I just know that I 'm opening up a can of worms here - but here goes...

I am finding it extremely difficult to work out which (paper) charts to buy for this year 's cruise from the US to the UK and Ireland.

I will have electronic charts aboard - but attempting to be a good sailor with a back-up of paper charts is proving to be difficult:

Question 1: Admiralty or Imray - and what 's the difference?

Question 2: Appropriate scale? Ones carrying large areas presumably have no detail of the coastline - and since it 's the detailly bits that we 're likely to hit, does that mean I 'm looking to buy a gadzillion charts (that I hope to never have to use!)?

Question 3: If looking for detail charts, how does one do it if you don 't recognize the shape of the coastline or the names of nearby bays and towns? Looking online for these things there seems to be a complete lack of order in the listings. Surely a graphical interface where one can select the area of choice and therefore the detail required would be a natural fit for selling nautical charts? If there is such a thing out there, please point me in the right direction because I can 't find it! I have seen that there 's a catalog of charts out there - for a $30 or so - that 's nuts!

Why do we Brits make everything so bloody complex??

OK - Rant over - sorry - have just found an Imray site that works reasonably well (graphically) - so I 'll go and crawl back under my stone...



Thanks!

Bill Balme

Bill,

You can get most places with Imray in that they often have detailed insets of harbours and approaches and are cross referenced with the their excellent range of Pilots books. Admiralty charts are, however, much more attractive and cover the whole globe as set out in their catalogue. It 's probably heresy to say this (and yes I am fully aware of recent FB posts) but I would spend my money on a comprehensive collection of Coastal pilot books, a copy of Reed 's Almanac and a minimum of regional paper charts. You will find you use your electronic charts pretty much exclusively here and the space you will save will be useful for all the wet weather clothing you will need!

Maybe keep an iPhone with Navionics loaded up in a Faraday cage to protect it from lightning?

Simon