11 Tips For Crossing The Atlantic By Sailboat 2025
Crossing the Atlantic by sailboat is a significant achievement and a massive dream for many, with good reason. It is a fantastic adventure I hope every sailor gets to experience at least once in their lifetime.
I started preparing for my Atlantic Crossing in Spain with two friends in December 2021. We set off from Gibraltar, sailed to Las Palmas, Cape Verde, and made the final landfall in Saint Martin.
Crossing an ocean requires thorough planning and preparations. I want to share some tips with you based on what we discovered and experienced during our voyage from Europe to the Caribbean!
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“You get into a rhythm and balance where the world shrinks to a small space surrounding you, your boat, the people onboard, and mother nature.”
Robin Olsen Iversen
Tips For Crossing The Atlantic By Sailboat
- Make sure your boat is ready
- Service your rig and sails
- Get up to date on safety
- Stay updated on the weather
- Plan for downwind sailing
- Manage your power
- Carry plenty of spares
- Carefully provision
- Do a regular inspection
- Have a night sailing strategy
- Take care of upgrades
#1 Make sure your sailboat is shipshape and ready to go
Your boat is your lifeline at sea, and you want to ensure everything onboard is working and in good condition. Most incidents during the Atlantic crossing are due to equipment failure. A decent portion of thorough inspection during your preparations is essential.
Inspect every through hull fitting, test float switch, bilge pump, and water pump. Service the engine, self-steering, and winches. Check the condition of your battery bank and inspect your electrical system.
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If you find something at the end of its lifespan, it is better to replace it before you leave than have to deal with breakdowns underway. Another thing to be aware of is that boat stuff gets much more expensive once you get to the Caribbean. I suggest repairing, upgrading, and buying everything you need before you go.
#2 Have your rig and sails inspected and serviced
Get someone professional to inspect your standing rigging. Many insurance companies require a report to cover you on the journey. If the rig is older than 15 years, consider replacing it. Getting dismasted in the middle of the Atlantic is something we want to avoid, and sadly it does happen.
When we arrived in Las Palmas, there were four dismasted boats, and a few came in not long before us. I did a professional rig inspection in Spain before leaving. Even though everything seemed to be in good condition, it was old and needed replacement. Seeing the dismasted boats made me grateful for following the rigger’s advice!
Give the sails a reasonable inspection and service. They have a long and laborious task up ahead. Most sailboats won’t be able to rely on the engine for such a long trip, and it is crucial to have sails in excellent condition. If you need to replace them find out how much new sails cost.
Bring equipment and patches to repair them if you have an accident. We managed to rip the Gennaker on the trip from Las Palmas to Cape Verde, and didn’t have any spare patches. Luckily I managed to get some in Mindelo and got it repaired.
#3 Consider what safety equipment you need
Whether you are going to do the crossing by yourself like we did or go with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, carefully consider what safety equipment you bring and its condition. As a bare minimum, you should bring the following:
- EPIRB
- Liferaft
- An ocean rated lifejacket
- Safety lines
- Searchlight
- VHF Radio
- Sattelite unit or SSB radio
- Radar Reflector
- AIS (Ideally a transceiver)
- Emergency flares
- Man overboard recovery equipment
- Spare manual bilge pump
- Spare bulbs for the NAV light
- Extra lines, rope, and straps
- Grab bag
- Minimum two fire extinguishers
- Fire blanket
- Sea drogue
- Emergency tiller
- Plywood to make an emergency rudder
- Medical kit
- Equipment to cut wire rigging in case of emergency
- Wood bungs next to every through hull fitting on the boat
- Smoke and gas alarm
- Extra charts in a waterproof bag
The World Cruising Club, which arranges the ARC, has a mandatory safety equipment list that contains detailed information about the safety equipment required to participate.
Even if you don’t intend to go with the ARC, I highly recommend using the list as a guideline on what to bring.
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#4 Stay updated on the weather forecast
Now, most people cross the Atlantic between November and February, which is the high season for steady tradewinds. You will typically have 15-25 knots of steady northeasterly to easterly wind once you get south of Las Palmas.
But the weather sometimes picks up and gets rougher than forecasted. We had a few days with more than 35 knots of wind and 6-meter waves on the leg between Gibraltar and Las Palmas which was the roughest part of the trip by far!
It is possible to receive weather forecasts offshore from any of the best apps for sailing with a satellite unit like Garmin InReach or IridiumGo!, which is exceptionally handy for staying up to date! Starlink for sailboats also looks promising for the future.
You might not have a secure bay anywhere near to escape nasty weather, but at least you can alter your course and prepare for what’s coming. A satellite unit means you are able to stay in touch with the outside world, which is a great safety feature.
A radar shows squalls at night in due time to prepare. Although not necessary, this is very handy. We dodged a few big ones in the last week before arriving in Saint Martin.
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#5 Have a good sail plan for downwind sailing
Most of the journey will be more or less downwind sailing, and having an excellent plan to sail deep angles comfortably is a good idea. There are several ways to set your boat up, and the good old wing-on-wing is the most common.
Poling out the headsail to one side and the main to the other is a simple setup to manage and reef, especially at night. Double headsails are even more practical, but it will be an expensive upgrade unless you already have your boat rigged up.
Light wind sails like a spinnaker, gennaker, or parasailor are perfect for light wind sailing. Still, please don’t plan on using them as your primary setup. We only used our gennaker during daytime as it can be a handful to get down in a sudden blow. If you’re sailing the sailboat by yourself then you will need to be even more careful.
#6 Manage your power onboard
Do you have enough battery power to keep the autopilot, sailing instruments, and fridge running through the night? Will you be able to charge the batteries sufficiently?
Solar panels are great for charging batteries on sunny days, but not so much when it is cloudy. A wind generator works wonders in many situations but may not work while cruising downwind.
Consider how you charge your batteries and manage power consumption. I learned that the autopilot requires an incredible amount of power when running 24/7 downwind. The fridge also drew more and more power the warmer the temperature got.
A generator or upgraded alternator will help on cloudy days when solar panels are inefficient. A wind generator is also great, but bear in mind you can’t use it if it’s too windy! You also want enough fuel to run them a few hours a day for the entire passage in case you get unlucky with the weather.
Another option is to invest in a wind vane for steering and a hydro generator for charging, which I will consider before doing another ocean crossing. We were pretty lucky with the weather on our crossing, though, and only used the engine for 6 hours total for charging.
#7 Carry plenty of spares
It is pretty common knowledge that boat equipment will break. It is not a matter of if, but rather when. Therefore it is crucial to bring spares for the most critical equipment onboard. Extra blocks, lines, shackles, and winch handles are probably already standard spare inventory on your boat, and they should be.
A good length of Dyneema line is excellent to have onboard and can be used to support the mast in case any rigging fails, even if your rig is brand new. Determine the weakest link in your steering system and bring spares and equipment to repair it if it fails.
Bring fuel filters, oil filters, impellers, and gaskets for the main engine. You may not plan to use it during the passage, but if you have to and it breaks down, you may find yourself in a less-than-ideal situation.
Your bilge pump may be in excellent condition, but it can struggle if you get a leak, and it has to work 24/7 for a longer time. Bring at least one spare pump, and always have a manual backup in case you lose electricity.
Also, having an extra freshwater pump is advisable. Imagine having full tanks of fresh water and no means to get it out. Now that would be frustrating!
The list of spares goes on and will depend on your boat and the equipment you have. Just be sure to cover all the essentials when you consider what to bring. It is better to have too many spares than too few when it comes to critical systems.
#8 Bring plenty of provisions, drinks, and water
Las Palmas is the last place you should rely on doing the final sailboat provisioning. The selection in Cape Verde isn’t the best, and prices are higher. There is an excellent supermarket in Las Palmas called Super Dino within walking distance from the marina. They will pack and deliver groceries and provisions directly to the pontoon for you.
Super convenient!
Remember that even if most transatlantic passages are done in 2-3 weeks, there is a risk that it may take longer, and you should provision accordingly. Canned and dry food are almost twice the price in the Caribbean, so buying as much as you can fit in your boat before you leave is wise.
We were three on our trip, and even though we eventually ran out of fresh food, we still had plenty of canned and dry food to feed ourselves. Potatoes, onions, eggs, red pepper, and garlic survived the longest.
If you have a freezer and enough power to run it, you are pretty well set and might not even have to touch any tins on the trip. Beer and wine are ⅓ of the price in Spain compared to the Caribbean, so you may want to stock plenty.
Even if you have a sailboat watermaker, carry enough drinking water onboard to stay hydrated for the entire trip. Consider what you get from the watermaker as a bonus. Bring enough bottled water as well.
Some friends had their watermaker fail, and the water tanks were contaminated during their crossing. Luckily they had bottled water onboard, but they had to ration for most of the trip. You don’t want to risk that!
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#9 Do a daily inspection of the boat
Keep a look out for chafing spots for the sails and lines, keep an eye on the mast and rigging, and don’t ignore any strange sounds that haven’t been there before. Preventive awareness and maintenance go a long way to avoid having stuff break underway.
If you find a nut or bolt on deck, don’t ignore it. Figure out where it came from immediately, as it may come from something about to fall apart. My friend found a bolt on the deck one day, and we spent the entire day looking for where it might have come from.
It turned out to be from one of the mainsail cars, and it was a simple fix with some additional lock-tite, but it had me worried for a while.
Avoid having the sails rub against any rigging or spars, as it will eventually damage them. Pay extra attention to the mainsail, and don’t let it rest against the spreaders. And always use a boom preventer!
#10 Sail conservatively at night
Sailing conservatively is a wise strategy in general, but even more so at night. You may be tired, and the rest of the crew is probably sleeping. It is pitch dark, and working on the deck is riskier than in daylight.
For some reason, sudden squalls also seem to hit at night, and when they do, you don’t want to be over-canvased.
It depends a bit on your boat and setup, of course, but reefing down at night may be an excellent way to avoid overpowering surprises. We set the second reef in the main every night before dawn and relied on the genoa as it is easy to furl in most situations, especially short-handed at night.
The one calm night we didn’t reef the main, we got hit by a massive squall. Most plates and mugs in the galley got sent to death against the chart table, and all hands were on deck within seconds, wondering what was going on. A few minutes of adrenaline and action later, we had the situation under control and decided to continue to reef down at night.
#11 Get the upgrades and essentials before leaving Europe
As I mentioned earlier, things generally get more expensive once you get to the Caribbean. Consider getting the essentials and boat upgrades before leaving Europe, especially if you have considerable upgrades planned like new instruments, autopilot, solar panels, battery upgrades, watermaker, new sails, and so on.
I planned on buying a watermaker before leaving but investing in new sails and standing rig emptied the budget, and I decided to get one in the Caribbean later instead.
Now I realise it wasn’t the smartest, as I could have saved significant money if I had got it in Europe instead. I also planned on upgrading the head to an electric one which I regret not doing before I left.
Take a look at some sailboat essentials, and you may find some things you have yet to think of that can make living onboard more convenient and comfortable.
Conclusion: Tips For Crossing The Atlantic By Sailboat
Crossing the Atlantic by sailboat may seem like a daunting adventure for many. But with good planning and a focus on safety, it is pretty straightforward for the most part. Like I said at the beginning of the article, it was a fantastic experience and, for me, the most memorable thing I have ever done.
You get into a rhythm and balance where the world shrinks to a small space surrounding you, your boat, the people onboard, and mother nature.
I still get lost thinking back to the countless four-hour night watches where I brought a book up in the cockpit to read. Only to spend the entire watch star gazing and speculating on big and small things.
Many sailors claim to “find themself” on a long passage, which was definitely the case for me. I loved every second of it, and the incredible sea voyage was rewarded with white sand beaches, reggae, and palm trees when we arrived.
What is there not to love?
Author Biography
Robin is from Norway and has worked in the maritime industry for over a decade. He loves being at sea and has always felt a pull towards adventures and distant countries. In 2019 he eventually leaped to follow his lifelong dream of going on the ultimate journey. The search for a floating home brought him to Spain, where he found his beloved sailing yacht Ellidah.
Since Robin didn’t have any sailing experience, he initially spent some time sailing up and down the Spanish coast. He was ecstatic when he discovered how much he loved the cruising lifestyle and decided to become a permanent liveaboard. He has since been sailing and living onboard Ellidah and is now pursuing his dream of doing a world circumnavigation.
Since their voyage started, they have sailed more than 10.000 nautical miles across three continents and have visited many countries and exciting islands. Robin has now become a seasoned sailor and a self-proclaimed adventurer. Please visit his website Sailing Ellidah if you are interested in learning more!
