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Planning an Atlantic crossing: when is the best time, and what to sort out first?
Short answer
Planning an Atlantic crossing means building the calendar around the hurricane season:
westbound usually from late November from the Canaries or Cape Verde, eastbound in late spring.
Before you leave, sort out the cruising area, the crew and your policy terms.
The classic westbound Atlantic crossing runs from Europe via the Canaries, often with a stop in Cape Verde, to the Caribbean. The best time follows from the weather: the Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from 1 June to 30 November, and the trade wind settles in during the winter. Most yachts therefore leave the Canaries from late November, in December or in January. Boats from the UK or northern Europe aim to cross Biscay in summer, before the autumn gales arrive.
The return eastbound runs further north, usually via Bermuda or direct to the Azores, and is sailed in late spring before the next hurricane season begins. That gives a yearly plan with little slack. Build in time for maintenance, weather windows and spares, because waiting for a part in the Canaries or the Caribbean can take weeks. If the boat stays in the Caribbean through the hurricane season, it needs a berth or storage ashore outside the hurricane zone, or an arrangement agreed with the insurer.
First of all, check with your insurer before you leave that the cruising area covers the crossing and the Caribbean, whether a minimum crew is required and what conditions apply in the hurricane season. Have the rig, rudder, self steering, EPIRB and liferaft checked well before departure, because there is no boatyard mid ocean. Keep the papers for boat and crew complete and arrange health insurance that works on a long passage. Good planning is half the safety of an Atlantic crossing.
Worth remembering
Westbound
from late November with the trade wind
Eastbound
late spring via Bermuda or the Azores
On an Atlantic crossing the hurricane season sets the calendar.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
When is the best time for a westbound Atlantic crossing?
Usually from late November to January, leaving from the Canaries or Cape Verde. By then the hurricane season is over and the trade wind blows steadily.
When do boats sail back across the Atlantic to Europe?
In late spring, usually via Bermuda or direct to the Azores, so the boat is clear of the hurricane zone before the season starts on 1 June.
What should I sort out with my insurer before the crossing?
Whether the cruising area includes the crossing and the Caribbean, whether a minimum crew is required and what applies in the hurricane season. Get the answer in writing.
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