Cruising South West Scotland

[dunedin]

But don't read Martin Lawrence; he'll make you scared to venture to the cockpit!

The superb Martin Lawrence pilot books were merged into the CCC sailing directions a decade ir so ago. The combination, now also with Antares Charts input, is brilliant

 

[RunAgroundHard]

It is a very safe place to sail. A few tidal gates, but they can be managed. Admiralty Tidal Atlas and Dover tide tables takes care of that. Claims made that some of the pilot guides are wrong on tide turning time.

If using plotter, be aware there are areas where deep water has a rock or reef awash with no buoys marking them. As always, scan ahead on the chart plotter and look at an appropriate zoom level. Pilot books can be accurate here.

Get Memory Maps with Admiralty chart package, and Antares charts, onto a tablet. Antares charts give exceptional detail of some anchorages and passages. Using Memory Maps with Antares you can zoom in on the tablet and the Antares overlay kicks in automatically.

Sun cream is a must! I am burnt silly this year on the West Coast.

 

[[2574]]

Cruising West Coast essentials:

1) a decent anchor & rode and knowledge/confidence to use it
2) water cans for supplying the ship from water points ashore
3) diesel cans for replenishing fuel from shoreside not necessarily quayside
4) Scrabble/books (sitting out gales)
5) waterproofs
6) good ship’s provisions

 

[Kelpie]

7) a diesel heater, to dry out the waterproofs when they inevitably fail to do their job.

 

[cpedw]

A few tidal gates, but they can be managed. Admiralty Tidal Atlas and Dover tide tables takes care of that.

I find that Absolute Tides on a phone or tablet covers all that in an easy to use way.

 

[jamie N]

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