How does a trip with no destination sound to you? One wherein you start with a boat or a yacht and go on and on into the waters to a point where you cannot see anything apart from the water surrounding you. There are many types of vessels you can hire to do this and one of them is a yacht. What is a yacht? Is a motor yacht used to carry people? Can a motor yacht travel across the Atlantic? How long does it take to cross the Atlantic by motor yacht? A few of these questions will be answered in this article. So, let’s get started.
1. What Kind of Yachts can cross the Ocean?
You might have seen boats sailing on the blue crystal water and dreamed of doing something similar. With no worries in your head, just a drink in your hand while in the summer outfit laying on the deck and enjoying the sun blazing on top and the sound of water below. But this needs so much more than just sitting in front of your screen and reading articles.
The yacht is a kind of medium-sized boat equipped especially for cruising or racing and is quite trendy around the globe. It is said that any and every yacht that is 30ft or more and well-equipped can be used to cross the ocean but along with this is the need for experience and knowledge in the area as well. To know how can a motor yacht travel across the Atlantic, read the next segments. (See Mini speed boat features)
2. Can a Motor Yacht travel across the Atlantic?
The second largest ocean in the world is the Atlantic Ocean and an answer to can a motor yacht travel across the Atlantic is obviously yes, why not? But this needs all the necessities and types of equipment done right because the Atlantic is nearly 106.5 million square kilometers in size and it would be best to have a huge tank that can hold fuel enough for the trip.
So, how can a motor yacht travel across the Atlantic? To make this happen you need to have a big yacht that can stay on still water and also on the raging ocean when the ocean loses its temper and for this one must need one that is a motor yacht more than 30ft in size. And another thing that sets a motor yacht apart from a regular yacht is the motor-driven boat equipment which is better than having to sit around changing the sails, way, and directions according to the wind. (Also read What is a Steamboat?)
3. How Long does it take to Cross the Atlantic by Motor Yacht?
A trip across the Atlantic is based on a whole lot of factors which include:
- Experience of the sailor
- Weather and conditions
- The route taken
- The yacht and its equipment
- Fuel for the yacht and sailors
Just think about the vast ocean and the thought of crossing the whole thing is going to take a lot more time than just a couple of days. It is normally said to take about 3 to 4 weeks which is close to a month but this can go less if there are shortcuts, proper wind and ocean conditions, as well as the speed of your motor yacht. Now you know the answer to how can a motor yacht travel across the Atlantic. Hence, before and while sailing, take care of the conditions and always be prepared for anything that can happen in the middle of the sea. (See Why Do Ships Float?)
4. How Big of a Motor Yacht do you need to Cross the Atlantic?
The yachts are categorized under A, B, C, and D as per their size and build. And in these, the sizes go in descending order with the biggest yachts which would be able to withstand bad weather and storms in category A, and the size and build reduce as the category goes to D. But to get your yacht certified this has to be done by the International Marine Certification Institute. As an answer to how big of a motor yacht you need to cross the Atlantic, it must be at least 40 feet which comes under category A. Check out What does HMS and RMS stand for?
5. What is the Smallest Motor Yacht to Cross the Atlantic?
The smallest motor yacht to cross the Atlantic was by an American sailor named Hugo Vihlen and this happened not once but twice in 1968 as well as 1993. This small boat was known to be 5ft and 4 inches in size. Once he completed this adventurous journey, he set out to write a book titled The Stormy Voyage of Father’s Day along with Joanne Kimberlin. Hugo set world records by being a single-handed sailor to cross the mighty Atlantic ocean twice. (See What did Owner of Titanic say about God?)
6. How Difficult is it to Sail across the Atlantic?
Can a motor yacht travel across the Atlantic? Yes, but if you are going in an individual sail it can be pretty lonely. It is not like there is the availability of internet or data but just water everywhere and this can be mentally draining! Books are a good friend to have but for how long? It will take more than 20 days at the minimum and with no people the mental effect that it will have on you is intense, many sailors say this is the difficult yet not impossible part of crossing the large waters.
Moreover, under extreme weather conditions, the sailors might experience seasickness, hydrophobia, or any kind of health issues after spending a lot of time out there in the middle of the ocean.
However, this is a testament to the abilities and skills of a sailor and cannot be done without experience or preparation. Not anybody can wake up one day and decide to sail across the Atlantic but this requires skills and official documents to be submitted and instructions to be followed. (See Shipwrecks in the ocean)
7. Can Superyachts handle Rough Seas?
As per the answers made, it is clear that a yacht is a kind of medium-sized boat equipped especially for cruising or racing. But a superyacht is a commercially operated luxury yacht that can either be motor powered or sail-powered. This is known to be professionally crewed and has a load line length of 24 meters and above, this is the extent to which the weight of a load can be safely submerged by a ship and this is done by a way of a waterline limit.
Yes, it can handle rough weather though. The handling of the superyachts is in the skillset of the sailor and not the superyacht per sea. They have to study the weather forecast and the characteristics of the yacht before deciding if the vessel should be sailed or not. (Also read How Cold was the Water when the Titanic Sank?)
8. Can Luxury Yachts cross the Ocean?
There are many different types of yachts that can be found and one of them is these famous luxury yachts. These are the ones that are 80 feet or more in length and are made solely for pleasure purposes which include cruising, fishing, year-round accommodations, or water sports among others. So, can a motor yacht travel across the Atlantic? And if the specific question is about- will a luxury yacht crosses the ocean comes up then the answer is an absolute yes.
Apart from the build of the vessel, other things that need to be considered are the consumption and range plus the speed of it. A luxury yacht known as the Navetta 26 has sailed from Singapore to Perth, Australia crossing the oceans in a 12-day trip and shown that it is a boat suitable for long distances. But it should be pleasant for the guests and crew alike and this will not be good if the ones who are cruising for pleasure end up being sick due to the rough conditions of the sea. (See What a Group of Ships is Called?)
9. How Big can a Yacht be Without a Crew?
It is said that yachts can be operated without a crew to a size of 75 feet in length or 22 meters but it should be noted that in such scenarios as well, autopilot is highly recommended. Before doing any of this you should first own a yacht license.
It is good to have one as there are some states for which boat licenses are mandatory but this is not the same for some other states. An example of a yacht that can be run without professional help is the Princess Y78 which may cost approximately 3.547,000 euros to be able to do so. Also, keep in mind that the captain should hold a Master’s license to run the vessel. (Read Depth of Water Needed to Float Clear of the Bottom)
10. Can you Captain your Own Yacht?
It is said that to captain your own yacht you must hold the Master 200GT license or any above this rank. Not everyone who runs a ship can be called a captain. This name comes in once the title is given from a maritime school. But any person who is in command of a vessel is called a Shipmaster and even though this person may not have the qualification for the work but are held responsible for the vessel and the passengers. You have to know the technicalities and workings of the vessel to be able to go ahead on the journey with it. (See How Did the “Unsinkable” Titanic sink?)
11. What is the Roughest Ocean?
The roughest ocean is the one that connects the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean from the tip of the South American continent to the northmost shore of Antarctica and this is known as the Drake Passage. This is also known as the Sea of Hoces, known to cover Cape Horn, Chile, and Antarctica south Shetland islands.
This might have made you think about going on a yacht trip, maybe not a long one but still. Hope this helped you get answers to can a motor yacht travel across the Atlantic, which is the smallest motor yacht to cross the Atlantic, and how difficult is it to sail across the Atlantic? (Also read When can Navigation Rules be Overlooked?)
