kap horn east - west

[ocean_lady2003]

I am prepearing a circum navigation, starting from the Med next winter. One part of the trip will go round the kap horn but all the books I have, giving lots of advise rounding the kap from west to the east. I am planing to do it the other way around. Has any body out there done it this way and would like to share his experance or does any body know a good book with any suggestions going this way.
Any advise would be kindly appreciated.

[Sailormon6]

As I recall, British sailor Chay Blyth built a steel hulled yacht named "British Steel" which he sailed single-handed around Cape Horn from east to west. He called the east to west route "the hard way." Blyth wrote a book about it, that can still probably be found in public libraries.

Also, on the cruise of the Bounty, Capt. Bligh tried at first to round Cape Horn from east to west, to get to the Pacific Ocean. After beating to windward for a month or two, he gave up, turned around and sailed all the way around the other way.

The east to west route is gruelling. Very few have done it on a small yacht and singlehandedly, or even short-handed. Several have died trying. Unless you are favored with unusually good weather, it takes a solidly built boat and a determined captain. One of the problems is that you can''t get around it without sleeping, and self-steering gear is not powerful enough to handle the conditions. Chay Blyth''s book would be informative.

[Johnrb]

Lin and Larry Pardey recently made the same voyage in their 29 foot Taleisin and published an article in one of the major sailing magazines (possibly Cruising World). The article was published within the last six months so you should be able to track it down. They have also released a video called "Storm Tactics" - at least partly based on their recent east to west passage around Cape Horn. The URL for obtaining the video is below.

http://www.paracay.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=P&Product_Code= STDVD&Category_Code=AVD

[ocean_lady2003]

Thanks for your input. I had the chance to watch part of the Video "storm tactics" from Lin and Larry Pardey. It''s quite impressive but I am more after area infos like, whats the best time to go around, weather patterns, anchorages around the cape and so.

I also found quite a bit about Capt. Chay Blyth but couldn''t find the book him rounding Cape Horn east to west. Our libraries here in Malta aren''t that good. If any body knows where to buy and could let me know would be very great.

And me planing to round the cape east to west, - I think, I can do it. After about 300.000 nm, maybe more, I have been in a few nasty storms and I can handle a lot and still believe that my boat can handle more than I do. It''s just a matter of preparation.

How ever I am still hunting for infos. Every thing useful is appreciated.