at the speed of 1 knot means that you are moving 1 nautical mile per hour (1.85 kilometers per hour).
The Nordhaven Rally crossed the Atlantic in motor yachts (trawler style) from 46 feet to 72 feet. I believe there were about a dozen yachts in the rally. The Delta 70 foot trawler "Zopilote" circumnavigated on it's own bottom, including the Pacific crossings.