Generalities

We want to share this experience of a round-trip transatlantic crossing with those who wish to undertake a long voyage by boat.

The journey

This is a classic 12.5-month round-trip transatlantic voyage.

We set sail from South Brittany and returned to South Brittany, passing through northwest Spain, the Portuguese coast, Porto Santo and Madeira, the Canary Islands, the Cape Verde Islands, Guadeloupe, back from Saint Barthélemy to the Azores, northwest Spain again, and finally back to France. As a bonus, we embarked on a three-month backpacking trip in South America, leaving the sailboat in Pointe-à-Pitre.

Approximately 8,000 miles of sailing in total, including all the islands and ports we visited.

The boat

A 2009 RM 1050 bought second-hand (twin keel single rudder) in good condition and fairly well equipped.

• a Volvo D1 30 engine with 800 hours at start
• mainsail, genoa, staysail, symmetrical spinnaker and gennaker
• Raymarine 6002 actuator
• radar
• GPS tracker with world map
• AIS transceiver
• 2 x 100W solar panels
• distress beacon
• 2 individual distress beacons on a life jacket

Changes before and during the trip

• Profurl staysail furler + forestay replacement
• new staysail
• Watt and Sea 300W short shaft hydro generator
• 1 solar panel replaced
• Used Iridium GO (purchased in Guadeloupe)
• Starlink antenna with 3-month subscription (installation in Guadeloupe)

Incidents and breakdowns

Fortunately, there were no breakdowns all year. Just routine maintenance, but we realized that after a year of sailing, the boat had aged (hull paint, small dents on the boom, toerail, deck, etc.). However, while the hydrogenerator is a real plus, encountering a significant amount of sargassum seaweed during a transatlantic crossing sometimes made charging impossible.

Navigation and weather

By respecting the weather forecast for shorter crossings, we never experienced rough seas and wind. During longer crossings, we mostly encountered light weather with squalls and thunderstorms.

For the outward transatlantic crossing (Cape Verde to Guadeloupe, mid-December), we had no weather forecasts at sea. After covering half the journey in one week, we completed the other half in two weeks (21 days at sea in total) with very light winds and a westerly wind for four days. So, no established trade winds as expected.

On the return journey (Saint Barth to the Azores, mid-May), our Starlink subscription allowed us to partially avoid the calms and major depressions further north. The crossing lasted 23 days, including 6 days sailing into the wind.

Note : The problem of orca attacks along the Iberian coast is real. It's not limited to the Strait of Gibraltar, but occurs all along the coast as far south as Galicia, depending on the season. We were fortunate enough to avoid any incidents, but we believe it's important to monitor the activity on apps like Orca Ibérica . Having a pinger on the sailboat might be a plus, although its effectiveness hasn't been definitively proven.

The stopovers

Galicia : northwest of Spain. Lots of charm, lots of nautical interest , quite a few ports or possible anchorages, with some passages like Cape Finisterre which must be taken into account depending on the weather.

Portugal : a long, straight coastline with no anchorages. Little interest in terms of sailing, however, a lot of friendliness from the locals and beautiful cultural places to visit (Porto, Lisbon, Cascais and Sintra…).

Porto Santo and Madeira: lots of charm, lots of hiking. However, anchoring in Madeira really depends on the weather and there are few ports available.

The Canary Islands: each island is different and has a lot of character, especially if you like volcanic and desert landscapes. Comfortable anchorages are scarce, and the major drawback is having to reserve berths due to the numerous rallies and races taking place. Sometimes you have to juggle your destinations and the availability of a mooring.

The Cape Verde islands: music, charm, authenticity, fabulous hikes, and incredibly kind locals. Mindelo is the only marina in the islands. It has all the necessary supplies for a transatlantic crossing, and despite the lack of technical resources, it's, in my opinion, the only place in Cape Verde where boat repairs seem feasible.

The Antilles: as everyone knows, warm water, plenty of beautiful seabeds, plenty of anchorages, music, important technical bases like in Le Marin and Pointe à Pitre…

Disadvantages: high cost of living, the feeling of being just a tourist and no longer a traveler.

The Azores: here too, there's a lot of charm and the locals are incredibly friendly. Prices are reasonable and there are plenty of hikes to choose from. However, don't underestimate the distances between the islands, which can be significant (25 to 120 miles depending on the island).

The budget

The budget for this type of trip is a bit complicated to define. It depends a lot on the number of restaurants, car rentals, and activities you want to do. A budget of €1,000 per month per person seems sufficient, but you should set aside a reserve in case of breakdowns or repatriation costs. In Spain and Portugal, provisioning is very cheap, a little less so in the islands, but still less expensive than in France. On the other hand, provisioning costs are significant in the Caribbean. Port fees for an RM 1050 vary on average from €20 to €30. You should also be aware that many anchorages now charge fees (between €5 and €20 depending on the location). Clearance fees vary from island to island, but you should expect to pay around €35 per person in the English-speaking islands. The price of diesel is around €1.20 per liter, but €1.60 in the Caribbean. However, refueling with gas can be complicated. We had to buy a Spanish cylinder with its regulator. In Cape Verde (Mindelo), we were able to refill our cylinders directly from the gas companies. This is also possible in Madeira, above Funchal, but more complicated because the cylinders are only collected once or twice a week for refilling.

Don't forget to take this kind of trip at least once in your life! It's incredibly enriching and puts many things into perspective compared to everyday life. You'll have wonderful encounters with passing sailors and locals alike, experiencing powerful and beautiful emotions, and enjoying the experience. Boredom can also be part of the journey, and you sometimes have to persevere through the difficult moments, which are thankfully few and far between.

Favorites

• Galicia and its anchorages
• The cultural richness of Portugal
• The feeling of a real journey starting from Porto Santo and Madeira
• The grandeur of the landscapes in the Canary Islands
• The stunning landscapes of Cape Verde, its music, and the kindness of its people
• The beauty of the seabed in the Antilles
• The charm of the Azores
• The joy of reuniting with family upon returning

We remain at your disposal should you wish us to answer more specific questions.

Franck Lantinier and Emmanuelle Le Chatelier
on the RM 1050 Symi, July 2023 – July 2024

Best regards, Franck and Emmanuelle

lantinierfranck@gmail.com  

The trip website: https://www.polarsteps.com/FranckLantinier