Atlantic Sailing Project
Introduction
I am putting together an "Atlantic" sailing project for offer to members of the CNCE and other friends. Outline details are set out below. The other attachments to this message set out the trip in more detail.
The Boat
I have bought an OVNI 395 (43' LOA) of 2005. The boat is a cutter-rigged, aluminium-hulled centreboarder designed for conditions up to 10 Bft and waves of up to 7m. It is insulated to the waterline and will be equipped with reliable heating. Other equipment will include a watermaker, portable generator, substantial reserves of fuel (>450l) and water (~400l), radar, EPIRB, satellite telephone, autopilot, active AIS, windvane etc. and redundant systems. It can sleep up to 5, but 3 or 4 is the ideal complement.
The itinerary
The itinerary is designed as a North and South Atlantic double loop generally with the trade winds on the quarter for as much of the route as possible. Most of the passages are designed to be completed in two or three weeks, except for the Stanley-St Helena which will be longer.
The broad outline is:
1. Depart northern Europe (Falmouth) early May 2017 for Madeira.
2. Continue southbound to Canaries, Cape Verde Islands and cross the Atlantic to Fernando de Noronha by (northern) summer.
3. Coastal cruising and tourism slowly along the coast of Brazil to Rio De Janeiro and Montevideo.
4. Depart Montevideo in early (southern) summer for Falkland Islands (this may include stops at the coast of Argentina and at Punta Arenas, according to weather and the disposition of Argentine officials).
5. Cruising the Falkland Islands, December 2017, from Stanley. Visits to small outlying islands and farms, colonies of sealions and furseals. Abundant wildlife assured. The boat can be reached by air taxi in many places. Itinerary will be weather-dependent.
6. Early January 2018, depart Stanley for South Georgia (an Antarctic island with abundant wildlife, across the Antarctic convergence). Visit S Georgia protected inlets and research bases. Abundant large albatross, king penguins etc. Continue to Tristan da Cunha (small island in S Pacific with very small population) and then to Saint Helena. This is the longest and most challenging sector of the trip.
7. Return via Ascension Island, Cape Verde Islands and Azores to return to Northern Europe in early/midsummer 2018.
Joining and leaving
It will be possible to join or leave the boat at any of the places in bold in the foregoing paragraph, or at any of many places along the very long coast of Brazil (It is possible that the airport at St Helena will be open as well by early 2018, it is recent built and undergoing tests). In the Falkland Islands, an efficient and affordable air taxi service (FIGAS) will allow the boat to be reached at any of the outlying settlements.
Finance and Administration
This is not a commercial or profit-making trip. It is intended to sell the boat immediately on return to Europe to minimise costs, but even so depreciation, wear on sails, purchase of extra equipment etc. will make this a very expensive enterprise (estimated at least €40 000). Participants will be invited to share costs at a rate initially suggested at €400/ person per week plus caisse de bord (food and fuel). For comparison, commercial sailing yachts offering similar trips often ask for around €700/person/week or more. In the unlikely event that the subscriptions by crew exceed the costs of the activity, any surplus will be donated to the International Red Cross/ Red Crescent afterwards.
Experience needed and conditions to be expected
The conditions to be experienced are highly variable. Passages from Madeira as far as southern Brazil are expected to be fairly slow with light winds. Crossing the equator will of course be hot, but passages should be temperate along most of the Brazilian coast.
Passages to and from the Falkland Islands can involve very heavy weather, so extended waiting periods for "weather windows" are the norm. On the return, the passage from St Helena to Ascension Island should be relatively easy. However, thunderstorms and strong gusts are always possible in the tropics.
Easy conditions are not to be expected crossing the Bay of Biscay, the Patagonian shelf, or the passage to and from South Georgia.
The boat will be sailed most of the time under autopilot or windvane. Of course, crew will be expected to stand watches but the experience level needed for this is not great. Endurance is more important than experience.
Participation is offered on a "shared risk" basis, i.e. this is a joint sporting activity and each person should fully assume all personal risks by means of an appropriate insurance policy.
Kenneth Patterson,
October 2016