Which charts...

[stownsend]

Evening All

Its getting close to launch time ! Maybe in the next month or so - may keep her out until next year depending on mooring costs, anyway, I'm now looking at all the extras I'll need to get.

Which paper charts are the best for the channel. I'm looking at the Imray 2600 set or the Admaliraty Folio SC 5608 ?

Cheers

Stu

 

[zlod]

I'd get the individual leisure editions for the Bristol Channel. As far as I can see, the Admiralty folio was created by cutting up the leisure editions into A2 sized chunks with no regard for their usability. There are some particularly bad examples of folio sheets where you get a huge patch of blue in the middle with a tiny strip of green and yellow (land) on the sides. As far as I'm concerned, these are next to useless for paper based navigation. The other trick seems to be to cut the channel in half so you can either navigate by the features on the north side of the channel, or the south side of the channel, but not both (or east side and west side, but not both).

The other good thing about the leisure editions is that when one of them is revised, you just need to get the one revised version. When the folio is revised, you'll have to get the whole lot replaced (or put up with an exceptionally tedious trawl through the notices to mariners to try to relate the leisure editions corrections to the leisure folio).

I can live with the Admiralty folios other than the BC one, but the BC one is really pretty dreadful.

I wouldn't navigate with an Imray chart however it was printed...

 

[Zephyr362]

Charts

I've gone for the Admiralty set, Imray seem to still publish quite an old set of charts but were good when they first came out, they're printed on waterproof paper which might be handy if they are likely to get wet and if fresh from the publisher are or at least were hand corrected and up to date.
The main thing about the folio is that you get a large number of small scale charts which you probably wouldn't otherwise buy, and as for updates, there's no real difference between several individual charts and a folio. I guess the folio may have more applicable updates as it has greater detail, after all you are covering the same area.
Also the folio fits on the chart table better, I have quite a large chart table but still prefer one that fits confortably and is not intent on making a bid for the cabin sole each time we heel over a bit. If you have an electronic chart plotter, might be worth checking that the colours for the depths are the same scheme i.e. white is deep and not shallow etc

Good luck with the launch!

 

[wotayottie]

given that you drive a stinkie, I'd go for a plotter. there are lots of "features" in the channel, particularly round cardiff and avonmouth, so if you go there at speed you will be spending too much time messing with paper nav and too little looking out. never thought I would say that as a confirmed paper nav man but thats what I'd do.

If you prefer paper charts, then the admiralty folio is excellent. contrary to the previous view, it's handy to have (say) wales coast at the top of a sheet and england at the bottom since the last thing you need on a chart is lots of land showing. imray are perfectly OK and use exactly the same data as admiralty but I've never got on with stanford.

if you like out of the way spots then get a copy of the BCYA blue book which is better than the pilots for the channel.

 

[jason -and the arguenauts]

I agree with Wottayottie

 

[Alcyone]

I agree about the admiralty folio. Good value and it fits on the table. It is true that you sometimes have to chop and change charts when moving, but I've not found that a problem.

Just bought an Imray for Milford Haven (river). Nothing wrong with it, but it just feels wrong. I guess I'm used to admiralty.

I also have 2 plotters. I rely mostly on me old trusty Garmin GPSmap168, monochrome with sounder. Never let me down whilst diving for 10 years with it, and it's great on Ishtar. I still always like to carry, and use, paper charts, just in case.

 

[stownsend]

Thanks for the advice. The charts are backing up one of my spare laptops which I've got some charts on. I would like to link this up to a sperate waterproof screen but the costs would be cheaper to buy a plotter.

I'm looking at the Admirality Folios, version 2 were published in April this year so only have 1 update to do.

Cheers

Stu

 

[Anwen]

Stu,

The only thing I would add to what everyone has posted already is that the Admiralty folio isn't very good for the section from Padstow to Hartland. If you follow the rhumb line from Pentire Pt to Hartland Pt you will be well off the Admiralty charts which hug the coast. I always use my Stanfords chart folio for this trip - 2 sheets to go from Swansea to Padstow. However for Swansea to Cardiff I think the Admiralty folio charts are very good.