If the ship was intact, they were probably fine with water. A large ship departing harbor without a few months of water onboard would be the most egregious inco

If the ship was intact, they were probably fine with water. A large ship departing harbor without a few months of water onboard would be the most egregious incompetence on the part of the quartermaster. If they were low on water, then you can be sure they would capture rainwater at the first opportunity, and in the tropics they would have to be pretty unlucky to get no rain. Also, this voyage is commonly done in 3 weeks or less. Africa to northern Brazil is the shortest crossing, and it's a downwind run the entire way. That said, if the ship was irreparably damaged anywhere off the NW coast of Africa, it _would_ likely wash up somewhere along the north coast of S America or the Caribbean regardless of the sate of the crew.