Heading for New York, crossing the Atlantic by sail from East to West
In summary
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Sports
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Duration28 days
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LevelConfirmed
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DestinationLorient / UNITED STATES
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AgeFrom the age of 18
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CO₂-Emissions368.6 kg CO2
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Type of stayIn a group
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Languages
French
In a few words
Set sail for America! Embark on a 21-meter monohull and become part of its crew for an extraordinary modern-day adventure. Departing from Lorient, you'll set sail for New York in two legs . A stopover in Horta on the island of Faial in the Azores will mark the end of the first leg. You'll stay there for a variable amount of time, depending on the weather conditions. Your stop will be short if the weather window is favorable, a little longer if a standby is necessary to reach the Big Apple in the best possible conditions.
Crossing the Atlantic by sailboat with a crew requires generosity and humility. It's a significant undertaking that will sometimes require you to brave bad weather, cold, damp, or heat, and face the everyday challenges encountered aboard a sailboat. Expect to participate in a transatlantic crossing, not a cruise ! That said, it's an incredible opportunity to let go and step outside your comfort zone to reconnect with yourself. A true adrenaline rush and a breath of fresh air! Approximately 3,200 nautical miles separate the two continents . Depending on the weather conditions and the crew's capabilities, we allocate 26 days for this Atlantic crossing!
The highlights
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Crossing the Atlantic by sail from East to West in the spring
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Arriving in New York by sea
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To live a modern-day adventure, the experience of a lifetime
Photos
Sport
Level
Sailing
In figures
Sailing
- Average duration/day: 24h
- Average distance/day: 350 km
Management
French
Program
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Welcome aboard the boat
- Accommodation Sailing cruise ship
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
Boarding is from Lorient in Southern Brittany. We welcome you the day before departure and will get you settled on board in the late afternoon. A welcome drink will give you the opportunity to meet the entire crew as well as the shore team. The evening is free for dinner; sleeping arrangements are either on board or in a hotel for those who would like to sleep in a real bed one last time!
Day 1 -
Navigation from Lorient to Horta
- Activity Sailing
- Duration of the activity 24h per day
- Distance 350 km
- Accommodation Sailing cruise ship
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
After breakfast on board, you will tour the boat with the crew to familiarize yourself with the deck layout and onboard procedures. A safety briefing will be conducted by the captain, including the distribution and use of PFDs (personal flotation devices), each equipped with an AIS beacon. The general organization of the boat will also be established for the watch schedule. Once the crew is ready, you will set sail from Lorient harbor and hoist the sails.
You will first set sail for Horta, located on the island of Faial in the Azores, the first leg of this east-to-west transatlantic crossing. Depending on the weather forecast for the second leg, the length of the stopover will vary. It will be short if the weather window is favorable, a little longer if a standby is necessary to reach New York in better conditions. And if the captain deems it unnecessary, there will be no pit stop!
1200 nautical miles separate Lorient from Horta, by direct route. We're allocating 6 to 7 days for this first leg, but it could be faster or slower depending on the weather conditions. According to weather charts, the route will be half upwind and half downwind. Since weather forecasting isn't an exact science, the onboard weather will be supplemented by a professional router ashore. The crew will have to sail the boat themselves!
Days 2 to 10 -
From Horta to New York
- Activity Sailing
- Duration of the activity 24h per day
- Distance 350 km
- Accommodation Sailing cruise ship
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
You will stop over in Horta on the island of Faial in the Azores. This stopover allows you to restock the galley, repair any technical problems encountered during the voyage from Lorient, and also visit the local institution, Peter Cafe Sport, for a drink. If you feel like it, and it's a tradition, you can leave your mark on the quay by painting the name of the boat and its crew. This stopover is also an opportunity to assess the weather conditions for the second leg of the journey. If the captain deems it necessary to wait out a low-pressure system, he may decide to wait 24, 48, or 72 hours for better weather conditions before setting sail.
From Horta to New York, there are 2050 nautical miles to cover by direct route, which is about fifteen days of sailing, always punctuated by the rising and falling watches, rest, maintenance of the ship, cooking, exchanges between crew members, observation of the stars, mammals…
Days 11 to 27 -
Arrival in New York
- Accommodation Sailing cruise ship
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
At the end of your Atlantic crossing, New York City will appear on the horizon, and the Statue of Liberty will welcome you with open arms. You will moor at the One°15 Brooklyn Marina on the Hudson River, facing the skyscrapers of the city that never sleeps. For those who wish, and depending on the arrival time, you can stay one last night on board to celebrate this adventure of a lifetime.
Day 28
Note
Crossing the Atlantic by sailboat depends on both the weather (and sea) conditions encountered and the skill of the crew to sail the boat. Crossing times are approximate and may therefore be shorter or longer.
Accommodation
21m racing-cruising monohull from the Challenge 67 series. Built for the BT Global Challenge, a crewed round-the-world race against prevailing winds, it is rigged as a cutter. Its Quantum Sails sail inventory includes a staysail, Yankee 1/2/3, large genoa, asymmetric spinnaker, and fully battened mainsail.
- Architect: David Thomas
- Shipyard: Devonport Yachts Ltd.
- Measurement certificate: IRC1
- Overall length: 20.42m
- Width: 5.25m
- Draft: 2.96m
- Air draft: 26m
- Sails: Marconi
- Rigging: Cutter
- Sail area: 220m² upwind – 415m² downwind
- Displacement: 38 T
- Electronics: Raymarine
- Navigation: Maxsea - Iridium Go
- Offshore equipment: Category 1
- Auxiliary engine: Mermaid 130 hp
- Generator set: Mermaid
Access
Go to the starting point
Price details
The price includes
- Embarking as crew member aboard a 21m monohull
- Supervised by 2 professional sailors, qualified as Captain 200 Sailing and State-certified instructors
- Accommodation with single bunk beds in a double or triple cabin
- Boat insurance and passenger liability
The price does not include
- Your return plane ticket
- The onboard kitty, including meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), consumables, port fees, and fuel: €980 per person, payable before boarding - mandatory
- Your meal expenses and personal expenses
- Sleeping bag and towel
- FFV license (required): €80 per person in 2025
- Medical certificate (required)
- Individual repatriation insurance
- cancellation insurance
- Obtaining and paying for the B1/B2 visa for entry into the United States
Options
- Bedding kit : CHF56.72 / unit
- Flex fare and insurance
Practical information
Specific formalities
Specifics
In the case of flights with stopovers operated by different airlines, also check the entry requirements of the countries you are transiting through.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance, particularly regarding the validity of your identity documents (
For example, some countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your return date. Consider visa requirements, necessary vaccinations, and health recommendations. And don't forget to take into account any customs restrictions and other potential requirements of your destination or transit country.
ℹ️ Information may change up to the departure date, remember to regularly check official websites.
⚠️ Each crew member must provide us with the contact details of a shore-based contact person/referent with whom we can communicate if a situation requires it. Please also send a sailing resume and your expectations for this sailing program so that we can share them with the crew.
Equipment
Equipment provided on site
PFI (life jacket) with harness and AIS beacon.
Equipment to bring
- Sleeping bag and towel
- Sunglasses, lip balm and protective creams for the face and hands (sunscreen or not)
- Headlamp
- Prefer disposable cameras
Clothing to bring
A sailor's basic gear includes a complete outfit such as a jacket and overalls . For the rest, ideally you should have a pair of sneakers (with rubber soles, not plastic) or a pair of "dockside" shoes (boat moccasins) and a pair of boots. Be careful with "street" shoes: leather soles and anything resembling high heels are strictly forbidden on the deck of a sailboat, as are heavy-duty boots like Caterpillar with black soles.
Pack some old clothes that are warm and soft , easy to put on and take off (given the big temperature changes), and don't forget shorts and a t-shirt. Finish packing your bag with warm socks, fleece, thermal and, above all, waterproof clothing, and don't forget gloves in winter. You can pack a change of underwear for every day in a zip-top freezer bag, as well as wipes for your cat's hygiene! Beanies are a good choice. You can also show off with all sorts of caps and bucket hats, but be careful, the wind collects them and not everyone can be a seasoned sailor... Fleece neck warmers or scarves are also very fashionable!
The Valdo team
Based in Lorient, our local partner, École Française de Croisière, offers the opportunity to embark on exceptional 21m sailboats with crew for coastal, semi-offshore and offshore courses, as well as offshore races (Rolex Fastnet Race, Caribbean 600, Atlantic Rally for Cruisers…).
His professional team accompanies crew members to Brittany, the Isles of Scilly, Ireland, the Caribbean, or New York. He offers a variety of experiences, from training for novices to transatlantic crossings, as well as tailor-made corporate events (team building, seminars) on legendary monohulls.
