Hundreds of years ago, people often crossed the Atlantic Ocean to discover new locations and relocate. Sailing ships were used to transport them. During the colonial era of 1600-1799, persons going from Europe to North America endured a lengthy and risky trip.
However, the ship can reach speeds of about 30 knots, implying a five-day crossing time. The lengthier crossing allows for weather delays, mechanical troubles, and medevac / SAR cases to be recovered.
There are no big passenger ships capable of that feat now, and the only large commerce boats capable of matching that time are the eight SL-7 class ships, which were constructed for SeaLand in the 1970s and sold to the US Government for conversion to mixed RO/RO – LO/LO rapid sealift.
They are STILL the quickest major cargo ships on the water, and they are still ready to staff up, supply, and depart with only 96 hours’ notice.
In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a type of containership that could do it in approximately the same time, but we would save fuel by slowing down and do the voyage in 5 to 6 days, as I did when I sailed on that kind of containership. For a cargo vessel, it is still rather quick.
However, in the 1940s, a fuel-powered cargo ship could often traverse the Atlantic Ocean in five days provided it sailed in a straight path and at a reasonably high speed, rather than at flank speed, which may damage a ship’s engine if utilized for too long. But I’m not sure how long is too long.
Crossing the Atlantic in the days of sail-powered ships may take up to four weeks. Steam-powered ships cut the journey time in half, to around a week and a half. It’s difficult to estimate since not all steam-powered ships were created equal. Some steam engines were more powerful than others.
On a great circle path, the distance from New York to Southhampton is little over 3,000 nautical miles. With favorable weather, a Liberty could complete the journey east to west in around 11 days at maximum speed.
As a result, I estimate that an average voyage would take about 15 days. Because to the unpredictability of the North Atlantic, some journeys might take significantly longer.
There’s also the journey to think about. The most common sailing route across the Atlantic makes advantage of the trade winds, which will get you to the other side in roughly 40 days, give or take ten days if you’re in a boat.
A sailor named Rodrigo de Trina discovered land from the watch tower on October 12th, and they landed at what is now San Salvador.
From his departure from Palos until his arrival in San Salvador, his voyage across the ocean took 70 days (10 weeks), although he spent time in the Canary Islands preparing for the passage, which took just 36 days (5 weeks).
Columbus and six crewmen touched foot on an island in the present-day Bahamas on October 12, 1492, after 36 days of sailing westward over the Atlantic, claiming it for Spain.
From the time they set sail on September 6 until they arrived at Cape Cod on November 9, 1620, it took them 66 days to traverse the Atlantic Ocean. The first part of the trip went very easily, with the only big issue being seasickness.
around 8-9 days
The development of iron hulls, compound steam engines, and screw propulsion in the 1860s resulted in considerable reductions in crossing times, which were reduced to about 8-9 days.
It was, however, considerably speedier, and by the 1870s, the trip across the Atlantic took just two weeks.
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