imray or admiralty leisure folio for northern ireland and west of scotland

[steve yates]

Which would you get for cruising up the northern irish coast crossing from isle of man, and then crossing over to west coast of scotland, probably to islay and beyond, but possibly to firth of clyde first?

From my very limited experience it looks like the imray is cheaper and bigger scale, so need to rely on navionics for more detailed work and approaches? but the admiralty ones give you more for your money and detailed sections of popular ports and stops?

Or is it 6 of one, half a dozen of the other?

 

[rbmatthews]

We have found that the Firth of Clyde, the Kintyre-Ardnamurchan and the Ardnamurchan-Shiants Admiralty Leisure Portfolios, coupled with Memory Map and the Antares maps, and the relevant CCC Sailing Directions, cater for most of our needs. To be honest we find we use the digital charts more and more, and only take the paper ones as backups. The CCC-SDs are very useful though.

We haven't used the Imray ones, so can't comment on them.

 

[Angele]

Unlike Admiralty, I don't think Imray does a folio for Northern Ireland. so you'd be buying individual charts for that bit. And, yes, coverage with less detail.

But then you imply you have electronic charts, so up to you how much detail you want on paper.

 

[pmagowan]

Yes, you would get by with the CCC sailing directions and electronic charts. What you require in paper, for backup, is personal choice. In these waters it is less the charts that matter and more the local information about tides, overfalls etc which are in the sailing directions. Get an admiralty tidal current atlas also as these are very useful for timings.

 

[NickRobinson]

I prefer Admiralty to Imray colour conventions for drying areas.
I used Memory Map electronic maps on my round Britain, whole UK for <£40 and used the option to select and print sections at a scale of the user's choice. An A3 borderless printer was handy.

 

[Martin&Rene]

I use the main Imray charts C62 -C65 for overall route planning. I then use the Admiralty folio charts for outside the Mull of Kintyre, but these are detailed and the various charts or chartlets cover small sections of the route. For a typical day's trip, you may refer to 3 or 4 sheets, so I purchased some extra A2 plastic wallets (from an artists suppliers) so that you can set up all the required sheets at the beginning of the day. I use these charts alongside my chart plotter. I also have Memory Map on a laptop or tablet, but this is mainly so I can use the Antares charts. You do not really need the detailed charts for in the Clyde area.

It helps you slide the charts in and out of the wallets if you trim them by 3-4 mm of the sides.

 

[dunedin]

another vote for Admiralty Folios (though only go up as far as Shiants), plus CCC/Imray guides and Antares.

 

[Sgeir]

another vote for Admiralty Folios (though only go up as far as Shiants), plus CCC/Imray guides and Antares.

+1

Beyond the Shiant I would suggest standard Admiralty charts. Doesn't need to be too expensive as S/H or cancelled charts are usually available at http://www.chartsales.co.uk/product-category/admiralty-charts/west-coasts-of-uk-all-ireland-charts/.

 

[Phil the Cowman]

Steve, speaking as a fellow small boat sailor ( 17 ft Pirate as you know) I would be very cautious of relying on any form of electronics as a primary data source ; one cheeky wave, or just the probable all pervading damp are liable to bugger it all up. Don't think it matters whether Admiralty or Imray; get a Reeds and a Pilot book of some sort and go for it ; advice from 30ft+ barge sailors of definitely limited value!

 

[Sgeir]

Incidentally, the US govt's Sailing Directions for Scotland and Faeroe Islands can be freely downloaded in PDF format at http://msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles/NAV_PUBS/SD/Pub141/Pub141bk.pdf.

 

[steve yates]

Steve, speaking as a fellow small boat sailor ( 17 ft Pirate as you know) I would be very cautious of relying on any form of electronics as a primary data source ; one cheeky wave, or just the probable all pervading damp are liable to bugger it all up. Don't think it matters whether Admiralty or Imray; get a Reeds and a Pilot book of some sort and go for it ; advice from 30ft+ barge sailors of definitely limited value!

Yeah I figured that Phil, I'm fulling expecting the battery not to be able to keep up anyway and the tablet and phone to die a the most inconvenient times
I have the Irish and firth of Clyde pilot books, just need to add western isles before I go, and the relevant chart.

 

[Contest1]

I,v not made it to Scotland but have used Imray exclusively for paper charts since buying my Centaur, no particular reason other than one was left for the Galway by the OP and I followed suit when buying for the East, North and South East coasts. I also always had electronic charts for Ireland, originally UKHO on disc and later My Harbour and now Navionics on tablet.
All helped keep me safe as I found my way into strange harbours but without the Reeds and later the Inyourfootsteps pilot guides I doubt thing would have been quite so handy.

 

[Minchsailor]

Imray + the CCC's SDs will be adequate for a first time visit. The UKHO folios are nice once you want to poke around a bit. I find the A3 sheet size of the folios do not really allow for route planning, so the Imray will be needed anyway.

 

[lpdsn]

You couldget away with sailing in NI with just Imray charts, although the Admiralty folio would be a lot better if you want to go into Strangford or Carlingford Lough, or Lough Foyle or mess around inshore in some areas.

Similarly, I really prefer the detail of Admiralty for the W Coast of Scotland.

I've been quite happy using Imray C63 to sail the Firth of Clyde. With a few exceptions it's pretty easy navigation there.

 

[NickRobinson]

Incidentally, the US govt's Sailing Directions for Scotland and Faeroe Islands can be freely downloaded in PDF format at http://msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles/NAV_PUBS/SD/Pub141/Pub141bk.pdf.

good link- downloaded for this summer's trip.

 

[aquaplane]

For a typical day's trip, you may refer to 3 or 4 sheets, so I purchased some extra A2 plastic wallets (from an artists suppliers) so that you can set up all the required sheets at the beginning of the day.

I did this when the original wallets started to split but it works quite well'.

+1

Beyond the Shiant I would suggest standard Admiralty charts. Doesn't need to be too expensive as S/H or cancelled charts are usually available at http://www.chartsales.co.uk/product-category/admiralty-charts/west-coasts-of-uk-all-ireland-charts/.

I found the Imray Clyde folio covered the Northern bits well (on 4 charts) but didn't go far down Arran (and I presume other bits with similar latitudes on Kintyre and the Ayrshire coast).

I don't use Antares, I have Open CPN but always use paper, it uses less power.

The CCC books are great. I looked at the Channel pilots for a trip to Falmouth last year and they don't even come close.

 

[Martin&Rene]

The other things you want are;

"Welcome Anchorages". Either pick it up at a marina or chandlers in Scotland, or before you get to Scotland you can download it from

http://www.welcome-anchorages.co.uk/

A copy of the Ferry timetables, particularly the Calmac timetables when you are in Scotland, but the Norther Ireland ferries as well. They can save you a few nasty surprises. Either look on the web, or pick them up from the first tourist information office you get to.