What a beautiful video Axel, I have a 67 ft Catalina that I've been sailing for the last 20 years, I retired early and enjoy being out on the seas, I'm a loner and if anything bad happens to happen, I want the sea to be my final resting place, I've logged more that 58,000 Nautical miles in those 20 years. I mostly travel the Caribbean but always wanted to try a transatlantic crossing someday. Thanks for the video..Take Care & Be Careful
MrJoelted, I am an United States Marine preparing to sail my Morgan 454 CB around the world. I will place my parents ashes in the South Pacific. I would be honored to do the same for you Sir. I too am a loner (Accounting degree and MBA). Currently located near Camp Lejeune, NC where I was contaminated by the drinking water and developed Parkinson's Disease. I would be honored to sail your vessel to the end of my life. Would you please consider donating your beautiful vessel so I can keep her sailing?
I think this gentleman sailed alone for the feeling of total freedom from people telling him to wear a life jacket. He has balls of steel, no doubt, and calling him "irresponsible" for such a frivolous matter of personal choice degrades the amazing accomplishment of a solo crossing.
+James Robert --"frivolous matter" ? well, then I guess that depends on what value you put on your life and how it affects others you know..so if Axel fell over board, all his supporters would just shrug their shoulders, say oh, "his choice" ! maybe there should be a document to fill out, saying "if I don't turn up, DO NOT CONTACT AIR/SEA RESCUE.....(signed)Axel.
if he fell overboard in the middle of the Atlantic, do you honestly believe a PFD will save his life? he is alone, his boat is moving on at 5 knots or more. all he can do is bob and float in the water hoping a shark does not find him.
Alex, I discovered your excellent film by accident. What a great mini-documentary on your trip. It captures the highs and lows and the solitude of the sea very well. I appreciated the credits, too, and your sense of humour. Now to watch the Pacific trip...
Great video Barry. Always wondered what crossing the atlantic would be like. And you showed it. My hat is off to you. You are making me want another sail boat. Keep um coming. Fair winds.
Fantastisch voyage! I'm 17 but have been dreaming of doing this forever. I've always been interested in sailing and the sea; I hope I can do at least one circumnavigation one day. Maybe if I work hard I'll retire early and be able to live life day by day out on the sea and wherever I want. It would be lovely to visit all these far off places, experience different cultures, and enjoy the freedom of the sea. Too bad I'd have to get visas to visit a lot of countries, kind of ruins the spontaneity, but oh well. I see nothing better than having a fully provisioned sailboat and being able to climb aboard and sail wherever in the world you'd like. That is true freedom. Anyways, thanks for uploading, I hope you get more opportunities to sail and share any footage with us. Viel Gluck!
I love your movie. Some of your clips remind me of the scene in "Das Boat" when they surface from being stuck on the bottom at Gibraltar and the start flying through the water full speed with the spray in their faces just happy to still be alive. Fantastic !
Amazing. I just got back from a cruise on an Ocean liner in the Atlantic. When we were 3 days out of Newark NJ on our way to Bermuda, I saw a lone sailboat on the horizon. I was so envious of her. An Atlantic crossing is now one of my life goals.
Axel, great trip, great video. In 1990 my family and I crossed the Atlantic starting in Capetown, SA and ending up in Tortola, BVI. Great trip even if it started out with 30' seas our first night out!
Tools: pretty much everything you can imagine, including grinder, saw, drill, .... But the most important: cable ties, duct tape, epoxy putty, and a volt meter. What broke: toilet, water tank, solar panel, solar controller, wind-vane, autopilot, depth sounder, furler, chartplotter. Why Parasailor: much easier to set and control then a symmetrical spinnaker (needs no pole), and much bigger (faster) then an asymmetric. Saw three cargo vessels. Didn't catch water. cheers!
Axel, Just found your video and I have to say-very impressive and inspirational. Hats off to your sailing trip. I hope to do the same thing one day. Congrats on your successful crossing!
Great video. Thanks for sharing. It looked liked you had a few problems with equipment, but I guess that is just part of any journey. Looks like a lot of fun! I am just getting into sailing. I am going to start slow. Very slow! I am looking forward it.
Cool video. I'm not as daring as you. I have a 23' Precision I just bought so no Atlantic crossing for me. I may start with a weekend trip down the Hudson river to NYC and see how it goes. But thanks for posting..
Well, in 2013 I sailed solo from Marathon to Chipiona, Spain and I was alone on my 37 footer for 63 days, so no big deal. Mind you, sometimes I was so sleepy that I felt asleep while I was standing to find out awake when I felt down, Hi Hi. Best regards, John.
Hi Geordie. The Spinnaker with the hole is made by/called Parasailor. In front of the hole is a dynamic pressure wing, which keeps the Spinnaker up and in shape in light or changing winds, so you don't need a spinnaker pole. Very nice when you're alone. The hole is also great when there's a lot of wind, because the air vents through the hole. So I flew this sail from 6kn to 40kn true wind speed.
We also own a Catalina and am excited to journey along the eastern seaboard along Great Lakes, Canada and down the coast of the USA to the Carribean ! On ward to Cuba and Bahamas whoooohooo! Cheers great video...
Well done Axel. We must have been crossing at around the same period. But I had five crew on board which makes sleeping much easier. I was interested in your use of the parasailor, seems to be a very easy sail!
Thanks for this Axel. What a trip! I don't sail or have a boat but it would be a dream of mine to undertake such a voyage. I have been considering an Island Packet 380 though. So far I took the radio course and coastal navigation course (very similar to flying except for tides...I was a flight instructor for many years), but before I had a chance to take basic and intermediate sailing, I got hit by a car (his fault) while on my annual Alps motorcycle tours, so that put a screwdriver in the gears, at least for a while. As for going without a harness (I also noticed that), well that is personal choice. Being Mr. safety myself (as a flight instructor), years ago I already planned on every single piece of safety gear: harness, PLB, EPIRB, sat phone, information (weather) via sat, etc. Maybe I am going overboard...but I hate having regrets. Anyway, enjoy a good Augustiner Edelstoff while you are anchored in a bay. Lucky guy!!! I'll be back in the Alps in a few months on my BMW GS Adventure. Grüsse aus Kanada, Alex.
Hi Alex, thanks! Yup - no regrets - best philosophy really. I also took a radio and coastal navigation course as well as motor boating. The most dangerous part of any trip is getting in and out of a marina anyway. Like takeoff/landing I guess ;-). The sailing part you can pick up as you go along really, don't let that stop you. You know about wind already, and there's lots of space on the ocean and heaps of great books. In my experience the sailing courses only give you enough knowledge for the first day in nice weather. First strong wind or over-nighter and you're left to figure it out for yourself anyway :-). Btw, I'm doing my paragliding license at the moment, what a great experience. And I love my GS (1100) too. Had to leave it in Germany though as it didn't fit on the boat ;-). Here in NZ I ride a KTM 990 Adventure, also quite lovely. All the best, enjoy the Alps and let's meet for a beer when you make it to NZ. - Axel
Nice video, well filmed and edited. Something i'd love to have done myself but instead i tour around Europe in my motorhome (Wohnmobil). I knew someone who retired from work, sold his home, bought a yacht and sailed the Atlantic from UK to USA and back many times. Nice life!
Great video, and effort. You said you were constantly fixing things. What tools did you take? What broke? Did you have any problems with the winches? What made you decide to get a parasailor and not a spinnaker? It seems that a spinnaker would be easier to control. What about a asymetric spinnaker? Did you see any other vessels during your crossing? Did you capture water when it rained?
Hi Tom, thanks for message. Sailing in Newport must be very nice, too! I wasn't very worried about tankers etc on the ocean crossing. I have AIS, and a Radar Detector, and together they work very reliably and warn me about 20 min before it gets close. But I still didn't sleep more then 30min at a time before having a quick look around. When I came through the Mediterranean sea it was different. So many boats there, I couldn't sleep at all and after two days sailing had to turn into port.
Dannie Hill Thanks Dannie. Once you're arranged yourself with the fact that it's ok to just drift for a few days on long passages it takes a lot of stress out of the whole thing, including preparations (where to put all that diesel).
Ein wundervolles, inspirierendes Video, tolle Aufnahmen, ausgezeichneter Schnitt. Wäre interessant, einmal genauere Infos hinsichtlich Vorbereitung, Yacht, Ausrüstung etc. zu bekommen. Bist übrigens ein absolut sympathischer, unkomplizierter Typ. Grüße von einem ebenfalls leidenschaftlichen Blauwassersegler.
Fantastic footage! I think you've done a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of voyaging and it makes me all the more inspired to get out and do it myself :). Fair winds winds to you and may all your journeys be grand!
Thank you for sharing your voyage and your experiences with the audience. More people would benefit from having parents and brother like yours! God Speed!
sails up all night for sure. Sometimes when you are sailing downwind in the trade winds the mainsail can blanket the spinnaker and sometimes it can throw off the autopilot as well (depends on boat) Many boats sail much more stable downwind with just a headsail, and it's easier to sleep when the boat is smooth too.
I've seen quite a few videos about people crossing the ocean in their boats (and really dig it!). I just wonder ... what do you do once you arrived? Sell your boat? Do you stay for a few days and sail back? Makes me wonder about all the organization behind such a trip.
Axel, very good video which transferring the real emotion of crossing the ocean, although i didn't do it yet. Earlier today i watched your pacific cross....:))) keep going, man...and congratulations for your wedding.....
Excellent video Axel, thanks for making this! a hugely inspiring trip to anyone interested in sailing: I've done a little sailing myself, but just crewing around the Greek islands, would love to make a trans-Atlantic crossing some day, this video just adds to that :)
I spent a year sailing to the Caribbean and back, the best part of the trip was 10 days I did offshore on the return. I almost made a right to head for Europe but I didn't have enough supplies or I would have done it.
HO-LEE-SCHITT!! I wouldn't sit on the edge of that boat and take a bath unless all the sails were down and the boat was dead in the water!! Really nice vid.
I agree - jack lines are a must. Especially solo. One slip on the nicest day and you can only watch your boat sail away without you. Not a good way to die.
Brock Landers i'm new to sailing and am curious if you can buy harnesses to tie you to the boat when solo sailing? im planning to buy a 31ft sailboat as a live aboard
Dr sausage fingers Yes and highly recommended too! Even when not solo. MOB is a serious situation that can injure crew during rescue (if possible). Amazing how fast a person can "disappear".
Hi Axel, I've been around sailing most of my life and have been on St. Maarten many times while in medical school there. Not sailed there thu, but would love to cover such a distance one day. Im from California, and sail out of Newport. I was wondering what you did for sleep. How many ours in a row max u got. And if running into tankers or freight ships was ever a concern. I know it would be highly unlikely but would keep me up. Very inspiring video thx.
Well done. My respect. What kind of Budget you recommend for this type of travel? Did you spend / buy new equipment for the voyage, or did you already had the equipment. Keep sailing!!!
Dear Henry, thanks for your feedback. The budget depends entirely on how comfortable and fast you want to travel, and how many people you are. Two can do it reasonably well with a 34ft boat for $20.000 if you put in some work, can live without some comforts, and not having the fanciest boat in the bay. I started like this, but after a year sold that boat because sailing was too slow. Whatever you buy, remember that you can easily spent 20% of the purchase price on yearly upkeep. Good luck!
Hi there. Thanks for your comment. Because I have a 7/8th fractional rigg the top of the Spinnaker is very low and it doesn't fly well downwind in light winds with the mainsail up. Therefor I had the mainsail down. And in strong winds I don't need the extra power of the main sail. I kept the Spinnaker (Parasailor) up also at night. The advantage of the Parasailor is that it survives 40kn of wind with no problems. When the wind dropped below 5kn (E.g. 3:35) I had no sails up - not enough wind
"irresponsible of you to not wear a life jacket/ harness" whereas in essance I agree with the harness, I don't regarding the lifejacket. Whats the point of a lifejacket unless one is towing an extremely long line aft.? Anyway, great video... It must've felt an awesome achievement to have done this.... Well done.!
Sau geile Sache! Gut gemacht! - Hab die Homepage ge-bookmarked und freu mich drauf sie zu lesen, schon die ersten 5 Zeilen machen Lust auf mehr und haben mir ein Grinsen entlockt! ;-)
Does pirates raiding you ever happen? Is having a Gun onboard recomended? It seems like a possibilty especially when its a juicy target like the new yachts.
+Captain Capitalism (Anarchist) Just to point out, there are NO laws about carrying guns at sea. It's only certain countries that have issues with them.
What a beautiful video Axel, I have a 67 ft Catalina that I've been sailing for the last 20 years, I retired early and enjoy being out on the seas, I'm a loner and if anything bad happens to happen, I want the sea to be my final resting place, I've logged more that 58,000 Nautical miles in those 20 years. I mostly travel the Caribbean but always wanted to try a transatlantic crossing someday. Thanks for the video..Take Care & Be Careful
if you ever need a ship hand giza shout
Truly living life my friend, I admire folks like you.
MrJoelted, I am an United States Marine preparing to sail my Morgan 454 CB around the world. I will place my parents ashes in the South Pacific. I would be honored to do the same for you Sir. I too am a loner (Accounting degree and MBA). Currently located near Camp Lejeune, NC where I was contaminated by the drinking water and developed Parkinson's Disease. I would be honored to sail your vessel to the end of my life. Would you please consider donating your beautiful vessel so I can keep her sailing?
I think this gentleman sailed alone for the feeling of total freedom from people telling him to wear a life jacket. He has balls of steel, no doubt, and calling him "irresponsible" for such a frivolous matter of personal choice degrades the amazing accomplishment of a solo crossing.
+James Robert --"frivolous matter" ? well, then I guess that depends on what value you put on your life and how it affects others you know..so if Axel fell over board, all his supporters would just shrug their shoulders, say oh, "his choice" !
maybe there should be a document to fill out, saying "if I don't turn up, DO NOT CONTACT AIR/SEA RESCUE.....(signed)Axel.
It's his life, he can do with it as he pleases.
if he fell overboard in the middle of the Atlantic, do you honestly believe a PFD will save his life? he is alone, his boat is moving on at 5 knots or more. all he can do is bob and float in the water hoping a shark does not find him.
Vincent Miceli better the Atlantic than any other body of water.
He didn't fall overboard, now shut the fuck up.
Alex, I discovered your excellent film by accident. What a great mini-documentary on your trip. It captures the highs and lows and the solitude of the sea very well. I appreciated the credits, too, and your sense of humour. Now to watch the Pacific trip...
Great video Barry. Always wondered what crossing the atlantic would be like. And you showed it. My hat is off to you. You are making me want another sail boat. Keep um coming. Fair winds.
I like the dedication you gave to your family at the end of the video. That's beautiful.
The world needs more people with this sense of adventure. I've got a lot of work to do in convincing my wife to sail any long distance with me.
Sail alone then! Don't have to convince her.
Just go alone and bring PLENTY of magazines ;)
Fantastisch voyage! I'm 17 but have been dreaming of doing this forever. I've always been interested in sailing and the sea; I hope I can do at least one circumnavigation one day. Maybe if I work hard I'll retire early and be able to live life day by day out on the sea and wherever I want. It would be lovely to visit all these far off places, experience different cultures, and enjoy the freedom of the sea. Too bad I'd have to get visas to visit a lot of countries, kind of ruins the spontaneity, but oh well. I see nothing better than having a fully provisioned sailboat and being able to climb aboard and sail wherever in the world you'd like. That is true freedom. Anyways, thanks for uploading, I hope you get more opportunities to sail and share any footage with us. Viel Gluck!
Go jack a sailboat.. not like anyone gonna chase you and the owner would probably be thankful that they don't have to pay for it anymore.
I love your movie. Some of your clips remind me of the scene in "Das Boat" when they surface from being stuck on the bottom at Gibraltar and the start flying through the water full speed with the spray in their faces just happy to still be alive. Fantastic !
Thanks for the video clip Axel. In deed very inspirational.
Hell, Axel has a new fan in me. He's got a great 'tude, has uber-guts, and is very capable. Salut!
Great video....music, scene selection, transitions.... and you seem to keep a good attitude through it as well.
Amazing. I just got back from a cruise on an Ocean liner in the Atlantic. When we were 3 days out of Newark NJ on our way to Bermuda, I saw a lone sailboat on the horizon. I was so envious of her. An Atlantic crossing is now one of my life goals.
Axel, great trip, great video. In 1990 my family and I crossed the Atlantic starting in Capetown, SA and ending up in Tortola, BVI. Great trip even if it started out with 30' seas our first night out!
Tools: pretty much everything you can imagine, including grinder, saw, drill, .... But the most important: cable ties, duct tape, epoxy putty, and a volt meter.
What broke: toilet, water tank, solar panel, solar controller, wind-vane, autopilot, depth sounder, furler, chartplotter.
Why Parasailor: much easier to set and control then a symmetrical spinnaker (needs no pole), and much bigger (faster) then an asymmetric.
Saw three cargo vessels.
Didn't catch water.
cheers!
I have watched many, MANY sailing videos! This one is one of the best! Well done and congratulations on a successful voyage!
Axel,
Just found your video and I have to say-very impressive and inspirational. Hats off to your sailing trip. I hope to do the same thing one day. Congrats on your successful crossing!
Great video. Thanks for sharing. It looked liked you had a few problems with equipment, but I guess that is just part of any journey. Looks like a lot of fun! I am just getting into sailing. I am going to start slow. Very slow! I am looking forward it.
What an adventure !!! Thank you for sharing , I've enjoyed it very much.
Cool video. I'm not as daring as you. I have a 23' Precision I just bought so no Atlantic crossing for me. I may start with a weekend trip down the Hudson river to NYC and see how it goes. But thanks for posting..
Well, in 2013 I sailed solo from Marathon to Chipiona, Spain and I was alone on my 37 footer for 63 days, so no big deal. Mind you, sometimes I was so sleepy that I felt asleep while I was standing to find out awake when I felt down, Hi Hi. Best regards, John.
Awesome video. I love the still photos as well. Your hammock in the cockpit is classic. Kudos. Much Respect.
Very good video Axel and an inspiration for many(including myself!) to give this a try one day. Thank you for sharing.
I like your attitude and positivity! Great video :-)
Lovely illustrating of life on board a yacht single handed crossing. Very good.
Wonderful. Thanks for posting. Very inspiring. I am seriously thinking about doing it some day. Wished you had filmed more.
Hi Geordie. The Spinnaker with the hole is made by/called Parasailor. In front of the hole is a dynamic pressure wing, which keeps the Spinnaker up and in shape in light or changing winds, so you don't need a spinnaker pole. Very nice when you're alone. The hole is also great when there's a lot of wind, because the air vents through the hole. So I flew this sail from 6kn to 40kn true wind speed.
We also own a Catalina and am excited to journey along the eastern seaboard along Great Lakes, Canada and down the coast of the USA to the Carribean ! On ward to Cuba and Bahamas whoooohooo! Cheers great video...
Well done Axel. We must have been crossing at around the same period. But I had five crew on board which makes sleeping much easier. I was interested in your use of the parasailor, seems to be a very easy sail!
this is so awesome. you so captured the essence of passage making. nice vid. makes me long to be back out there.
Hey man,,,Deep respect. I truly admire anyone with the guts to do this.
quite a feat. you are an inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing your adventure.
it must be an amazing feeling to see a stranger in their area so far from the mainland. i love dolhpins
always see videos of this going from the UK to the islands but i never seen one coming back.
Thanks for this Axel. What a trip! I don't sail or have a boat but it would be a dream of mine to undertake such a voyage. I have been considering an Island Packet 380 though. So far I took the radio course and coastal navigation course (very similar to flying except for tides...I was a flight instructor for many years), but before I had a chance to take basic and intermediate sailing, I got hit by a car (his fault) while on my annual Alps motorcycle tours, so that put a screwdriver in the gears, at least for a while.
As for going without a harness (I also noticed that), well that is personal choice. Being Mr. safety myself (as a flight instructor), years ago I already planned on every single piece of safety gear: harness, PLB, EPIRB, sat phone, information (weather) via sat, etc. Maybe I am going overboard...but I hate having regrets.
Anyway, enjoy a good Augustiner Edelstoff while you are anchored in a bay. Lucky guy!!! I'll be back in the Alps in a few months on my BMW GS Adventure.
Grüsse aus Kanada, Alex.
Hi Alex, thanks!
Yup - no regrets - best philosophy really. I also took a radio and coastal navigation course as well as motor boating. The most dangerous part of any trip is getting in and out of a marina anyway. Like takeoff/landing I guess ;-). The sailing part you can pick up as you go along really, don't let that stop you. You know about wind already, and there's lots of space on the ocean and heaps of great books. In my experience the sailing courses only give you enough knowledge for the first day in nice weather. First strong wind or over-nighter and you're left to figure it out for yourself anyway :-). Btw, I'm doing my paragliding license at the moment, what a great experience. And I love my GS (1100) too. Had to leave it in Germany though as it didn't fit on the boat ;-). Here in NZ I ride a KTM 990 Adventure, also quite lovely.
All the best, enjoy the Alps and let's meet for a beer when you make it to NZ. - Axel
Wow that is a very adventurer spirit, not any can do what you done!...great video!
Nice video, well filmed and edited. Something i'd love to have done myself but instead i tour around Europe in my motorhome (Wohnmobil). I knew someone who retired from work, sold his home, bought a yacht and sailed the Atlantic from UK to USA and back many times. Nice life!
Great video, and effort. You said you were constantly fixing things. What tools did you take? What broke? Did you have any problems with the winches? What made you decide to get a parasailor and not a spinnaker? It seems that a spinnaker would be easier to control. What about a asymetric spinnaker? Did you see any other vessels during your crossing? Did you capture water when it rained?
Thank you for sharing your video - sailing solo ?? How brave are you! what an adventure! Best wishes for the future and safe sailing.
a good sense of humour and a terrific voyage . all the best mate :from sweden !
Hi Tom, thanks for message. Sailing in Newport must be very nice, too! I wasn't very worried about tankers etc on the ocean crossing. I have AIS, and a Radar Detector, and together they work very reliably and warn me about 20 min before it gets close. But I still didn't sleep more then 30min at a time before having a quick look around. When I came through the Mediterranean sea it was different. So many boats there, I couldn't sleep at all and after two days sailing had to turn into port.
Great passage, Axel! I think your fuel uses is the perfect amount for sailing. Very impressive
Dannie Hill Thanks Dannie. Once you're arranged yourself with the fact that it's ok to just drift for a few days on long passages it takes a lot of stress out of the whole thing, including preparations (where to put all that diesel).
Thank you. I enjoyed your video very much. I am planning to cross the Atlantic this coming fall on a friend's boat ...
Well done Axel, all the best!!!
Bravo sir, very well done and appreciated, fair winds and following seas...
Great video.......inspiring....a dream that never fulfilled.....thank you for sharing your life experience.
Ein wundervolles, inspirierendes Video, tolle Aufnahmen, ausgezeichneter Schnitt.
Wäre interessant, einmal genauere Infos hinsichtlich Vorbereitung, Yacht, Ausrüstung etc. zu bekommen.
Bist übrigens ein absolut sympathischer, unkomplizierter Typ.
Grüße von einem ebenfalls leidenschaftlichen Blauwassersegler.
Awesome video Alex. I also plan to to cross the Atlantic in the near future on my boat.
Fantastic footage! I think you've done a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of voyaging and it makes me all the more inspired to get out and do it myself :). Fair winds winds to you and may all your journeys be grand!
Thank you for sharing your voyage and your experiences with the audience. More people would benefit from having parents and brother like yours! God Speed!
Outstanding accomplishment! Well done and great job with the editing and sound mixing.
Great adventure, thanks for sharing it, well made film very enjoyable, almost felt like I was there.
sails up all night for sure. Sometimes when you are sailing downwind in the trade winds the mainsail can blanket the spinnaker and sometimes it can throw off the autopilot as well (depends on boat) Many boats sail much more stable downwind with just a headsail, and it's easier to sleep when the boat is smooth too.
Hi Fernando. I had about 4000nm coastal sailing experience before the crossing, half of that single handed (max 3 days non-stop). cheers
Cool video and forgive a simple question. I know how the boat steers itself, but what keeps you alerted to running into something, like another boat?
I've seen quite a few videos about people crossing the ocean in their boats (and really dig it!). I just wonder ... what do you do once you arrived? Sell your boat? Do you stay for a few days and sail back? Makes me wonder about all the organization behind such a trip.
Nice! I did mine from from Tenerife to Martinique in 1998 in a 27ft'er. 25days. Did you meet Mike on the Lady C and visit sunset beach bar?
Axel, very good video which transferring the real emotion of crossing the ocean, although i didn't do it yet. Earlier today i watched your pacific cross....:))) keep going, man...and congratulations for your wedding.....
Great journey mate and documentary of how it really is.
You are the man.. my husband just sail single handed too, before with me. And its been really chalenging. . Live it.
Excellent video Axel, thanks for making this! a hugely inspiring trip to anyone interested in sailing: I've done a little sailing myself, but just crewing around the Greek islands, would love to make a trans-Atlantic crossing some day, this video just adds to that :)
I spent a year sailing to the Caribbean and back, the best part of the trip was 10 days I did offshore on the return. I almost made a right to head for Europe but I didn't have enough supplies or I would have done it.
HO-LEE-SCHITT!! I wouldn't sit on the edge of that boat and take a bath unless all the sails were down and the boat was dead in the water!! Really nice vid.
Is the whole video for sale? If not, you could consider it. What a wonderful video, and journey. Thanks for sharing.
enjoyed your video seems like you really had this boat well equipped for the voyage, captain including.... bravo,,,,
Thanks for the nice vid. The journey looks quite relaxed ...
Ci hai fatto sognare in questo inverno piovoso. Bello!
I agree - jack lines are a must. Especially solo. One slip on the nicest day and you can only watch your boat sail away without you. Not a good way to die.
Brock Landers You are right of course. I did click in most of the time, but it really should have been every time. All the best and happy 2015!
Brock Landers i'm new to sailing and am curious if you can buy harnesses to tie you to the boat when solo sailing? im planning to buy a 31ft sailboat as a live aboard
Dr sausage fingers Yes and highly recommended too! Even when not solo. MOB is a serious situation that can injure crew during rescue (if possible). Amazing how fast a person can "disappear".
+Brock Landers There are many worse ways to die and most people suffer them.
ushoys Didn't say there wasn't.
A great accomplishment specially when sailing solo. Really inspirational.
Congrats Axel. Well done!
that stove is brilliant! also, other videos make it seem like you need multiple ppl to operate a spinnaker. how do you sleep?
Great video man. That was amazing. You have brass balls my friend.
+James Reese
They are aluminum :p
Great film and great expérience, i'll do this one day....
Hi Axel, I've been around sailing most of my life and have been on St. Maarten many times while in medical school there. Not sailed there thu, but would love to cover such a distance one day. Im from California, and sail out of Newport. I was wondering what you did for sleep. How many ours in a row max u got. And if running into tankers or freight ships was ever a concern. I know it would be highly unlikely but would keep me up. Very inspiring video thx.
Well done. My respect.
What kind of Budget you recommend for this type of travel?
Did you spend / buy new equipment for the voyage, or did you already had the equipment.
Keep sailing!!!
Great video! Thanks for posting it. Did you go through some storms?
Great video! How far south did you have to go before hitting the passage winds?
very impressive. great shots. oh the love of auto tiller!
Hey Axel. Enjoyed your video. What soundtrack is this?
Lovely.. absolutely.. gives a nice idea of what it is all about.. thanks
Lovely video! How did you mount your cameras? They seem to be outside the boat a lot of the time. Is that just a clever field of view?
Great film, straight to the point. Thanks for sharing...
Well done! That takes a lot of effort in a boat of that size! I applaud you; I wouldn't cross the Atlantic in anything less than 50ft
Dozens of people cross the Atlantic In 26-32 foot boats every year. It's not that hard or dangerous with all the recent advances In technology.
Captain Capitalism Advances in technology doesn't account for stupidity, poor planning, or a small boat
Thank you so much for the video. It really motivates me to someday get a boat and sail. Please continue to post more!
I love your video and I dream on a such sea trip but not alone. Yo have all my admiration!
Congratulations on your brilliant solo sail. Fair winds and following seas to you good sir! :)
Good boy. Very nice video, well edited with nice musical comments.
I've just noticed that your boat has solid stainless steel(or aluminum?) top rail for lifelines
Dear Henry, thanks for your feedback. The budget depends entirely on how comfortable and fast you want to travel, and how many people you are. Two can do it reasonably well with a 34ft boat for $20.000 if you put in some work, can live without some comforts, and not having the fanciest boat in the bay. I started like this, but after a year sold that boat because sailing was too slow. Whatever you buy, remember that you can easily spent 20% of the purchase price on yearly upkeep. Good luck!
Good job Alex, I thought the whole video was put together really good. Bob Brown from the smallest powerboat to Cross the Atlantic
Je admire ton grand courage mon ami!,t'as vécu une magnifique expérience.
Félicitations!!
Hi there. Thanks for your comment. Because I have a 7/8th fractional rigg the top of the Spinnaker is very low and it doesn't fly well downwind in light winds with the mainsail up. Therefor I had the mainsail down. And in strong winds I don't need the extra power of the main sail. I kept the Spinnaker (Parasailor) up also at night. The advantage of the Parasailor is that it survives 40kn of wind with no problems. When the wind dropped below 5kn (E.g. 3:35) I had no sails up - not enough wind
Danke Axel. Tolles Abendteuer. Beneidenswert!
"irresponsible of you to not wear a life jacket/ harness" whereas in essance I agree with the harness, I don't regarding the lifejacket. Whats the point of a lifejacket unless one is towing an extremely long line aft.?
Anyway, great video... It must've felt an awesome achievement to have done this.... Well done.!
legend343 his life. His choice. If he feels confident enough without a lifejacket he won't use it.
Great video and of course congratulations on an amazing adventure
Sau geile Sache! Gut gemacht! - Hab die Homepage ge-bookmarked und freu mich drauf sie zu lesen, schon die ersten 5 Zeilen machen Lust auf mehr und haben mir ein Grinsen entlockt! ;-)
What boat is that? It certainly makes good speed. How long were you becalmed?
Hello Axel,you are a great captain.Hello from Turkey.
Does pirates raiding you ever happen? Is having a Gun onboard recomended? It seems like a possibilty especially when its a juicy target like the new yachts.
+Captain Capitalism (Anarchist) Just to point out, there are NO laws about carrying guns at sea. It's only certain countries that have issues with them.
No, piracy Isn't an Issue In the mid atlantic.
Pirates are after cargo ships, not sailboats.
I mounted some GoPro cameras on the Bimini. The wide field of view is very useful.
Danke für das tolle Video und Inspiration
you have quite some courage. i could never dream of doing this myself.