January Transatlantic Sail

[camaraderie]

Originally Posted by FarCry

Jibaro welcome to Sailnet I see this is your first post. I am sure your question is appreciated, even by the moderator.

FarCry...maybe I am reading this wrong, but are you suggesting that I did not take Jibaro's post seriously? I can assure you I did. January is not a month I would choose to cross the Atlantic. As I said a few months later would be better...no earlier than the end of March and April would be better.

Jibaro...I did not notice this was your first post so I do welcome you aboard and wish you good luck with your trip. As SD says...maybe January is not a bad time to begin to make your way across the Med...but I rather doubt that unless you are going to make a series of discrete hops when a weather window presents itself.

[FarCry]

That was not my intent at all Cam, but I do see how it could be read that way. It was a lame attempt to gently prod you for not saying welcome before telling the OP Wrong Time of Year!! Wait a few months! I hold you to a higher standard than most. Are you tired from doing a sea rescue or something.

I absolutely thought your answer was serious.

[JomsViking]

November is the right time to leave the Canaries or Cape Verde Islands, if You're bound for the Caribbean. If you're going back to Europe from the Caribbean, leave before mid may. I believe the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) is leaving late November. However you need to be in the Canaries NOW So you should probably wait until next year?

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

As SD says...maybe January is not a bad time to begin to make your way across the Med...but I rather doubt that unless you are going to make a series of discrete hops when a weather window presents itself.

Precisely. The Med is not much more hospitable during winter than the Atlantic, maybe less so.

[djodenda]

My father will tell you that the worst passage of his circumnavigation was the Canaries to the Caribbean in December.....

David

[Jibaro]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Perhaps a bit more background about the potential crossing might be useful.

We have been searching for a new boat for about two years and finally found one that meets our specifications. The boat is located in Turkey and we live in the Caribbean. We hope to close the transaction in December.

After that, it seems our options are to pay tens of thousands of dollars to ship the boat (which will not arrive for over 6 months), pay tens of thousands to keep it in the Med for several months, or sail it home (even though the weather is not ideal).

Obviously, if it is not safe to take the southern transatlantic route in January, we will simply have to bite the bullet and pay.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[smackdaddy]

Welcome, Jibaro! These guys will eventually give you some sound advice. Hang in there.

BTW - how did the transaction in Turkey go? Was it difficult to get everything together (e.g. - survey, payment, etc.)? That sounds like an adventure in and of itself.

[Giulietta]

Jibaro, I have a very good solution for you.

In the coast of Portugal, almost half way from St. Vincent cape, to Lisbon, there is a small marina called Sines.

The prices there are EXTREMELY low, as they are a marina owned by the city, not private.

SEE HERE

They are very cheap and a lot of ocean crossers leave their boats there off season.

The place is rather nice, too, should you want to spend a few days in a calm fishing town in Portugal. it's 1.5 hours drive from Lisbon.

I'd give them a call and ask for prices...just to give you an idea, for a 42 footer now, they charge 12 Euros, and less in December all the way to April.

More sites:

HERE

SINES MARINA AND TOWN

Alternatively, my marina Cascais is perfect but more expensive..check their site and see the rates for you boat HERE if you leave it in Cascais..I'll take a look at here every now and then..

MARINAS IN PORTUGAL CLICK

If you want send me a pm, and I'll get a quote from them..all our marinas include water, power, light and free waste tank removal.

Here is a view of the harbour...VAl, Tommy, Chuckles, Mary all know it...ask them..best fish in the World..ask them...

They are so small and have so few boats, they will gladly receive you and possibly give you a discount..

Once the window opens...you are 3 days from MAdeira and a few more to the Canaries...can't beat that



Alex


.

[Faster]

Good idea, nice gesture and kind offer, Giu,.. as Simon would say, "Goodonya"!

[donradclife]

The passage from the Canaries to the Caribbean is fine any time between the end of November and the first of June. I've left the first of December and the first of April with no problems. However, getting across the Med and down to the Canaries in the winter is tough. There are days on the Med in winter when the big ships hide from the weather. You could probably leave Turkey about the first of April, and even then you will have some rough days.