Which pilot books for west Scotland and Irish Sea?

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Leif-J

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Next year we will start our long(ish) sailing with no definite end. Starting destination is Shetland for which I have got the pilot book from CCC. I also have Imray's pilot book for Western Isles.
Now for the rest of the journey along Scottish west coast and Irish Sea, would you recommend Imray or CCC - or something else not yet known to me?
There must be loads of sailors here, who are experienced in sailing these waters.
Main issue for us is of course safety in passage but also finding good anchorages.
For touristic purposes we have already been reading in The Scottish Islands by Hamish Haswell-Smith. A most interesting and comprehensive guide.
 
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There has been a recent thread which has some suggestions.
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?378301-Pilot-Books-for-Circumnavigation-of-the-Uk

Not a book or pilot but if you have a tablet or laptop on board you may wish to get some 'homemade' very large scale charts. For a newcomer they could be really useful if you like going into small challenging anchorages. You will realise from reading Hamish that Scotland has got lots of rocks :)

You can get them here : http://www.antarescharts.co.uk
 
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Leif-J said:
Next year we will start our long(ish) sailing with no definite end. Starting destination is Shetland for which I have got the pilot book from CCC. I also have Imray's pilot book for Western Isles.
Now for the rest of the journey along Scottins west coast and Iris Sea, would you recommend Imray or CCC - or something else not yet known to me?
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Where do you like going? If you prefer to stick to harbours, marinas and anchorages on the beaten track then the current CCC guides are fine. If you would like more information about small, out-of-the-way places, you need an old hardback CCC guide from before they expunged most of the "Stores: none. Water: at burn" places. If you would like to borrow one for your trip, PM me. I keep a few for lending out.
 
Leif, it is a good idea when reading about anchorages in the pilots that you understand the definitions about their suitability. There is a difference between 'temporary' and 'occasional'. Of course in the end it all depends on the conditions. I have often spent the night in places that would be completely untenable if there was any wind or swell.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Where do you like going? If you prefer to stick to harbours, marinas and anchorages on the beaten track then the current CCC guides are fine. If you would like more information about small, out-of-the-way places, you need an old hardback CCC guide from before they expunged most of the "Stores: none. Water: at burn" places. If you would like to borrow one for your trip, PM me. I keep a few for lending out.
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No stores needed, water for sailing is fine, for drinking we can carry (and dilute with the local produce to taste!), and we definitely want to go off the beaten track. We have spent many a vacation in the Western archipelago of Sweden. That is CROWDED in summer, so you must venture out in less known places if you do not want to be with the crowd (we don't!).
Thanks so much for the offer. I would very much like to take a peek in your CCC guide, but as you may see, I am in Denmark. Well that is to say: Until next year on June 1 - counting down!
 
Also, talk to other sailors that you meet on route, especially if they're local, to get advice and suggestions.
Lots of people seem to do Tobermory, Mallaig, Kyle, Portree or Gairloch, and then turn round and head south using the same ports again. They're missing so much.
 
claymore said:
Hi - the Irish Cruising Club have a really good pilot book for their North and East Coast. Slightly expensive at £27.00 but worth it.
http://www.irishcruisingclub.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=latest&layout=latest&Itemid=57

Clyde Cruising Club have an Irish Sea/Isle of Man pilot.
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There is also a very good and locally produced Solway Sailing Directions which covers Portpatrick to the Cumbrian Coast. I have a nice "Cruising Guide to the Isle of Man" which I bought from the chart agent in Bangor NI about 25 years ago ... I think the boat, though new, was considerably older.
 
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