Almanac/Pilot book for north east Scotland

[teensailer]

Can anyone tell me where to buy a not too expensive almanac or pilot book for north east Scotland. Also what are the pros and cons of the two, what is more necessary for short cruises?

 

[cpedw]

Well the CCC pilot Orkney/Shetland includes your area and a lot more. I find little use for almanacs; annual tide tables (Absolute Tides is my favourite) suffice.

 

[teensailer]

Thanks that looks good, I guess they’re all gonna be in the region of that price so can’t really help that…

 

[Humblebee]

There aren't that many places to visit in NE Scotland, but you might get some details from the Aberdeenshire website, see link below.
Also, Welcome Anchorages, published each year, lists a few more places, some in Tayside, some in Moray. Don't think it's out this year yet though.
Good luck!

Aberdeenshire Harbours | Explore The North-East Coast

 

[dunedin]

Thanks that looks good, I guess they’re all gonna be in the region of that price so can’t really help that…

The Clyde Cruising Club Sailing Directions are brilliant and well worth the money. There arent really any alternatives now that the Martin Lawrence content was merged into CCC.
There is another Scottish East Coast pilot book for further south - Forth, Tay etc.

 

[lustyd]

Definitely like the CCC books but we rarely used them. Speak to people when you get to a harbour, they either came the way you came or the other way and you may meet someone who has been cruising the area for 20 years and happy do talk.

 

[teensailer]

I am hoping to get my first ’big’ boat in the water this season and just wanted something for getting in and out of anchorages near where I’m based. But maybe I don’t even need one in addition to a chart?

 

[lustyd]

Pilot books are amazing for dreaming before you go. You don’t need them to get places these days as the “follow a 156 degree course pointing at the white rock” bit is covered by GPS and a plotter/app. And Antares charts in some locations, but mostly navionics and a depth sounder are fine in the real world.
Different people (and generations) prefer different things. YouTube covers a lot of sailing locations

 

[dunedin]

I am hoping to get my first ’big’ boat in the water this season and just wanted something for getting in and out of anchorages near where I’m based. But maybe I don’t even need one in addition to a chart?

Your call but I have the opposite view from Lusty - I would definitely get the relevant CCC guides. Very helpful.
And only need to anchor once rather than use a pontoon and it is paid for.

 

[teensailer]

Maybe I will get it anyway, seems like I can’t really go wrong, either I use it or get to just plan and dream cruises while the boat’s still being worked on.

 

[Malish]

you might find it useful to study Dylan Winter's Keep Turning Left videos - he sailed the NE Scottish coast KeepTurningLeft

 

[ylop]

Definitely get the Antares charts if Bob has charted the region you are interested in. I think there’s still value in pilot books - they tell you information that often isn’t on your navionics chart - like where to get water, a shower or even the name of the pub/cafe so you can check its opening hours etc. personally whilst I’d always want the Antares chart open I rather enjoy trying to use the pilotage instructions too - and in places they are hugely reassuring that the Antares chart is not bonkers. My pilot books are usually consulted daily whilst on board for planning, dreaming, thinking through bail out options, etc. much easier than hopping around multiple chartlets zooming in and out of small screens trying to decipher notes or comments.

Great for forward planning in winter where we might go too.

I think i’m of the same generation as Lusty - but whilst YouTube has some interesting stuff it’s clear to me some of the creators are following well trod paths rather than opening the pilot book to see where they could go. Invariably they are telling a story which to be of interest to real people means they aren’t telling you about sailing directions, depths, the swell that curls round the headland, the freshwater tap etc but they might point out a nice pub or show you a fun walk ashore. Even fewer YouTube channels will have done the NE of Scotland, and one that has similar constraints in terms of draft, speed etc means they might go places you dare not or vice versa.

 

[lustyd]

Just had a look and Antares stop at Armadale Bay, which itself is very poorly charted (as he notes on the chart, not me!)

 

[johnfitzg]

This doesn't get all the way up to Orkney/Shetland but it's a very recent and a great book:
East Coast of Scotland Sailing Directions

On a long sail from Plymouth to the Firth of Forth in the summer, I found pilot books and electronic charts a good combination, good pilot books give you a lot of 'at a glance' info about how sheltered various harbours are.

 

[sawduster]

Not mentioned yet is the RNYC sailing directions - will cover you up to Rattray Head Sailing Directions – Royal Northumberland Yacht Club

 

[wallacebob]

Depends where your intending to go, but East Scotland cruising directions is useful from Duncansby Head, southwards to Berwick. Good guide to harbours and anchorages.

 

[Humblebee]

Depends where your intending to go, but East Scotland cruising directions is useful from Duncansby Head, southwards to Berwick. Good guide to harbours and anchorages.

Is this the one you mean? Probably the definitive guide to the area.
East Coast of Scotland

 

[Humblebee]

Well the CCC pilot Orkney/Shetland includes your area and a lot more. I find little use for almanacs; annual tide tables (Absolute Tides is my favourite) suffice.

I think that volume only covers the east coast as far south as Inverness. There is a separate pilot, published with the Forth Yacht Clubs Association, for further south. See link in post 16, above.

 

[dunedin]

I think that volume only covers the east coast as far south as Inverness. There is a separate pilot, published with the Forth Yacht Clubs Association, for further south. See link in post 16, above.

I think the suggestions have been made partly from post #1 saying “north east Scotland” rather than East. But good that all the options have now been identified.

 

[teensailer]

Not mentioned yet is the RNYC sailing directions - will cover you up to Rattray Head Sailing Directions – Royal Northumberland Yacht Club

That doesn’t cover me, the boats in Findhorn which is east of Inverness and we’re hoping to take her to the Black Isle and up to John’oGroats. Really I need north Scotland but as we’re just cruising locally at first I wanted something smaller and hopefully less pricy