Imray charts & passage to scandinavia

[scubaman]

Hi,

Sorry for posting on two forums, but I thought my post might be more suitable for this forum.

Providing we get all the details sorted out, we are looking at a delivery trip of our new boat from London to the baltic sea (crossing the channel, then along coasts to Kiel-canal).

Chart-wise the plan is to use a suitable set of Imray C-series charts + pilot books for harbour information.

Do you, dear members, think this enough to get by, or should we go for more detailed charts?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[Richard10002]

I use a chartplotter, (Lowrance 3600i with Nauticpath charts), and Imray paper charts. I also have the option to use C-Map charts on a laptop. (Currently deciding whether to spend the £200 for a Max cartridge for central med).

This seems to be a much better option than buying hundreds of Admiralty Charts... most of which wouldnt be necessary.

 

[bedouin]

It is very frustrating that the UKHO take detail off the wider charts where it is covered by a more detailed chart - that means that it is only really feasible to use them if you buy the entire set which is prohibitively expensive.

OTHO I find that the Imray charts are not really detailed enough for pilotage into an unknown port so you end up having to rely on pilot books which are not guaranteed to be up to date.

I think the combination of Imray and pilot books is a good compromise for what you are doing but it is not ideal

 

[Pye_End]

I would be tempted with some of the Dutch charts for entering some of the boltholes - and possibly some detail on the German entrances as well. A good chart of Helgoland may well be worth having, even if you do not intend to go in there.

Even if you intend to do the trip on the 'outside' it may be that the option of doing some on the inside, or even the canals if the weather is that bad, is useful on the day. Nothing worse than being in the middle of the North Sea in bad weather with no end in sight!

 

[johnalison]

Re: Imray charts & passage to scandinavia

Just what I was going to say. I think the Dutch charts are fairly indispensible and you may well want them on the return trip. German and Dutch buoyage is very good however and this is useful, once you get the hang of the division buoys, as the channels change quite rapidly. Beware of the traffic scheme off the Weser.

 

[Black Sheep]

[ QUOTE ]
Nothing worse than being in the middle of the North Sea in bad weather with no end in sight!

[/ QUOTE ]
Except possibly being in the middle of the North Sea in bad weather with the end very clearly in sight...

 

[PeterGibbs]

Adding to Bedouin,

You need the Dutch charts (811 and 812 I recall) to cover you up the coast of the Frisians, with their shallow waters etc. If you're putting in to a Dutch port in advance eg Ijmuiden you'll get them cheaper than buying at the UK inflated price.

From the German border northwards you either stay offshore and out of the TSS (or be fined by the Krauts - it just happened to a friend of mine) or get German charts for the detail - essential if approaching the shallow shores and guts.

The final hurdle is the Elbe a serious piece of water but well marked in good+ visibility. Stay close to the fixed pole markers which run all the way up to Cuxhaven, with buoys continuing to Brunsbuttel and the Kiel Canal! A German chart would be a good precaution. I bought mine in Germany: you can obtain them here in advance from Compass de. the German arm of the Compass mail order co.

The Admiralty charts are useless - obviously pilotage quality only. In fact I have dumped Admiralty for the new look Imray
I am fed up with their measly waste of space and lack of close quarters approach detail. AND they cost more!

PS Admiralty are completely useless for the Baltic - go for German charts sets - excellent detail and reaonable value for money.

PWG