Attempt to sail a beneteau 21.7 across the atlantic?

One of these...?

Probably not suicide if you pick the right time of the year, but you coudn't get these MegaYacht guys to come with you...

21.7

I assume as you are in the UK the 21.7 is metres, in that case, no problem with right crew.

Don't think they are built for crossing oceans and with fuel, water, food and spares the boat will be too heavy to sail efficiently and you will be wobbling around for a month or more wishing you had put the boat on a cargo ship or in a container.

With that being said, there is a guy on this board that would like to do the trip with you: NYCAP123, he will be here shortly..

With proper preparation and some experience behind you it could be a trip of a lifetime.

Unless you are only going to do day sailing on the lake, I would suggest going a bit bigger: You will outgrow a 21' sailboat pretty fast.

On this side of the Atlantic, the Catalina 30 has a good reputation and big enough for coastal cruising and live-aboard capabilites.
Get a used one for the same price as a new 21'.

Like many things in this world... just because you can doesn't mean you should.

It's mainly a day sailer/weekender. Taking it across the Atlantic would be risky and not much fun. Most purpose built open ocean cruisers that size are water tight because the likelyhood you will be capsized and pitchpoled is high if you get into rough weather. Making the boat go is fairly simple unless you are trying to extract 100% of the boats performance. Knowing where you are, where you're going, how you're going to get there, and if you should be trying to get there at all is a different story. Lessons are a good idea. Chartering the boat in protected waters is also a good idea. I would still suggest you have a qualified captain on board or at least partner with someone who knows what they are doing when you charter one. I would bet after spending some time on the boat at sea you will rethink trying to take one across the Atlantic.

Sorry Dude, motorhead here. Besides, my wife laid down the law and I must now have at least a 20% chance of survival in my exploits.

Short answer though is Yes it can be done; No you won't enjoy it; Yes you will have some great stories if you survive, and No you will not want to see your crew again...ever.

Exactly.
I've done it in a B-57, but I wouldn't do it in 21.7.

One of these...? Hat off to you Sir...Plenty refuelings and not much sailing?

I'd suspect he meant one of these:




Looks like a much more comfortable, if a lot slower, ride.

Not strange at all

Crossing the Atlantic in a 21ft boat is not so strange at all! Just look at the guys crossing the Atlantic from Europ to Brasil in 6,5m boats! The Unofficial Mini Transat Open 650 Site

I crossed the atlantic on a 50ft boat just a year ago, my opinion:

Fuel? Not a problem, you sail!
Electricity? A hydrogenerator (like the one from watt&sea) and/or small solar panels are enough for radio, light, iridium and ais for the night.
Food? you will fit it in. You cook with gas. 2 bottles will be more than enough.
Crew? Would not do it singlehanded, but with 2 you should be fine!

If you go e.g. Las Palmas to Martinique you can have an easy sail with the trades, just do not forget your spi and a good storm sail, just in case!

The Mini Transat kicks off in less than 10 days!

The official site is here, but unlike the Beneteau, the Mini 650s are designed for crossing oceans. They're hardly coastal sailors.

Pay the man his money.
We took delivery in France, sea trialed, commissioned, rigged, then sailed to Dominica.

Hi,

You got that in one there isn't any comparison between a 6.5m Trailer Sailor and one of these except they also can be trailered.

A mate of mine owns a Proto 6.5 and it is a pocket rocket.

I'd love to get a ride on one of those one day.... I think I've watched every youtube video of the 650s out there. Ocean racing in any form is an awesome sport, but doing it the way the Minis do is just a whole new level of crazy!

There is no way a non experienced sailor could ever make this trip in a 21' boat. Now could it be done with experienced sailor, only if the weather and good luck was on his side. I do know a guy that he and his wife went all over the world in a 36' sail boat. But he was born sailing and a trust fund.