How can I sail across the Atlantic?

I would go the popular route, usa, bermuda, the azores, europe, the northern route, has the ice fields, and some awful weather.

Make sure its a good boat, I took an Irwin 34 to bermuda from florida one december, and the boat was just trash by the time i got there, every hatch leaked, every port hole leaked the hull deck seal leaked, fittings were breaking, the boat was on its side at one point, it just wasnt up to the job.

You are best with a full keel boat, rudder attached to the keel, a southern cross, pacific sea craft, boats like that, they cost a lot more, but save you money in the long run,

Answers to all your questions are at the link below. In addition, you'll find answers to questions you haven't even thought of yet, but you need to know.

Briefly, there are only two good routes across the Atlantic. The northern route is best and fastest when sailing west to east. It is also the route for sailing during the Atlantic hurricane season, which is now through November. But, you don't want to be crossing the northern route after September.

This route takes you up the US east coast to Newfoundland and across the Flemish Cap (remember the movie "the Perfect Storm"?) to the North Sea (usually stop in Oslo, Norway) and down the North Sea into the English Channel. Then down the English Channel around Spain, into the Gibraltar Straits and the Mediterranean Sea.

The southern route will take you to Bermuda, and then to one of the Islands in the Azores. It is 1,939 miles between the two, and this is the shortest distance between landfall there is. So, it is an extremely popular route for both sail and long distance trawlers. But you don't want to use this route either going or coming, during the Atlantic hurricane season.

Now... on the open ocean, a good day sailing is 100 miles a day, and that of course, is 24 hour sailing... At any rate, all the information you need to know is at the link below.

FYI - you need a true "blue water" boat. People, boaters, couples, are crossing oceans, and sailing all around the world in boats that average between 26 and 39 feet... A 32 footer is a good length, but it simply "must" be a good solid, heavy, vessel that was built for crossing oceans. It's lighter, coastal and inland lake cousins will simply not cut it.

Check out the link below... I think everything else you need to consider, you'll find on that site.

Happy & Safe Boating,

John

Atlantic Crossing Routes