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,
I don 't think there is much to choose between Imray and CCC. They are both nicely presented and always accurate. If you are spending 3 weeks in Scotland I 'd take a look at the following too:

Visit Scotland produce a free to download PDF which is also distributed free of charge in most marinas etc. It 's worth having on board particularly if you want to choose an nice restaurant!http://www.welcome-anchorages.co.uk/

A retired prof of neurology is busy building a well illustrated website which is getting better with time http://www.scottishanchorages.co.uk/

Though not stricly a cruising guide this is a great book to take with you. A retired architect and sailor has written a detailed historical, geological and wildlife notes on each and every Scottish Island above a certain size. Thoroughly recommended. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scottish-Islands-Bestselling-Guide-Island/dp/1847672779

Simon