Atlantic Crossing on SV Twister

This trip is for people who want a real ocean crossing. You’re curious about offshore sailing, drawn to the ocean, and ready to be part of a crew that lives simply for weeks at sea. Whether you’re looking to join a sailing crew for the first time, sail across the Atlantic as crew, or simply step into a different rhythm, you’re in the right place.

You don’t need sailing experience. What matters is your mindset. Willingness to be part of a team, take watches around the clock, adapt to wind and weather, and live close to nature with people you haven’t met yet. This trip works for solo adventurers, couples, and travel buddies. We interview every applicant first to make sure the crew mix works.

Not for you if you want a luxury charter or comfort as your main priority. That said, the comfort level on SV Twister is quite high compared to most ships out there. Lots of space to chill, your own bed in a cabin with 2-4 fellow crew. A nice galley (kitchen), showers, and toilets with buttons. We value early starts, clear heads, and being present with nature and each other.

Yes. Legs 2, 3 and 4 are Ocean Nomads Expedition legs: curated crew, a discovery call before booking, Julie on board as trip host, and the Ocean Nomads community around the trip before and after. For these legs we walk a few extra miles to bring a like-minded crew together. Legs 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are Twister crew spots with lighter screening and no Ocean Nomads host on board. See the expedition overview for all eight legs.

31 December 2026 to 23 January 2027, 24 days, Mindelo to Martinique. New Year’s Eve on board in Mindelo, Cape Verde, then across the Atlantic in early January together with Koen’s Atlantic Ocean Impact Expedition by kite and SV Windfall as support vessel. See the Trip Facts above for the contribution. Multi-leg discounts apply when you combine legs.

You are part of the crew. That means standing watches around the clock, helping cook, helping clean, helping run the ship. This is a shared experience, not a service. It’s what makes the trip!

The weather rules. We may leave Mindelo a day or two later if the trade winds are not there yet, and a crossing can take a few days longer than planned. Book your onward travel with that in mind.

Living space is shared. Water and power are limited. This is a vegetarian trip.

In return you get real skills, connection, and a rhythm of life that tends to stay with you long after you step off the boat. Read the recap of the last Atlantic expedition. Maybe even a life change, like many who stepped on board with Ocean Nomads before.

A few reasons this trip is different from doing it solo or with another operator.

Sailing out with a mission. We leave Cape Verde together with Koen’s Atlantic Ocean Impact Expedition by kite and SV Windfall as support vessel. A rare gathering of ocean nomads and ocean-minded adventurers, all crossing the same water at the same time.

You skip the research, the gambling, and the risk. We’ve sailed, worked, and hitchhiked with over 100 vessels by now. SV Twister is next-level authenticity, comfort, and safety. Think toilet buttons, your own comfortable bed, filtered water, real space. Very few ocean-worthy vessels take people offshore legally, at this level of comfort, with these safety standards, and for this price.

Around 15 souls, all in. Sailing with 2, 3, or 5 people is fun. We’ve done it. But sailing with around 15 like-minded ocean nomads, all as stoked about ocean sailing as you are, is next-level community living. You’ll always find a few souls you click with. Some become friends for life.

Built for long passages. Below deck and on deck, there’s room to move, stretch, work out, chill. A steering hut for cold nights, a lounge for games and reading, a big communal table for shared meals, music nights, and spontaneous workshops. On smaller vessels, you have to sit still. Here, you don’t.

The trip starts in Mindelo, Cape Verde (VXE airport, or via Sal/SID with a connecting flight) and ends in Martinique (FDF airport). You arrange your own flights to and from the boat.

Board on 31 December 2026, arrive around 23 January 2027. The crossing itself usually takes 14 to 18 days for around 2.100 nautical miles. The rest of the 24 days is provisioning, briefings and the arrival in Martinique. Exact sailing days depend on weather and the trade wind window.

Exact meeting point, marina and arrival details are shared after booking confirmation. If you want to arrive a day early to settle in, we can share recommendations.

Want the run-up as well? Leg 3, Tenerife to Cape Verde, arrives in Mindelo two days before this leg starts.

Pack light. A soft bag or duffel, no hard suitcases.

Essentials: foul-weather gear (jacket and trousers), warm and dry layers for the first cooler days, light layers for the trades, swimwear, a hat, sunglasses, reef-safe sunscreen, deck shoes, motion sickness medication for the first days, and a head torch with a red light for night watches.

Leave anything you’d be upset to lose or get salty. Everything gets damp on a boat. A full packing list and preparation brief will be shared before departure.

Applications open soon and will be announced first inside the Ocean Nomads community. Ocean Nomads members get priority handling of their application and €100 off the trip.

The voyage is operated by SV Twister and her professional crew under Twister’s terms. Ocean Nomads curates the cohort and the community around the voyage; your trip contract is with Twister.

Booking & payment. After your interview and acceptance, we send you a link to confirm and pay on Twister’s booking portal. The deposit, balance, and payment schedule are set by Twister and shown when you book.

Cancellation. The cancellation schedule is set by Twister and applies through their general terms. Ocean Nomads applies a non-refundable €50 administration fee on any refund. Travel insurance with cancellation cover is strongly recommended from the moment you book.

Minimum crew. A leg only sails when enough crew have booked. If a leg does not reach the minimum, we tell you well before departure and you can move to another leg or have your payment refunded.

Insurance. Required: medical (including pre-existing conditions), accident and illness, emergency repatriation, personal liability, and offshore sailing cover. Proof needed before departure. Common providers: SafetyWing.

Full terms. The Ocean Nomads Booking & Service Terms cover the Ocean Nomads side. Twister’s General Terms cover the voyage itself. By applying, you confirm you’ve read and accept both.

We get this question a lot, and we understand it. On Twister the answer is no. She sails with her own professional crew of four, and everyone else on board pays the contribution, beginners and experienced sailors alike. Running a 1902 ship legally, certified and crewed for ocean passages costs real money, and that is the part we cannot cut. Everyone stands watches, cooks and helps with maintenance anyway, so the hands-on part is already the trip.

Your contribution does more than cover the ship. It ripples out: a crossing instead of a flight, provisioning from local farms where we can, the surfboards we carry to Cape Verde, and crew who go on to buy boats, host others and open their own spots. If our funds allow we may offer a scholarship spot later on, announced in the community first.

What does help now: the multi-leg discount, the €100 yearly-member discount, and an employer or business budget (next question). And if free, shared-cost or work-exchange crewing is what you are after, that is what our member network is for. Members post crew spots on their own boats through the year, including Atlantic rides from the Canaries in autumn. We cannot promise you a ride, but that is where they appear. To dip your toes in first, our free crew resources and blog cover how to find a boat, and Suzanne’s book Ocean Nomad walks through it step by step.

Sometimes. A spot can be funded through an employer’s training, development or outplacement budget, or put through your own business when the trip fits the work you do. We provide what an HR department or accountant asks for: a proposal on Ocean Nomads paper, an invoice with VAT details, a description of what you do on board and the skills you develop, and a certificate of participation after the trip. Whether it qualifies depends on your job, your country and your tax situation, so check with your employer or accountant first. Mention it when you apply and we send you the template.

“I initially signed up for one week, but ended up staying one and a half months, and sailed as part of the crew from Northern Spain to the Canary Islands. I met a lot of like-minded people with similar goals and dreams, and realised it is possible to learn sailing in a low-key, affordable way. After this trip I got so inspired that I decided to buy my own sailboat, a previous boat of an Ocean Nomad friend I had just met. Together we sailed her from Ireland to Spain. Without Ocean Nomads this would not have been possible.” Nadiem, Northern Spain to the Canary Islands

“I felt connected for the first time in decades. I felt part of a community and had companionship. It is so inclusive of gender, nationality and, most importantly, age. October and November I felt happy and free for the first time in maybe 22 years. It gave me everything I was looking for: connection, companionship, purpose and being one with nature.” Cay, Netherlands to the Canary Islands

“I went in wanting to learn this and that about sailing. I learned far more that had nothing to do with sailing, and that was the beautiful part of it for me.” Said, Cape Verde crossing 2025

“I met nine really beautiful people that I now know will be a part of my life for the rest of my life. There is something really unifying about sailing.” Simon, Tenerife to Cape Verde

“What I love about them is that they do no-alcohol, vegetarian trips only, which completely changes the vibe. It is all about fun, sailing, friendly atmosphere, and being together with pristine nature. From one to five, they get six stars!” Maciej, Wild Canaries

“Good sailing experience that makes me feel more confident on open seas. Made good connections to nice people and got valuable insights for my master plan.” Andi, sailed Twister

“It is absolutely breathtaking to sail a tall ship and minimise the use of the motor as much as possible. I joined the Twister expedition to share my knowledge as a marine scientist studying cetaceans.” Marc, sailed Twister

More: Nadiem’s full story, Julie’s story, the member stories page, and the film of the last Atlantic expedition. Independent reviews on Trustpilot and Facebook.

Twister is a Dutch-flagged traditional sailing ship, certified to carry guests on ocean voyages worldwide. She operates under the ISM Code with a certified safety management system, and she is inspected every year by the Dutch maritime authority (ILT) and by RINA, an international classification society. Every year she is also hauled out so the hull below the waterline can be checked.

Every voyage sails with a professional crew of four, holding the officer, master, safety and radio certificates required under Dutch and international (STCW) rules. You sail alongside them and learn from them. They are always responsible for the ship.

On board: liferafts for 75 people, nearly three times the number on board, lifejackets with lights, man-overboard recovery equipment, EPIRB and SART, AIS, radar, fire detection and firefighting equipment. Four independent ways to reach shore: Iridium satellite (GMDSS), Starlink Maritime, MF/HF radio and VHF/DSC. The crew is medically trained for ocean voyages, the medical kit meets Dutch maritime regulations, and telemedical advice is available by radio or satellite. We run safety drills with everyone on board. Mum will be happy.

You are responsible for telling us the truth about your physical and mental health, swimming ability, and fitness level. Travel insurance is required and must cover offshore sailing. SafetyWing caters for most people’s needs. We adapt to weather and sea conditions at all times.

Want to talk it through first? Ask us and we connect you with the captain of your leg. Want to see what this looks like? Watch the film from the last expedition with Twister.