Reeds Almanac

[tarik]

Given the annual cost of charts etc and other 'must have' publications , I am thinking of buying the large Reeds Almanac every other year instead of annually, whilst it is an excellent publication, I'm sure that the chartlet and tidal data can be obtained elsewhere.

Anybody got any similar views?

Many thanks


David

 

[fireball]

Didn't bother with one for 2011 and won't bother for 2012. We can get the tide information from a number of sources and whilst we are visiting places we've been before it seems pointless in buying an "updated" Almanac that is mostly a rehash of last years and the year before that!

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I stopped buying almanacs several years ago and haven't missed them at all. Pilot books are better for harbour or passage information, and all the tidal stuff is much better on an iPad or iPhone.

I am surprised Reeds haven't gone the same way as other printed dinosaurs.

 

[VicS]

Given the annual cost of charts etc and other 'must have' publications , I am thinking of buying the large Reeds Almanac every other year instead of annually, whilst it is an excellent publication, I'm sure that the chartlet and tidal data can be obtained elsewhere.

Anybody got any similar views?

Many thanks


David

I think you will find thats what many people do. Maybe even less frequently than every other year.

Reeds is valuable for all the pilotage info.

Consider buying a less expensive almanac in the "in between" years. The PBO one perhaps.

 

[Bav34]

Like FB I don't bother to buy them anymore.

The amount of bouyage that moves around, say, Brittany is minimal. Light characteristics are pretty stable too.

My chartplotter gives me tides all around Europe, (if that went down I can still work off Dover). I don't even have to mess around with standard and secondary ports in two different time zones which is what an almanac makes you do.

I've got the charts and pilot books that I need .

I currently carry a 2010 almanac that I was given and found it useful enough to double check my workings this year but genuinely feel that if I lost all electrical power on my boat and therefore GPS,radar and chartplotter, chartwork and common sense would see me through.

Not sure an almanac would help much.

 

[lustyd]

I think they were only £23 at the boat show so I tend to get one every year but wouldn't have a problem using last years - I tend to keep the older one at home for planning though.

 

[RobBrown]

Getting refills for the loose-leaf version is a bit cheaper and by purchasing the paper almanac you do also get access to the Digital version, which is quite a decent product and there looks to be an improved version on the way for 2012 based on feedback from the first year in use.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

Given the annual cost of charts etc and other 'must have' publications , I am thinking of buying the large Reeds Almanac every other year instead of annually, whilst it is an excellent publication, I'm sure that the chartlet and tidal data can be obtained elsewhere.

www.sailingalmanac.com

Here's their entry for Brixam optimized for a smart phone:

http://www.sailingalmanac.com/Marinas/England/SouthWest/brixham.html

 

[snooks]

I managed to "survive" with the PBO almanac last year, wasn't a hardship at all. You have all the info in the Reeds of last year (or in my case the Cruising Association Almanac of two years ago), only the tidal heights and times changes significantly, which is what we used the PBO one for.

If your heart is set on Reeds, consider whether you need all the info from Spain to Scotland or can you buy say the Channel edition, or even just a set of local tide tables and one for Dover and keep last years?

A word of wisdom tho....if you do keep last years, get a thick black pen and cross through the tide tables. You know it's last years, but anyone else coming on board could easily be caught out

 

[Appledore]

I really enjoy reading through the Reeds Almanac, but at almost £40 it is very expensive. I usually only purchase it every 3 or 4 years, but this year I bought a 'used' edition for 2012 from Amazon, post free, for £21!!!! As far as I can see, it's never been used.

It amazes me that you see last year's edition, or earlier, on eBay for silly high prices, but I suppose people will buy them.

 

[Blueboatman]

I prefer to update Reeds every two years than all the pilot books. With online info as well that is three separate sources so quite a good mental picture can be absorbed .

 

[Boathook]

I get Reeds Channel each year as I don't renew charts until they are 'torn'. This gives me the 'latest' lights / buoys details and chanages that the charts don't have. I did try to 'update' my charts once but found that it was easier said than done !

 

[joha]

Reeds

Uaually but the PBO Smallcraft almanac but bought the cruising Almanac 2012 as the tide tables are in a seperate book, which means I can have the pilotage bit for a couple of years plus only need the PBO one for tidal info over the next few years.

John

 

[fergie_mac66]

I alternate Reeds full, PBO, then western, then eastern then back to full reeds

 

[prv]

For what it's worth, I get a new copy of the Channel version every year. There's a part of me that always wants to have the latest navigational information for its own sake, even though I'm certain I could manage fine without it. For the £20 it costs (or sometimes turns up as a Christmas or birthday present) I don't see a pressing need to economise.

Pete

 

[onesea]

You all make me feel so guilty, 15 years old was the newest I had the beginning of the season.

The only reason I bought a new one was because my crew is keen on learning navigation and its just easier with an up to date one...

Still managed to sail out of our chart folio during one of our cruises ....

 

[lustyd]

For what it's worth, I get a new copy of the Channel version every year. There's a part of me that always wants to have the latest navigational information for its own sake, even though I'm certain I could manage fine without it. For the £20 it costs (or sometimes turns up as a Christmas or birthday present) I don't see a pressing need to economise.

Pete

I completely agree, it's always nice to have the latest info and also means you get a fresh copy that hasn't been scrbbled on or dripped on I've been tempted by the channel version but never seen it discounted so for the extra couple of pounds end up with the big version just in case I take my little boat to spain

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I completely agree, it's always nice to have the latest info and also means you get a fresh copy that hasn't been scrbbled on or dripped on I've been tempted by the channel version but never seen it discounted so for the extra couple of pounds end up with the big version just in case I take my little boat to spain

I love the scribblings!

We always write in our pilot books and almanacs (when we had one). Comments like "this place is horrible" are immortal.

I once got Tom Cunliffe to go through my Shell Channel Pilot and tell me which places to avoid, even if he had given them a nice review.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

I get Reeds Channel each year as I don't renew charts until they are 'torn'. This gives me the 'latest' lights / buoys details and chanages that the charts don't have. I did try to 'update' my charts once but found that it was easier said than done !

If you have a Yeoman plotter it's much easier because you can easily check Lat/Long without having to use parallel rules or Breton Plotters etc.

 

[Halo]

Kildale Marine are doing an offer on a full Reeds 2011 plus the 2012 local one. If anyone is interested I suggest you make them an offer - they have a few full 2011 left and if you are sanguine about holding a non current edition I suspect you can pick up a bargain.