Pilot Books for Circumnavigation of the Uk

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AB1707

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Hi all,

My wife & I want to circumnavigate the UK next year- we're going anti-clockwise. Their are a variety of Pilot Books available - - no surprise I have the Channel Pilot. But I was hoping for suggestions for other pilot books - either for all the way or areas of local knowledge.

The general plan is to slip from Chichester harbour in April and weather permitting arrive at the Caledonian Canal early to mid May. Explore the Western Isles to early July (thinking midges arrive then). Then head South - East & South coast of Ireland before ending up Falmouth area Sep/Oct for the winter.

So I was hoping to benefit from all your experience please

Regards

Adam & Lynne
 
Try PM to Captain bob of these forums . Him and his wife done a circ anti clockwise a couple of years ago . An interesting blog of it on Yacht-forum uk
 
I did it last summer and can only recommend it: it is a great trip which gives you a huge sense of achievement.
Pilot books I used were, apart from Reeds: ICC Sailing Directions, East and North Coasts of Ireland and its photographic companion, CCC Sailing Directions and Martin Lawrence's books, which are being integrated into a single series, the CCC's photographic companion volume, Royal Northumberland Yacht Club: Sailing Directions Humber to Rattray Head. Not to be missed is the standard work about the Scottish Islands: Hamish Haswell-Smith, Scottish Islands.
Lots of interesting info about preparations in Sam Steele's book: UK and Irelands Circumnavigator's Guide.
And in all humility, you're welcome to have a look at my blog www.ossian.be , in Dutch I'm afraid, but plenty of pictures.
If you have specific questions, feel free to pm me.
 
Can recommend Westhinders blog, outstanding photos.
For Scotland, the CCC directions cover all the coast and as far as the Isle of Man, the latest editions have very clear diagrams in colour but there are about six or so ring bound volumes at about £25 each.
If you are only coming this way once I have a collection of older editions, just as relevant, though monocrome and supplemented by a copy of the free annual publication 'Welcome Anchorages' which updates harbour facilities and visitors moorings for the same area. I lend these to passing sailors and they usually come back by post after the end of the trip. I no longer have a spare tidal atlas which is essential for the West Coast, you will be able to download tables for principal ports like Dover, Ullapool, Oban, Greenock before you leave with help from Google.

If you can find a month with good sailing weather but no midges please let me know!!!!
 
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East Coast Pilot. Lowestoft to Ramsgate is a goodun.

Although you may have electronic charts, I'd recommend a paper chart of the Thames Estuary. It's crossing is a complicated business and its helpful to see the big picture. Constant hanges to buoyage and windfarm construction mean you delay purchase until you are ready to go to have the latest version.

Once in the East coast rivers you might be able to sell it for half price?
 
EdWingfield said:
Although you may have electronic charts, I'd recommend a paper chart of the Thames Estuary. It's crossing is a complicated business and its helpful to see the big picture. Constant changes to buoyage and windfarm construction mean you delay purchase until you are ready to go to have the latest version.
Click to expand...

You just have to go here: www.crossingthethamesestuary.com!
 
Echo Johan's recommendation of Hamish's 'Scottish Islands' which should be on any yacht in the western isles. It will give hours of interesting reading and has some useful anchorages. It is also nice to have on your bookshelf when you get back.

There is a newish Irish Sea pilot which covers the N. Irish coast which you might need if you have to cross over for weather reasons, especially when you get further north into the North Channel. It also covers the IOM which is definitely worth a visit.
 
If you need charts, let me know. I've got Imray charts for much of the trip that I no longer need and plan to sell. But I'll have to get them back from another forumite first as he used them on his trip.
 
Hmmm. We're planning on going clockwise. We should divide and conquer - ie we get the West Coast and you the East and swap half way....

Only a semi serious suggestion as practicalities of arranging a meeting might not be sensible.

Also If you are a member of the CA then you can visit their library in Limehouse to browse many of the options.
 
For planning the trip, instead of Reeds, consider Imray's Cruising Association Almanac. It's cheaper, and has a larger format, which means the chartlets are larger and contain more depth info. Also the tide tables are separate, so it's easier to do tide sums while browsing the approach plans.

For enjoyment and detail, the references already given are great. But the whole lot weighs a ton and costs a bomb! So think second hand.

If you're buying new, Cruising Association members get 10% discounts from Imray and other publishers. So do my web site users. See http://jimbsail.info/book_shop
 
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Thank you all for your contributions, as ever some sage advice.
The boat is a 1997 38' Bavaria Ocean CC that we are still in the process of buying. We're hoping to be joined at different points by a variety of friends and family with variable sailing experience. I'll be looking at the different blogs nearer the time - aimed mainly at F & F.

Westhinder - your blog really whets the appetite and Google Translate helps thank you

Quandary - some friends chartered out of Largs last year and are giving me everything they had - but I'm not quite sure what exactly

I'll update everyone once the blog starts
 
awol said:
Good plan - after all next summer will be anyone's last chance ever to sail round the UK. It is of course necessary for someone to point out that you are missing out a large and interesting part of the voyage by short-cutting through the Caledonian Canal.
Click to expand...

Correction - you will be able to sail around the entire UK via the Caley canal. :)
 
AB1707 said:
Hi all,

My wife & I want to circumnavigate the UK next year- we're going anti-clockwise. Their are a variety of Pilot Books available - - no surprise I have the Channel Pilot. But I was hoping for suggestions for other pilot books - either for all the way or areas of local knowledge.

The general plan is to slip from Chichester harbour in April and weather permitting arrive at the Caledonian Canal early to mid May. Explore the Western Isles to early July (thinking midges arrive then). Then head South - East & South coast of Ireland before ending up Falmouth area Sep/Oct for the winter.

So I was hoping to benefit from all your experience please

Regards

Adam & Lynne
Click to expand...

Start from the premise that you can go round quite successfully with a set of large-scale charts and a copy of Reeds - I've done it 2 1/2 times. You only really need pilot books and detail charts for those areas where you plan to use very small harbours and isolated anchorages so concentrate you search on those areas which will mostly be on the W coast of Scotland.
 
The Cruising Association Handbook is jolly handy, gives adequate info inc chartlets on just about everywhere you're remotely likely to go.

You don't have to be a member to buy it, but membership may be well worthwhile for you on this circumnavigation.
 
snowleopard said:
Start from the premise that you can go round quite successfully with a set of large-scale charts and a copy of Reeds - I've done it 2 1/2 times. You only really need pilot books and detail charts for those areas where you plan to use very small harbours and isolated anchorages so concentrate you search on those areas which will mostly be on the W coast of Scotland.
Click to expand...
It is worth investigating the possibility of buying secondhand paper charts. I managed to buy a set of 65 recently cancelled Admiralty charts from commercial vessels through a guy in the Netherlands. There must be similar opportunities in the UK. I supplemented these with a new folio for the West Coast of Scotland.
But, although I always had the relevant chart ready on the nav table, in practice I did 100% of my navigation on the plotter and with the pilot book in the cockpit when necessary.
 
I agree with just about all that has been posted but would add that, for any particular areas you may be interested in, get hold of the OS 1:50,000 maps. Really brings it to life IMO.
 
westhinder said:
It is worth investigating the possibility of buying secondhand paper charts. I managed to buy a set of 65 recently cancelled Admiralty charts from commercial vessels through a guy in the Netherlands. There must be similar opportunities in the UK. I supplemented these with a new folio for the West Coast of Scotland.
But, although I always had the relevant chart ready on the nav table, in practice I did 100% of my navigation on the plotter and with the pilot book in the cockpit when necessary.
Click to expand...

There are several sources who sell a complete set of Admiralty charts for the UK & Ireland, a total of 800 charts/chartlets in raster format on CD for £40-60. Even if you have to buy a laptop to display them it's going to be cheaper than even a fraction of the paper copies! One format works with OpenCPN so you get a fully-functional chart plotter added for free!
 
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