Editing Transatlantic crossing (section)

== By sea ==
{{Main|List of crossings of the Atlantic Ocean}}
Prior to the 19th century, transatlantic crossings were undertaken in [[sailing ship]]s, and the journeys were time-consuming and often perilous. The first trade route across the Atlantic was inaugurated by Spain a few decades after the European [[Discovery of the Americas]], with the establishment of the [[Spanish treasure fleet|West Indies fleets]] in 1566, a convoy system that regularly linked its territories in the [[Viceroyalty of New Spain|Americas]] with Spain for over two centuries. [[Portugal]] created a similar maritime route between its ports in [[Colonial Brazil|Brazil]] and the Portuguese mainland. Other colonial powers followed, such as [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Britain]], [[France]] and the [[Netherlands]], as they colonized the [[New World]].

''[[Guinness Book of World Records]]'' has awarded world records to vessels of various classes such as luxury liners, sail boats, and rowing boats.  Because of the shape of the continents and the assistance (or resistance) of ocean currents, the Eastbound crossing is quicker than the Westbound crossing.

=== Passenger liners ===

[[File:Stamp Bremen (1929).jpg|thumb|left|[[SS Bremen (1928)|SS ''Bremen'']] depicted on a German postage stamp]]

Transatlantic passenger crossings became faster, safer, and more reliable with the advent of [[steamship]]s in the 19th century. The wooden-hulled, paddle-wheel {{SS|Great Western}} built in 1838 is recognized as the first purpose-built transatlantic steamship, on a scheduled run back and forth from Bristol to New York City.  The design by British civil engineer [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] was a breakthrough in its size, unprecedented passenger capacity, and for Brunel leveraging the [[fuel efficiency]] of a larger ship. It became the prototype for a generation of similar ships.<ref name=rolt>Rolt, L.T.C., "Victorian Engineering", 1970, Allen Lane The Penguin Press, {{ISBN|0-7139-0104-7}}</ref>

The [[British & North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company]] started its year-round Liverpool-Halifax-Boston service in 1840, using four new {{sclass|Britannia|steamship}}s and a mail contract from the British government. The company later evolved into the [[Cunard Line]], with Cunard's dominance drawing the attention of the U.S. government, which had its own mail contract to offer to an American firm willing to compete.  In 1850, the contract was awarded to the New York and Liverpool United States Steamship Company, which became the [[Collins Line]], and which answered Cunard with its own four ships, which were newer, larger, faster, and more luxurious.

Competition developed among the industrial powers of the time—the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States—to competitively build grand [[ocean liner]]s as symbols of national technical skill and expressions of power, not just transport businesses. The competition was for speed. An award called the [[Blue Riband]] has been tracked since 1838, for the fastest average speed of a steamship in regular service across the Atlantic. This record became so critical to international prestige that the {{RMS|Mauretania|1906|6}} was commissioned by the British government specifically to take the Blue Riband back from the Germans and their [[SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse|SS ''Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse'']], which it did in 1907. The government also required it be convertible into a troop carrier if needed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exhibition "On the Water" - Ocean Crossings |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater/exhibition/5_3.html |website=Smithsonian Institution |date=9 February 2021 |access-date=21 August 2021}}</ref> In 1935, shipping magnate [[Harold Hales]] formalized the prize by commissioning and donating the four-foot, solid silver Hales Trophy.

Examples of other famous transatlantic liners are {{RMS|Lusitania}}, {{RMS|Olympic}}, {{RMS|Titanic}}, {{SS|Île de France}},{{RMS|Aquitania}}, {{SS|Rex}}, {{SS|Normandie}}, {{RMS|Queen Mary}}, {{SS|America|1939|6}}, {{RMS|Queen Elizabeth}}, {{SS|France|1961|6}}, ''[[Queen Elizabeth 2]]'', {{RMS|Queen Mary 2}}, and the {{SS|United States}}.  The ''United States'' is the current holder of the Hales Trophy. In July 1952, that ship made the crossing in 3 days, 10 hours, 40 minutes. Cunard Line's RMS Queen Mary 2 is the only ship currently making regular transatlantic crossings throughout the year, usually between Southampton and New York. For this reason it has been designed as a proper ocean liner, not as a cruise ship.

During World War II, the transatlantic crossing was very important for the United Kingdom as much of Europe had been taken over by Germany and its allies preventing trade and supplies; the struggle is known as the [[Battle of the Atlantic]].

===Smallest powerboat to cross the Atlantic===
In 2009, two brothers, Ralph and Robert Brown, crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a {{cvt|21|ft|adj=on}} flats boat – a special boat designed to operate in extremely shallow water. This flats boat was designed and built by Ralph Brown. The voyage was called the "I Am Second Wounded Hero Voyage" in honor of the men who were killed in [[Operation Eagle Claw]]; Ralph Brown had been in the USMC at the time of the Operation and was told he was going to participate in the mission. Though he ultimately did not go, other servicemen who did perished in the failed military operation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Smallest Power Boat to Cross The Atlantic: Florida brothers set world record |id=Includes video |url=http://www.worldrecordacademy.com/travel/smallest_power_boat_to_cross_The_Atlantic_Florida_brothers_set_world_record_112422.html#:~:text=TAMPA%2C%20FL%2C%20USA%20%2D%2D%20Two,downtown%20London%20%2D%20setting%20the%20new |website=www.worldrecordacademy.com |access-date=August 13, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://recordsetter.com/world-record/smallest-powerboat-cross-the-atlantic-ocean/19820|title=Smallest Powerboat to Cross the Atlantic Ocean}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.saltwatersportsman.com/news/two-brothers-cross-atlantic-ocean-21-boat/|title = Two brothers cross the Atlantic Ocean in a 21' boat|date = 21 October 2009}}</ref>

====Inflatable boat====
In 1952, [[Alain Bombard]] crossed the Atlantic from East to West, journeying 113 days in a [[Zodiac Marine & Pool|Zodiac]], {{lang|fr|L'Hérétique}}.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bombard|first=Alain|title=The Voyage of the Heretique|date=1953|publisher=Simon and Schuster}}</ref>

====Rafts====
In 1956, Henri Beaudout crossed the Atlantic from West to East, from [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]] to [[Falmouth, Cornwall|Falmouth]], on a raft of wood and rope, {{lang|fr|[[L'Égaré II]]}}, in 88 days.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wadden|first=Marie|title=Three Canadians, two kittens, one raft: A little-known journey across the Atlantic|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/three-canadians-two-kittens-one-raft-a-little-known-journey-across-the-atlantic/article4462515/|access-date=19 May 2014|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=3 August 2012}}</ref>

In 1970, [[Thor Heyerdahl]] crossed the Atlantic in ''Ra II'', a [[papyrus]] raft built to an [[Ancient Egyptian]] design. This voyage followed an unsuccessful attempt the previous year in his first raft, ''Ra I''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Heyerdahl |first=Thor |title=The Ra Expeditions |date=1972 |isbn=0-14-003462-5}}</ref>

In 1988, the [[junk raft]], ''[[Son of Town Hall]]'', crossed the North Atlantic Ocean.<ref>
{{Cite web |title = Son of Town Hall, First Raft made of Scrap to Cross the North Atlantic Ocean |publisher = The Floating Neutrinos |date = 30 May 2006 |url =  http://www.floatingneutrinos.com/son%20of%20town%20hall/chronology.htm |access-date = 30 September 2010}}</ref>

In 2011, Anthony Smith and the Antiki crossed the Atlantic.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weil |first1=Martin |title=Anthony Smith, adventurer who crossed the Atlantic by raft in his 80s, dies at 88 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/anthony-smith-adventurer-who-crossed-the-atlantic-by-raft-in-his-80s-dies-at-88/2014/07/26/64f8335a-1470-11e4-9285-4243a40ddc97_story.html |access-date=8 September 2020 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=26 July 2014}}</ref>

====By oar====
{{main|Ocean rowing}}
On July 10, 1980, [[Gérard d'Aboville]] became the first sailor to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean in a west-east direction.

On 13 June 2003, French rower [[Maud Fontenoy]] started an eastward crossing of the Atlantic from [[Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon]]. She reached [[A Coruña]] in Spain on 10 October, becoming the first woman to accomplish this feat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maudfontenoyfondation.com/en/ses-traversees-et-son-tour-du-monde.html|website=Fontenroy Foundation|title=Ses-traversees-et-son-tour-du-monde|access-date=19 June 2013|archive-date=6 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706235254/http://maudfontenoyfondation.com/en/ses-traversees-et-son-tour-du-monde.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2005, the [[Vivaldi Atlantic 4]] broke the previous rowing record of 55 days and setting a new record of 39 days.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rowing the Atlantic |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/northeast/series10/week3_vivaldi_atlantic_rowing.shtml |access-date=29 August 2019 |agency=BBC |date=25 September 2006}}</ref>

On 26 October 2010, Polish [[sexagenarian]] [[Aleksander Doba]] was the first recorded individual to complete a non-stop transatlantic crossing by [[kayak]]. He departed [[Dakar, Senegal]] and arrived in Brazil 99 days later.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.wired.com/playbook/2011/02/epic-kayak-guy/ | title=64-Year-Old Kayaker Completes Trans-Atlantic Voyage | magazine=Wired | date=10 February 2011 | access-date=2 July 2012}}</ref>

=====Transatlantic rowing races=====
{{Main|Atlantic Rowing Race}}
In 1997, the first East–West Atlantic Rowing Race took place, running from the [[Canary Islands]] to the [[Caribbean]]. It now runs roughly once every two years.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

In 2006, the first West–East North Atlantic Rowing Race took place, running from [[New York City]] to [[Falmouth, Cornwall]] in the [[UK]].{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

=====Sail=====
{{main|Transatlantic sailing record}}
[[Image:Banque populaire5-003.jpg|thumb|[[Banque Populaire V]], current record holder]]
In 1775, the 62-ton [[schooner]] ''Quero'', sailed by John Derby from [[Salem, Massachusetts]] to the [[Isle of Wight]] in 28 days (April 28 to May 25).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Borneman |first1=Walter R. |title=American spring: Lexington, Concord, and the road to revolution |date=2014 |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |location=New York |isbn=978-0316221023 |page=248 |edition=First}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Rantoul |first1=Robert S. |title=The cruise of the "Quero": How we carried the news to the king. A neglected chapter in local history |date=2018 |publisher=Forgotten Books |isbn=978-0484107105 |orig-date=Reproduction of an historical work, originally published 1832}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ruppert |first1=Bob |title=A Fast Ship from Salem: Carrying News of War |journal=Journal of the American Revolution |date=17 April 2015 |url=https://allthingsliberty.com/2015/04/a-fast-ship-from-salem-carrying-news-of-war/ |access-date=23 March 2022}}</ref>

In 1866, the {{convert|26|ft|m|adj=on}} [[lifeboat (shipboard)|lifeboat]] ''[[Red, White and Blue (ship)|Red, White and Blue]]'' sailed from [[New York City]] to [[Margate]], England, in 38 days.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nautical archive, ship horn of the Red White & Blue |url=https://www.liveauctioneers.com/en-gb/item/72815778_nautical-archive-ship-horn-of-the-red-white-and-blue |website=liveauctioneers.com |publisher=Live Auctioneers |access-date=19 September 2020 |date=13 July 2019}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=September 2022}} In 1870 and 1871, The 20-ft [[yawl]] [[City of Ragusa (ship)|City of Ragusa]] sailed from [[Queenstown, County Cork|Queenstown]], Ireland, to [[New York City|New York]] and back, crewed by two men (and a dog) each way.<ref>{{cite news |title=The City of Ragusa |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001646/18710630/086/0002 |access-date=11 September 2020 |work=Cork Constitution |agency=British Newspaper Archive |date=30 June 1871 |page=2 col.6}}</ref>