Question about route: US East Coast to Azores

[Captain Smollett]

This question is primarily for anyone who has sailed from US East Coast (say Savannah to Chesapeake) to the Azores. 

I'd really like input from folks who have DONE it, but I also welcome the input of anyone who has armchair studied this route in detail.  No need to simply quote other web sites / trip logs, as I've likely already read them.

Which leads to my question:

A lot of what I've read about this type of crossing suggests that due to the Azores High and general "calms" on the approach, one should probably plan on motoring at least 200 miles. 

EVERYTHING I've read on the topic claims motoring will be essential.

But when I study they Pilot Charts (April and May), I see 0-3% calms on any logical route from the central US East Coast to the islands.

What I suspect is that the "Conventional Wisdom" is to motor to avoid LIGHT air sailing vs motoring to avoid a TRUE calm.  I have noticed that many sailors (based on their own accounts in magazines and blogs) will fire up the engine as soon as sailing speed drops below what they could economically motor.  I don't mean that to sound harsh or like an indictment...it's just an observation.

Lin and Larry, in The Cost Conscious Cruiser, devote a whole chapter (and bits of others) to "Keeping Her Moving in Light Air."  A boat making bare steerage way is moving toward her destination cleanly and 'for free,' so long as the crew is up to the slow pace psychologically (and stores allow for the delay, etc).  This philosophy makes sense to me, and my crew SEEMS to agree (  ;D  ), and so, I wonder...

Is this Azores route suggestion of 'definitely plan to motor' an example of what I might term "convenience motoring," or is it in practice REALLY necessary?

My own 'threshold' for firing up the iron jib is being totally becalmed...no way at all under sail alone...if I have somewhere to be (even on a lax schedule).  On the open sea, I might drift for a day or so if I thought winds were close, but no way do I plan to drift for days or weeks in the doldrums.  That said, I don't mind sailing 1-2 knots 'for free' and quietly if that's all I get.  After all, 2 knots is still 48 miles per day.   ;)

[Auspicious]

I knew I liked you for a reason. I am going to make Valentine's Day dinner for Janet and will turn my attention to a truly robust response tomorrow.

[Auspicious]

This question is primarily for anyone who has sailed from US East Coast (say Savannah to Chesapeake) to the Azores. 

I went the other way, from Azores to Chesapeake, in June 2006. All the statistics in the world don't change the weather you actually encounter. In my case I recall that I was able to sail almost the whole way.

A lot of what I've read about this type of crossing suggests that due to the Azores High and general "calms" on the approach, one should probably plan on motoring at least 200 miles. 

And that is where reality differs from statistics. Make your plans and watch the synoptics. If the high is dominating you may want to take a different course.

What I suspect is that the "Conventional Wisdom" is to motor to avoid LIGHT air sailing vs motoring to avoid a TRUE calm.  I have noticed that many sailors (based on their own accounts in magazines and blogs) will fire up the engine as soon as sailing speed drops below what they could economically motor.

This is an "all depends" consideration. Without a schedule driver, I'll sail as long as I have steerage. On delivery, I have to manage fuel and fiduciary responsibility to the owner. Often it is less expensive to the owner to motor. In your case, it's just another day and no big deal. What a great opportunity for schooling, light air sail trim, cooking ahead, catching up on sleep, and light maintenance.

All that said, my singular experience was pretty good breezes. I haven't dug out my logs but I recall a close reach most of the way. Accounting for apparent wind you should see a broad or beam reach most of the way if the weather pattern is at all similar.

My own 'threshold' for firing up the iron jib is being totally becalmed...no way at all under sail alone...if I have somewhere to be (even on a lax schedule).

I recently had a delivery from Chesapeake to BVI on which we had no air at all. We motored as long as we could, reserving fuel for keeping the batteries up and getting in to Spanish Town. With some attention (and enough crew) we still kept boat speed in the 3 to 4 knot range in hardly any breeze. You can do it.

Take lots of food.

In Horta, facing Peters from the harbor go up the street to the left. There is an outstanding restaurant just after the end of the harbor we called the 'hot rocks place'. You'll know it when you see it. Outstanding. Propane refills at the harbormaster's office. Walk to the supermarket and cab back.

[DavidCrosby]

I sailed from St. Thomas, USVI to Horta in June of 2009. All recommendations were to go to Bermuda first and then head across to the Azores from there. The goal being to avoid the high. In reality, after almost two days of being hard on the wind and living on an incline we decided to cut the corner early. During the 20 day passage we ended up motoring for 119 hours. Most of our motoring was during the night. As we moved deeper into the high we found that the wind would quit at about 4:00 pm local time and would come back up around 10:00 am. Although, we did have a few periods of 24 hour motoring. Had we not motored, I don't think we would have gotten stuck out there, but it probably would have taken several more days.

Another boat arrived in Horta about the same time we did. They sailed from Florida to Bermuda, Bermuda to Horta. They said their trip was a wet and windy ride almost all the way.

If you want to sail all the way, I would suggest heading towards Bermuda first. If you want to take your time, and enjoy a peaceful benign ocean, then cut the corner.

[Auspicious]

A good reason to look at the synoptics.

[phil416]

       Having done this the hard way, I beleive you should watch the path of the continental lows that come across America and then march up the East coast. If you get on the North side of these lows you will have winds with a East component.  The easy route is to go to Bermuda and sail to 40N- 50W ( jimmy Cornel) and then on to the Azores.  Do not go above 40N. Stay on the South and east side of the lows and you will have a West component to most of your trip. I went North and battled East winds for 21 of a 40 day passage.  I steep price for the lack of experience, and an over reliance upon the Pilot charts.  When Deep Blue is ready once more I plan to sail East from Norfolk until the lows give me West winds and then follow the recomended path to 40n50w.  With only 11 gal. of fuel motoring is not an option for my Triton.  Hope this helps Phil