Hazard spot
Biscay: storm season
The shelf makes the Atlantic swell stand up steeply, and gales are routine in winter. For a delivery south the weather window matters more than the size of the boat.
- Cause
- Severe storms
- Main season
- October to March
- Position
- 45° 30,0' N 006° 00,0' W
On the map
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How the place works
The continental shelf rises steeply off the French and Spanish coast, and the long Atlantic swell stands up over it. Three metres in open water become short, breaking six over the shelf. Between October and March gales are routine here; in summer the bay is a different place altogether.
What breaks there
The typical Biscay file is not a collision but a delivery: rig, steering gear and fittings do not survive the sustained loading, water finds its way through hatches and vents, and electronics fail. Boats are rarely lost, but they arrive expensive.
What this means for your policy
For a delivery south the weather window matters more than the size of the boat, and that is exactly what conditions ask about: season, crew numbers, experience. Check whether your policy covers deliveries at all and whether it requires a minimum crew.
Read this in fullCruising range
This spot lies in the cruising range the calculator lists under this step: EU inland waters
Calculate a premium for this cruising range
