How Long To Sail From New York To London?

How Long To Sail From New York To London? | Life of Sailing

Last Updated by

Jacob Collier

August 30, 2022

Every sailing enthusiast dreams of a long trip, such as from New York to London. So, how long does it take to sail from New York to London? Let's find out.

Going on a long voyage across an ocean is going to need a lot of planning and preparation. Factors such as fuel consumption, food, water, and many others need to be considered before leaving the dock. However, the amount of time you will be spending at sea will be the main determining factor.

Sailing from New York City to London takes about six nights and seven days, depending on your speed. That's because the famous royal palaces, Big Ben, and double-decker buses of London are just 3,459 miles away from New York City. The average cost of sailing to London from New York is around $1,300.

We have read many articles and blogs and have watched videos of other sailing enthusiasts as they voyage across the Atlantic. If you are an avid sailor thinking of taking a similar trip, you will want to read till this end.

As avid sailors who have years of experience and have planned and completed multiple long trips, we are in the ideal position to help you. This is why we've put together this guide; as a means to help you decide if sailing from New York to London is feasible.

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How Long to Sail from New York to London?

For obvious reasons, flying is the most efficient and convenient mode of transportation when it comes to travelling from New York City to London, or vice versa. The flight takes around seven hours, but it does not include travel time to and from the airport, baggage check, or security clearance.

There are around 30 nonstop flights every day from Newark International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to London. If you want to get to London fast, taking a boat isn't the best option, but if you want to make a holiday out of the travel and enjoy sailing, a ship could be the way to go. Of course, sailing evokes romanticism and a feeling of nostalgia that planes simply lack in today's world. There's also no problem with having to deal with a serious case of jet lag, and you don't have to sit next to someone who snores for the whole trip.

However, the journey takes around a week, and it's crucial to understand that because London is landlocked, boats cannot land there, so you'll have to travel from Southampton or Dover, where ships dock. Since 1847, Cunard's Queen Mary 2 has been crossing the Atlantic from Brooklyn to Southampton roughly once a month during high season. It takes seven days and six nights to complete without stopping and costs $1,200.

There is no bad time to visit London because it is a vast cosmopolitan metropolis with typically moderate weather all year. Late spring (before schools let out) and the fall months (September through November) offer the ideal combination of inexpensive costs, wonderful weather, and a crowded event schedule.

Except for a brief period when the United States begins Daylight Savings Time before the United Kingdom, London is generally five hours ahead of New York. London is four hours ahead of New York at that time in March. Take this into account when planning your flight and ship arrival timings, and be prepared for some jet lag if flying. And the best part is that you do not need to have a visa to sail from New York to London.

Each journey takes seven days and covers 3,150 nautical miles (3,625 statute miles). From port to port, sailing vessels and excursions from the United States to England usually take six to nine days. The majority of ships depart from New York City and dock in Southampton, England, with no stops in between.

You'll also want to double-check that you've made all of the necessary arrangements because you don't want your boat to break down in the middle of nowhere, especially since it could take you up to 70 days to row across the 3,400-mile journey, starting from Liberty Landing Marina in New York and ending at Tower Bridge in London.

How Fast Can a Yacht Sail?

The distance between London and Seattle is 7,723 kilometers. The distance between London and New Orleans is 7,462 kilometers. The distance between London and Braintree is 5,284 kilometers. The distance between London and Stamford is 5,531 kilometers. On a great circle path from the fairway buoy to the entrance to the English Channel, the minimum distance between New York City and London, UK, is 3290 nautical miles.

So, how long would sailing from New York to London take? It's all about the boat's length and capability for racing. The shortest distance to England is around 3,000 kilometers. Many cruising boats can travel 150 miles per day, but just a few can travel 200 miles.

This mainly depends on the speed that your particular yacht can sail and the navigator's experience. That being said, a fully provisioned seaworthy 30-foot sailing boat can travel around 100 nautical miles per day and can stay at sea for up to 90 days. A sailing vessel in good condition can sail around the world at a constant 5 knots per hour under the appropriate wind conditions.

Sailing across the Atlantic Ocean is a dream for any sailor, but it also puts their ability and capabilities to the test like no other journey. That's because the journey itself can take anywhere between 30 to 40 days, and it is not without risk.

The distance between the two ports is approximately 3500 nautical miles. Because both of those places were major ocean-liner ports in 1951, we're going to assume we're talking about an ocean liner. It takes around 15 days to travel at 10 knots. It would take around four days to travel on the quickest liner of the day.

So, your desire has always been to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. But what you really want to know is if crossing the Atlantic is risky. There are two primary paths to follow. You may sail past parts of Cape Verde, Portugal, and even the picturesque Canary Islands if you start sailing east and proceed west.

Another alternative is to travel via the Arctic Circle. So, regardless of your route, you're in for a rough journey? In general, however, sailing the Atlantic Ocean is very hazardous. In reality, most of the time, it may be a pretty relaxing journey. Your experience, however, will be largely determined by the time of year you visit and the path you choose.

The season, wind direction, crew experience, accessible equipment, and, of course, the boat all play a role in crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Remember that the Pacific, other oceans, and other bodies of water have all been traversed and crossed by numerous boats. However, smaller boats, rafts, and canoes are not seaworthy. Of course, some attempts at the crossing have failed, but they have mostly been successful. But, it is not advised to use any of those for your trip from New York to London.

Anyone who sets out to cross the Atlantic or any ocean for that matter will have to deal with many dangers such as unpredictable sea currents, rough waters, and the like. However, with today's technology and safety measures, traversing an ocean is about as safe as it gets. It's almost carefree, with so many boats and equipment available on the market. Let's just say there are 30-foot boats on the market that take most of the danger out of this attempt.

You don't want to take that rickety old sailboat with the leaks on your journey across the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic might be tranquil and uninteresting, but certain seasons of the year present a slew of hazards.

Even in the most tranquil seasons of the year, weather changes can and do occur, and they do so regularly. These are all very disastrous possibilities if your boat starts to leak in heavy weather.

It is also important to note that boom injuries can be serious, which is another factor to consider. You'll want to repair your boat to make it as good as new before you start on your journey.

How Long To Sail From New York To London?
Jacob Collier

Jacob Collier

Born into a family of sailing enthusiasts, words like “ballast” and “jibing” were often a part of dinner conversations. These days Jacob sails a Hallberg-Rassy 44, having covered almost 6000 NM. While he’s made several voyages, his favorite one is the trip from California to Hawaii as it was his first fully independent voyage.

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