{"id":142138,"date":"2022-12-12T06:00:32","date_gmt":"2022-12-12T06:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/?p=142138"},"modified":"2023-11-28T08:33:58","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T08:33:58","slug":"how-to-prepare-for-an-atlantic-crossing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/bluewater-sailing\/how-to-prepare-for-an-atlantic-crossing-142138","title":{"rendered":"How to prepare for an Atlantic crossing"},"content":"In the spring of 2021, Laura Blom-Sipkens and her husband were chatting in their car when a thought suddenly struck her: we should take a break from work and take on an Atlantic crossing with the children.\r\n\r\n\u201cI don\u2019t remember the conversation we were having but suddenly I saw this might be the moment. The kids were in the right grades at school and I thought: \u2018We should go. We need to do it,\u2019\u201d Blom-Sipkens recalls.\r\n\r\nLife is very busy for the Dutch family. Blom-Sipkens is an anaesthesiologist, her husband, Bas, an orthopaedic surgeon. They often work different shifts. Their three children are aged 11, 9 and 7, and the oldest and youngest have dyslexia. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want them to miss classes, so there never seemed to be the right moment,\u201d she says. \u201cBut the oldest is finishing primary school now, so it seemed like the right time.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe couple have sailed since childhood, mainly inshore in small boats and dinghies, but a longer voyage was something they\u2019d been thinking about. \u201cMy husband loves sailing. I like it a lot, but I\u2019m more of an adventurer and it\u2019s the adventure that I like,\u201d she says.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_142155\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" The Blom-Sipkens[\/caption]\r\n\r\nBeginning their search for a suitable boat, the couple decided on aluminium or steel construction. After eight months of searching they found a Van de Stadt-designed Samoa 47 laid up on the south coast of France, and bought it. The yacht needed a refit, so the couple transported it home overland to the Netherlands to have the work done nearer home. Then they entered the 2023 ARC transatlantic rally<\/a>. Now with a year to go, their preparations are on a strict timeline.\r\n

Why not now?<\/h2>\r\nMany people planning to sail across the Atlantic<\/a> plan their adventure three, four or even five years ahead of time, but others manage to do it in a much shorter timespan. After all, many things can change in five years; events may swerve you onto a different course. So if an opening can be found between work commitments, children\u2019s education and duties to parents, why not take it now?\r\n\r\nAnd if you do decide to make the leap, how would you prepare for a year of voyaging and an Atlantic crossing<\/a> with an accelerated run-up? Is it possible to plan from scratch and execute well in under 18 months or even within the year?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_142152\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" The Blom-Sipkens are recommissioning a Samoa 47 for their Atlantic adventure.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis is a tight timeline. To be at the starting point for an Atlantic crossing in the right season from mid-November through to January you need to leave northern Europe no later than September, and preferably earlier. If it\u2019s your first ocean passage, there will be an enormous amount to prepare and to learn, and your choice of yacht will greatly affect how much time you have to play with.\r\n\r\nIf you are thinking of buying a new boat, you\u2019ll need a two-year run-up, perhaps longer. Bear in mind that supply chain delays and bottlenecks are currently causing delivery times to drag, and schedules are slipping again and again. You\u2019ll also need to build in time for snagging and warranty work on a new build.\r\n\r\n\u201cI would normally say you could go with a new boat within a year, but at the moment, almost certainly not,\u201d says Jeremy Wyatt, director of World Cruising Club. With over 25 years of experience organising the ARC and other rallies, Wyatt is an authority on the ways skippers prepare for ocean crossings and their degrees of success.\r\n\r\n\u201cYou need to allow more time in your planning whatever you are told,\u201d he says. \u201cWith a new build, you need to own it and have it in your possession for six months before you plan to sail away, as a rule of thumb.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_142149\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Any Atlantic crossing will involve meticulous planning and preparation. Photo: James Mitchell[\/caption]\r\n\r\n\u201cI think with new boats, owners are a bit over-optimistic in their planning and with the information they are given. They maybe don\u2019t always appreciate how complex it is, and with lots of systems on board, that is understandable.\r\n\r\n\u201cSo I would say getting a new boat with only a year to go is too risky. You would need more time.\u201d\r\n\r\nIf time is short, you may need to look at a brokerage yacht, which opens up a host of other questions. What is the right type and size of yacht, and what will represent a good buy?\r\n\r\nData from a generation of ARC rallies, from thousands of yachts that have crossed the Atlantic successfully, proves that any well prepared yacht can do this, from 34ft up to 100ft-plus. The choice depends on your budget and your expectations.\r\n\r\nA smaller yacht is fine if you are prepared for longer passage times and less stowage and comfort. You might also be ready to go more quickly if you were prepared to accept fewer home comforts, which tend to require multiple complex systems. Every piece of equipment you can live without is something that can\u2019t go wrong, and a learning curve you can eliminate.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_142142\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" ARC participants set off. Photo: James Mitchell[\/caption]\r\n

How much time have you got?<\/h2>\r\nAs well as calculating your budget for upgrading and refitting, you\u2019ll need to consider how much time you will have to plan, oversee and carry out a multitude of tasks. If you have to work right up until you sail away in the spring or summer beforehand, time will be a scarce commodity.\r\n\r\nYou will likely want to take courses on diesel engine maintenance, troubleshooting and repairing mechanical and electrical systems, medical and sea survival courses, and do meteorology and radio comms courses. You or your crew may also want specialist hands-on offshore sail training or onboard tuition, but courses like these don\u2019t run every week, and you may have to travel to them.\r\n\r\nA yacht that needs less work will buy you more time to fit all these in.\r\n\r\n\u201cMy advice for going next year would be to get a boat being sold by an owner who had been extended bluewater cruising<\/a> already, a yacht that has been used and maintained continuously,\u201d counsels Wyatt. \u201cMaybe you would be buying a slightly more expensive boat, but it might save you money and time in the long run.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_142148\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Completing items on the jobs list before a crossing. Photo: James Mitchell[\/caption]\r\n\r\n\u201cI wouldn\u2019t rule out a hard-used boat if the owner had been living aboard, using it and it\u2019s been looked after. It\u2019s boats that have been sitting in the marina with systems not used and maintained that tend to give problems.\u201d\r\n\r\nSue Grant, managing director of bluewater brokers Berthon International, agrees: \u201cA year is quite a long time if you have the right boat. Age is not so critical, the standard of fit-out is. The ideal scenario would be someone has prepped for going and changed their plans. We have got a few like that [for sale] at the moment as, when Covid restrictions lifted, the right time [for their owners] had passed.\r\n\r\n\u201cReliability is what you are looking for. Look at things that can go wrong, such as standing rigging. With a watermaker, engine, generator and electronics, they need to be operational but not the latest and greatest. There are things you will need to stay safe, and then there are things such as flatscreen TVs or AV systems that are nice to have but you will never get back [at resale].\u201d\r\n\r\nGrant agrees boat condition is more important than type. \u201cLook at boats crossing with the ARC. It\u2019s wholly wrong that only a medium displacement boat is suitable. That is rubbish. A Beneteau that just needs a tidy up to give her what she needs to go again is probably a safe bet. Obviously, you need to think differently if you\u2019re going into the Pacific, planning to be away for 10 years or going to high latitudes.\u201d\r\n\r\nThere are, she insists, always yachts on the market that will get you across on a deadline. \u201cRight now, for example, we have a 2010 boat that has been across the Atlantic three times and was shipped last time. She has 2,000 engine hours, new sails but needs new rigging, and could even be ready for a season in the Med before you cross the Atlantic next year. With a good boat, a year is quite a lot of time.\u201d\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_142144\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Sharing responsibilities \u2013 both on the boat and in the build-up \u2013 can ease the load and make it a more shared experience. Photo: Tor Johnson[\/caption]\r\n

Ready for a refit<\/h2>\r\nIt is commonplace, however, for owners to underestimate how much it will cost to refit and prepare a yacht.\r\n\r\nFrom the survey of their Samoa 47, the Blom-Sipkens were well aware their boat would need a lot of work, possibly including re-engining. They anticipate that they\u2019ll spend 25% of the initial cost getting the boat ready for their trip.\r\n\r\n\u201cWe knew work had to be done. There were faults in the electrical system, wires were loose and things didn\u2019t work. The engine was smoking white. We had a sense there might be additional problems. But the sails are good and rigging is good, the generator is OK. We will fit a wind turbine and solar panels, and there are all the little costs, for example adding extra guardrails for the kids,\u201d she says.\r\n\r\n\u201cWhen we bought the boat we had a general idea of what it might cost but the prices have gone up due to inflation. The money is running out quickly.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u201cBe careful about what you spend your money on,\u201d Jeremy Wyatt recommends. \u201cWhen buying their dream boat people often focus on the wrong things and neglect the basics. They feel they must have a watermaker or a generator, whereas I wouldn\u2019t exclude boats without those items as you can go sailing without them, especially on an Atlantic circuit.\u201d\r\n\r\nLook instead at the integrity of the boat, the rigging and the safety equipment, he says. Insurance companies may insist on replacement rigging every 10-12 years.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_142151\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Earning the reward; a perfect Caribbean anchorage for photographer Tor Johnson on his Jeanneau 509 K\u00e3holo. Photo: Tor Johnson[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe list of safety gear required for the ARC is extensive and can be costly, and you can\u2019t cut corners with the safety of your family at stake. Your new boat may need some replacement sails, or extra downwind sails. The power or electrical systems might need to be upgraded.\r\n\r\nYou will need to check running rigging, winches and windlass, have machinery serviced, check steering and stern gear and, depending on the yacht\u2019s inventory, invest in an adequate stock of spares. The lists go on, but the better prepared and maintained the boat is when you buy it, the quicker you can be ready to go cruising.\r\n

The benefits of teamwork<\/h2>\r\nWhether you have a long time to prepare or not, getting the right crew together can help share out tasks and increase the enjoyment of participation. If you can, select the right people at the outset.\r\n\r\nIn November, US sailors Chris and Laura (they prefer us not to use their surname) will be travelling to France for the launch of their new Ovni 450, Reverie<\/em>, on which they hope to cross the Atlantic for the first time with the ARC in November 2023.\r\n\r\nReverie<\/em>\u2019s launch will be a milestone in what has been a long-term plan for Chris and Laura. They spent two-and-a-half years choosing their ideal bluewater yacht<\/a> before ordering it, and their Atlantic crossing dream has been years in the making.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_142150\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" US sailors Chris and Laura own a Swan 40 but are awaiting delivery of an Ovni 450.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe couple are very seasoned sailors who own two other yachts, a Swan 40 that they sail on Lake Michigan during the summer and a Southerly 115 Mk IV that they keep in Florida and sail during the winter. For their Atlantic crossing they will be sailing with friends, another experienced sailing couple.\r\n\r\nChris is a retired business strategist who worked on high level plans routinely made five to 10 years in advance. So it is unsurprising that his ARC preparations are highly detailed. They give an interesting perspective on how to use the pooled expertise of a team to develop a readiness plan.\r\n\r\n\u201cIf you have a team with the experience, knowledge and passion \u2014 all these three ingredients \u2014 a lot of stuff comes automatically as long as you give it time,\u201d he observes.\r\n\r\nThe four friends have weekly conference calls that will continue until they begin sailing from France next summer. From these discussions, the couple have prepared a comprehensive plan covering 58 categories, each of which runs to as many as 12 pages. They cover everything from safety to water supplies, procedures onboard to spare parts, first aid kit and training, travel requirements and food.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe list is extensive,\u201d Chris says. \u201cI am very big on contingency management so we have power from solar, a diesel genset, hydrogenerator<\/a> and wind, and we have alternative ways of supplying water \u2013 including supplies if we need to rescue other crew and have another four or six people on board.\u201d\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_142143\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Las Palmas gets busy at the start of the ARC, so plan ahead for essential maintenance. Photo: James Mitchell[\/caption]\r\n\r\nIn the food category is \u2018a 21-day food plan with an additional 30-day contingency plan using dry foods or items in aseptic packaging\u2019. Each topic has been divided into priorities and \u2018nice-to-have areas\u2019, such as carrying a good assortment of fishing gear and things to keep the crew entertained en route.\r\n\r\n\u201cWe look at this as a fully cohesive integrated strategy,\u201d he says.\r\n\r\nThe other benefit of tapping into the experience of others and involving them along the way is that you can share out responsibilities during the preparations.\r\n\r\n\u201cAs in a business, one of the biggest signals to me is getting the right individuals. Do they come up with ideas and say they will do them? We have distributed areas and each has a project owner,\u201d says Chris.\r\n\r\n\u201cEverybody is participating and that is a big part of developing the plan and making sure it is executed. Not only has my confidence grown, it has become more and more secure.\u201d\r\nWhenever you aim to leave, be sure to allow for sailing time as a crew beforehand. If your yacht is larger than you\u2019re used to, if it\u2019s not very familiar or you\u2019ll be sailing two-up, take your time to build confidence.\r\n\r\nYou also need time and miles to find out if, for example, the watermaker works upwind on starboard tack or windows leak when it\u2019s rough. You\u2019ll want to practice emergency routines and MOB drills. Those are all best done near your home port.\r\n\r\n\u201cFactor in sea trials and the experience of living on board \u2013 and not just a weekend on the Solent but for several weeks,\u201d says Jeremy Wyatt. \u201cThen you will find out the things you want or need to change.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u201cMost of all,\u201d he adds, \u201cdon\u2019t forget why you\u2019re doing this. You are going to be busy; it may cost more than you planned. The more time you take to prepare, the more time you will get to enjoy the journey. When you leave you want to be stress free. You\u2019ve done the hard work. Now you want to sail away and have fun.\u201d\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n

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","excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the spring of 2021, Laura Blom-Sipkens and her husband were chatting in their car when a thought suddenly struck her: we should take a break from work and take on an Atlantic crossing with the children. \u201cI don\u2019t remember the conversation we were having but suddenly I saw this might be the moment. The kids were in the right grades at school and I thought: \u2018We should go. We need to do it,\u2019\u201d Blom-Sipkens recalls. Life is very busy for the Dutch family. Blom-Sipkens is an anaesthesiologist, her husband, Bas, an orthopaedic surgeon. They often work different shifts. Their three children are aged 11, 9 and 7, and the oldest and youngest have dyslexia. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want them to miss classes, so there never seemed to be the right moment,\u201d she says. \u201cBut the oldest is finishing primary school now, so it seemed like the right time.\u201d The couple have sailed since childhood, mainly inshore in small boats and dinghies, but a longer voyage was something they\u2019d been thinking about. \u201cMy husband loves sailing. I like it a lot, but I\u2019m more of an adventurer and it\u2019s the adventure that I like,\u201d she says. Beginning their search for a suitable boat, the couple decided on aluminium or steel construction. After eight months of searching they found a Van de Stadt-designed Samoa 47 laid up on the south coast of France, and bought it. The yacht needed a refit, so the couple transported it home overland to the Netherlands to have the work done nearer home. Then they entered the 2023 ARC transatlantic rally. Now with a year to go, their preparations are on a strict timeline. Why not now? Many people planning to sail across the Atlantic plan their adventure three, four or even five years ahead of time, but others manage to do it in a much shorter timespan. After all, many things can change in five years; events may swerve you onto a different course. So if an opening can be found between work commitments, children\u2019s education and duties to parents, why not take it now? And if you do decide to make the leap, how would you prepare for a year of voyaging and an Atlantic crossing with an accelerated run-up? Is it possible to plan from scratch and execute well in under 18 months or even within the year? This is a tight timeline. To be at the starting point for an Atlantic crossing in the right season from mid-November through to January you need to leave northern Europe no later than September, and preferably earlier. If it\u2019s your first ocean passage, there will be an enormous amount to prepare and to learn, and your choice of yacht will greatly affect how much time you have to play with. If you are thinking of buying a new boat, you\u2019ll need a two-year run-up, perhaps longer. Bear in mind that supply chain delays and bottlenecks are currently causing delivery times to drag, and schedules are slipping …Continue reading »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":448,"featured_media":142153,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[113,767,972],"tags":[208,240,1633],"review_manufacturer":[],"acf":[],"introduction":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142138"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/448"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142138"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":142157,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142138\/revisions\/142157"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142138"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=142138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}