Atlantic Crossing on SV Twister (Via Cape Verde)

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.

We are soon finalizing dates & details. Departure will be between November 2026 and January 2027. We announce all the info first in the Ocean Nomad community. Member get priority access and discount.

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!

Days are shaped by wind and weather, not a fixed programme. Plans change. Sometimes we sail longer than expected. Sometimes we stay an extra day in Cape Verde because the timing isn’t right. Flexibility is not optional, it’s part of the experience.

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.

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

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 Tenerife (Canary Islands) and ends in Tobago. You arrange your own flights to and from the boat.

The full transatlantic sailing trip takes roughly three weeks. Around 4 to 6 days from Tenerife to Cape Verde (850 nautical miles), and 14 to 18 days from Cape Verde to Tobago (2,400 nautical miles). Exact dates depend on weather and the trade wind window.

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

Trip dates, duration, and contribution is being calculated and will be announced first inside the Ocean Nomads community.

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 preperation brief will be shared before departure.

Applications open soon and will be announced first inside the Ocean Nomads community. Members get priority application and a discount on the trip.

We interview every applicant before booking is confirmed. This is to make sure expectations align and the crew mix works.

After acceptance you’ll receive an invoice with payment details and practical next steps. Cancellation terms will be shared with your booking confirmation.

Offshore sailing on SV Twister with us allows for maximum adventure with minimum risk. Mum will be happy. SV Twister sails under the Dutch flag with professional crew with the necessary qualifications and experience for this voyage. On board there’s an extensive medical kit and we take extra precautions if you have a certain allergy or challenge. The entire voyage we are in contact with our shore contact, always aware of our position. Ocean-worthy lifejackets are provided. At sea we use Iridium for weather forecasts and emergency contact.

You are responsible for being honest about your physical and mental health, swimming ability, and fitness level. Travel insurance is required and must cover offshore sailing. We adapt to weather and sea conditions at all times. Safety always comes first.

Want to see what this actually looks like? Watch the film from the last expedition with Twister.