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Imray

Information for leisure sailors. Imray was formed in 1904 when three chart publishing firms merged. Their charts were supplied to mariners throughout the world.
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We publish award-winning electronic and paper nautical charts, high quality pilot books and cruising guides by prominent sailing authors and clubs, and nautical information via our apps. Each of these companies had a long and prestigious history going back to the mid-1700s, when the hubbub of merchant ships filled the London docklands and these early cartographers, nautical instrument makers and p

ilot book publishers worked alongside ships’ captains and crew. For over a century, Imray Blueback charts were the first choice of many shipping companies. Our focus turned to yachting in the 20th century, when we began to tailor our charts and books to small craft. We cemented our reputation internationally as the leading publisher of high-quality information for the leisure sailor. Today, the company is still owned and run by descendants of the original founders, and operates with an independent, family run ethos. Based in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, our small expert team of cartographers, editors, product designers and operations staff work closely with the sailing community to commission, publish and distribute our comprehensive range of charts and cruising guides for popular sailing areas worldwide. You can buy our products online or from one of our retailers in more than 40 countries. Our charts
Imray charts set the standard for the leisure sector with our award-winning cartography. Based on up-to-date official surveys, they receive continual attention and amendment by highly-skilled staff. Drawn and printed in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, they are supported by weekly correction notices available via our website. They are available as digital editions via our Imray Navigator app and on a selected range of chart plotters. Our pilot books
Imray pilot books provide sailing directions and information for cruising areas from Northern Europe and the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and Far East. They are universally regarded as being the best available and the Imray guide is usually seen as the definitive reference to the coast it covers. The attention to detail and high standard of production is unrivalled and is the result of our successful long-term partnerships with some of the best sailing authors and cruising clubs including Rod and Lu Heikell, Tom Cunliffe, Peter Cumberlidge, Don Street and the RCC Pilotage Foundation. They are increasingly available as eBooks. We are distributing agents of official Hydrographic Office charts and publications.

08/07/2024

Congratulations to who won our June quiz and get an Imray Pilot Book of their choice!

For a chance to win a book or chart in July’s quiz, comment below with what’s wrong with Portsmouth’s iconic Spinnaker Tower…

04/07/2024

Do you subscribe to our fortnightly email? It comes to you every other Sunday and shares tips from our books - in last weekend’s email we focused on the Chenal du Four, with an extracts from ‘Atlantic France’ by Nick Chavasse;

• The roughest seas occur in the north approaches, not in the Chenal du Four itself. Northerly winds can bring a considerable swell to the area north of Le Four and wind against tide conditions produce steep seas. These reduce as soon as the tide turns.

• With a fair wind, aim to go through the Four when the tide is favourable. If the wind is ahead, go through the narrow part, off St-Mathieu, at slack water because the stream there runs very hard.

• The tide turns at St-Mathieu earlier than it does north of Le Four. Southbound, this is a nuisance because several hours of south stream run to waste. However, south of St-Mathieu the stream is much less strong and will have turned fair by the time the Raz de Sein is reached. Northbound, the tidal lag is a benefit and provides a few extra hours of fair tide.

p.s this plan is of a harbour bordering the Chenal du Four - do you know where it is? Comment below!

02/07/2024

Bit of interior design inspiration for you - charts on your wall as well as on your boat!

Beautiful Wallpaper charts and murals, customised to fit your exact wall size. Printed on high quality wallpaper media.

30/06/2024

What island borders the Chenal du Four off the coast of Brittany?

Comment with your answer for a chance to win an Imray book or chart!

19/06/2024

This is a plan from our Mediterranean Spain Pilot Book, but we’ve taken out the labels to test your geographical knowledge…can you guess where it is?

14/06/2024

If these two boats were to collide, who would be to blame?

Comment with your thoughts and your name will go into the June draw to win an Imray book or chart of your choice!

14/06/2024

Watch this fantastic video by RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Instructor Leon Schultz about Paper Charts.

What do you think? Comment below…

Leon ponders about the future of paper charts and printed pilot books and almanacs. In what way will electronics be able to take over passage planning once t...

30/05/2024

Love seeing Imray books and charts out there in your boats! Thanks for your support 🙏😍

Making plans with our Imray charts and books for some exploration this summer!

26/05/2024

Girolata Bay, on the West Coast of Corsica, is a stunning spot for cruisers and is featured in our latest book, Corsica and North Sardinia.

But in this image we’ve had a little play and doctored something - can you tell what? For a chance to win and Imray book or chart of your choice, comment with what’s wrong with Girolata Bay!

clue: if you don’t have the Pilot Book, google ‘Girolata Bay’ and play spot the difference…

24/05/2024

We're hiring! We're looking for a Chart Production Manager.

Do you know anyone who might be interested?
https://imray.com/about/work-at-imray/

20/05/2024

You’re approaching a Tide Race - what do you do to make sure you’re shipshape?

This week we’re focusing on the Irish Sea, which is full of Tide Races off the major headlands. In our Pilot Book, author David Rainsbury guides you safely t...

19/05/2024

Lovely recommendation for Imray Tides Planner here! Thanks Ardent Training!

MARINE APPS - OUR FAVOURITES

What phone applications are our instructors using most when afloat on the water is a commonly asked question. Over the next week or so we will share our favourites....

First up is our principal, Edd.

Edd has this to say "I won't pretend I love the user interface of this app, but the fact I still use it is a testament to how good I think the rest of it is. It is the details which I love the most. How many other tides apps give LAT, HAT, MHWS, etc. It also tells us if it is a standard or secondary port, and other essential bits of info that many other miss out on, like the timezone for any times it gives us! I always trust Imray, and they use the UKHO and other reliable sources for their data. So for me, Imray Tides Planner is the navigator's choice of tides apps!"

We can confirm that Edd is always talking about this app during team meetings too, so he clearly used it a lot!

19/05/2024

Last week our new edition of the fantastic Irish Sea Pilot came out, featuring the bridge in the picture. Do you know which one it is?

For a chance to win an Imray book or chart of your choice, simple comment with the name of the bridge. We’ll announce the winner at the end of the month!

15/05/2024

Don Street's Life: One of the most colourful sailors around has passed away at ripe old age of 93. We chart his extraordinary life under sail.

12/05/2024

What’s wrong with this image of Lyme Regis?

We’ve doctored it to test your navigational awareness…for a chance to win an Imray book or chart of your choice, comment with what’s wrong!

05/05/2024

We’ve had a little play on Photoshop to test your knowledge of buoys…for a chance to win an Imray book or chart of your choice, comment with what’s wrong with this Isolated Danger Buoy…

02/05/2024

Donald M Street Jr, 26 July 1930 – 1 May 2024

Sailing legend Donald M. Street Jr. died peacefully and unexpectedly yesterday, Wednesday 1 May 2024, aged 93, at home in Glandore, Ireland.

Don was renowned in the cruising yacht scene. A native Long Islander, he grew up sailing and began to explore the Caribbean in the 1950s. Surveying the islands in his engineless yawl Iolaire, he documented and shared his countless experiences generously and widely through books, DVDs, articles and endless anecdotes. A storyteller through and through, he credited a conversation over dinner with the novelist John Steinbeck for launching his writing career.

Don’s Imray-Iolaire charts for the Eastern Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean were conceived with Tom Wilson, then Director of Imray, and launched in the 1970s. They remain the industry standard for yachts today and have been adopted by the major electronic chart producers. Don was a longstanding member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club. He remained an active sailor to the end; he was preparing his Dragon, Gypsy, for the season ahead earlier this week.

He is survived by his wife Trich, four children Dory, Donald, Richard and Mark (Ted) and nine grandchildren.

29/04/2024

Let’s talk running aground - has it ever happened to you?

Regardless of whether you’ve run aground before or not, it’s sensible to have a checklist in your mind of all the options/techniques you can do to get back afloat…what would you do? Share your thoughts in the comments!

28/04/2024

This week’s quiz is testing your knowledge of tidal diamonds!

You’re planning a passage out of the Solent towards the Needles and want to pass Hurst Castle around Slack Water at the beginning of the ebb, when tidal streams are flowing out of the Solent.

For a chance to win an Imray book or chart of your choice, comment with which option (A/B/C/D) is the beginning of the south-west flowing stream.

21/04/2024

In our ‘Isles of Scilly’ Pilot Book with the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation, the author says that the top priority is to arrive in daylight;

“It is best to plan a passage to Scilly which allows sufficient time to make the final approach and anchor in daylight. All other arrangements and plans for making a visit to Scilly should be made with this in mind.”

What are your thoughts on a night-time arrival in this archipelago?

19/04/2024

Thank you Yachting Monthly for this great article about the Outer Hebrides.

New edition of the Clyde Cruising Club Sailing Directions and Anchorages has just been published - available now from our website.

There are some incredible hidden harbours along the west coast of Scotland, many offering 360° shelter, although some may be rather challenging to enter

18/04/2024

Quiz time! For a chance to win an Imray book or chart, comment with your answer to this question:

Your Speed Through Water is 6 knots but you’re sailing into a 1.5 knot current. How long will it take to cover 3 nautical miles?

15/04/2024

14/04/2024

Our Commissioning Editor has been out sailing in the Med this week, but there were gale force winds from the north-west, what’s the name of this wind?

Comment below for a chance to win an Imray book or chart of your choice! Each month we put together all the correct answers and choose the winner…

p.s in the past few weeks we had a bot on facebook try to impersonate us, we will never ask your payment details so if this happens please let us know and we can report it to fb!

08/04/2024

It’s time to announce the winner of last months Imray Quizzes…congratulations Ian McCarroll!

p.s: Last month we had a bot impersonate us and this has been reported to Facebook. We never ask for personal account information, including passwords or financial details, via social media channels. Kindly avoid sharing such information with anyone claiming to represent us!

30/03/2024

The tide is 5.2m and you have 2.8m under the keel - how much water will there be under the keel at Low Water?

Comment with your answer and you’ll go into our prize draw for March, to win an Imray book or chart of your choice!

25/03/2024

Imray charts can help you navigate seas throughout the world, from the North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and Caribbean Sea.

Of the four places shown here (of zoomed in charts) which is in the Caribbean?

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Friday	9am - 5pm

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+441480462114

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http://linktr.ee/imraynautical

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Videos

What boat toys do you have?Part of the joy of sailing is that you can anchor in the middle of a wonderful playground and get to work - kayaking, paddleboarding, kitesurfing…what’s your choice? And do you have any stowage hacks for all your adventure gear? Comment below!

We love bringing our community together to share their skills and experience. This week we’re discussing anchoring…do you drop the hook in offshore winds? If so, do you have a maximum wing speed you’ll anchor in? Or do you move at the first warning of offshore? Share your thoughts in the comments

The Isles of Scilly are a cruising wonderland, but getting out there requires careful passage planning. What’s your planning strategy when heading out there? Share your experiences in the comments! #navigation #navigate #navigator #boats #boating #boatlife #sailboat #sailing #sail #sailor #sea #ocean #yacht #yachting #safety #adventure #explore#

Let’s talk about anchoring! Everyone seems to have a different approach… if the depth was 5m, how much anchor chain would you use? Share your working!

Has anyone noticed a spring feeling in the air? It getting us inspired for the season ahead, but first…boat prep!What’s your procedure for getting the boat ready for a new season? Share your tips in the comment…

Someone falls overboard…what do you do?

Your navigation lights stop working on a night passage - what would you do?

Your bilge alarm suddenly goes off - what do you do?

Your engine cuts out in a busy harbour. What do you do? Having engine failure in a busy harbour is a potentially stressful experience that can result in damage to your own boat and others (especially if it’s windy), so this week we’re discussing your options in this eventuality… Our Imray community has thousands of years combined sailing experience, so we’d love to hear your thoughts; if this has happened to you, or you’ve seen it happen to someone else, or you have a carefully thought-out plan in case it happens in the future, share with us! Share your thoughts and learn from others in this week’s Cockpit Quandary…

When heavy weather is forecasted, there are several considerations you need to take into account when deciding whether to head to a harbour or ride it out at sea. What do you personally consider when making that decision? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Explore with Imray now covers over 16000 locations with sailing directions, passages, harbour and anchorage information taken from world-renowned pilot guides. Start your free trial to uncover what the platform has to offer today! https://www.explorewithimray.com/ #ExploreWithImray #Imray #SailingDigital #CruisingGuide #Explore

👋What are your sailing plans for the autumn months? Will you carry on cruising local waters, or do you have plans for future trips? We would love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments. ⛵ #ExploreWithImray #SailingPlans #SailingSeason #WinterSailing

Today is the last day for you to find our gift that the Imray Book Fairy has left in the Southampton Boat Show! Thanks to our friends at boatfolk for their help on this... Yachting Monthly, the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation and Imray have collated a dozen milestone passages through, around and across British waters that should be on every cruising sailor’s to-do list. The resulting Rites of Passage is an inspiring and informative book which will help all sailors, from those new to cruising to the much more experienced, reach those milestones. The clue as to where to find the book is in the video If you find the book, please tag us in your photo! Please to stop by the Bookharbour stand in Ocean Hall J200 to browse other Imray publications and chat with our team members. #imraybookfairy #imraybooks #sailingbooks

It's Friday, and guess what? The Imray Book Fairy is back at the Southampton Boat Show, and today, it is a triple bonanza! In the shape of our best-selling pocket-sized guides to Tides, Tidal Streams and The Moon, by William Thomson, founder of Tide School. Each guide is beautifully illustrated and written. Together, they demystify the workings of tides, share information about tidal streams, and equip the reader with the knowledge to make decisions more confidently. Perfect for anyone who enjoys time out on the water, from sea swimmers and paddleboarders to kayakers and sailors. That's why you will find the book on the Rockley Watersports stand! If you find the book, please tag us in your photo! Good luck. Don't forget to stop by the Bookharbour stand in Ocean Hall J200 to browse our other publications and chat with the friendly Imray team. #ImrayBooks #ImrayBookFairy #watersports #explorers

Day two for the Imray Book Fairy at the Southampton Boat Show, and with a little help from our friends at the Practical Boat Owner Magazine, the gift for today was dropped in its finding place! Excitingly, it is a copy of The Cruising Association 's brand NEW Cruising Almanac 2024! This book remains the perfect onboard companion for cruising sailors, providing a hard-copy source of information packed with data to help passage planning and for quick reference to hundreds of ports and marinas. The Almanac encompasses Northwest Europe from the Shetlands to Gibraltar and from the Baltic to the west coast of Ireland. If you find the book, please tag Imray in your photo! . Don't forget to stop by the BookHarbour stand in Ocean Hall J200 to browse our other publications and chat with the friendly Imray team. #Imray #ImrayBookFairy #SouthamptonBoatShow #SIBS23 #TheCA

Today marks the first day of the Imray Book Fairy's appearance at the Southampton Boat Show 🤩 👌 We're excited to announce that we'll be giving away a copy of the Shell Channel Pilot, written by Imray author Tom Cunliffe - Sailor, Author & Broadcaster. For over 80 years, this book has been the go-to source for English Channel navigation and pilotage. If you're up for the challenge, watch the reel then find our friends at Jimmy Green Marine and Anchoright chain marking solution! If you find the book, please tag Imray in your photo! Don't forget to stop by the Bookharbour stand in Ocean Hall J200 to peruse our other publications and chat with the friendly Imray team. Good luck! #Imray #SIBS23 #Giveaway #SouthamptonBoatShow

⚡OUT NOW: Fully revised 2700 North and West Wales Chart Pack! ✔️13 chart sheets covering Liverpool to Milford Haven and the East Coast of Ireland. ✔️Convenient A2 format in a sturdy plastic wallet. Also available in a Wirobound version. ✔️Includes the latest official UKHO data and additional information sourced from Imray''s network to make it ideal for small craft. ✔️All the navigational charts required for passage, approach, and mooring. ✔️Designed to be used with the Irish Sea Pilot by David Rainsbury and Cruising Anglesey and adjoining water by Ralph Morris, both published by Imray. All are available to buy online: https://www.imray.com/product/2700-North-and-West-Wales-Chart-Pack-Liverpool-to-Milford-Haven-and-the-East-Coast-of-Ireland/IC2700-3/ #WelshCoast #SailingCharts #PassagePlanning #ImrayCharts

📢 OUT NOW: The Cruising Almanac 2024 👌 This book remains the perfect onboard companion for cruising sailors. Here are a few reasons why: 🗺️ Comprehensive information: It's a hard-copy treasure trove filled with vital data for your passage planning. Whether you're exploring the rugged shores of the Shetlands, soaking up the Mediterranean sun, or sailing along the coast of Ireland, this Almanac covers it all. 📊 Quick reference: Need information on hundreds of ports and marinas at your fingertips? The Cruising Almanac has you covered. It's the go-to resource for sailors seeking instant guidance while navigating unfamiliar waters. 🧭 Expanded coverage: The 2024 edition brings even more to the table. The Netherlands section has been revamped to match the format of other regions, ensuring a seamless experience. Plus, a new chapter for Northwest Spain extends the coverage of the Spanish and Portuguese Atlantic coasts. 🌊 Tide tables: For your convenience, tide tables for 47 standard ports are included in a separate booklet. Stay informed about tides to plan your journeys with precision. 🔄 Regular Updates: The Cruising Almanac isn't static. Corrections and updates are published monthly on The Cruising Association website's Almanac corrections page, keeping your information current and reliable. Buy online today: https://www.imray.com/product/The-Cruising-Almanac-2024/IB0233-8/ #TheCA #CruisingAssociation #SailingDirections #SailingTips

🌴 Set Sail to the Balearics! 🌊🛥️ Get ready to explore these dreamy Spanish islands with the new edition of Imray's cruising guide filled with sailing inspiration and guidance from the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation. Plan your ultimate sailing trip now! Buy online today. 🗺️📚 https://www.imray.com/product/Balearic-Islands-Ibiza-Formentera-Mallorca-Cabrera-and-Menorca/IB0231-2/ #CharterHoliday #SailingTheMed #MediterraneanSailing

📱⚓️ Here are three reasons to download Imray Tides Planner 🌊🌍 1️⃣ Instant, offline access to tidal data: With Imray Tides Planner, you'll have instant and offline access to tidal data for over 8,000 locations worldwide. No matter where your nautical adventures take you, you can rely on accurate and up-to-date tidal information right at your fingertips. 2️⃣ The essential companion for water enthusiasts: Whether you're a sailor, diver, canoeist, fisherman, surfer, swimmer, photographer, or simply enjoy leisure activities by the seaside, Imray Tides Planner is the ultimate companion. It provides comprehensive tidal predictions, global search functionality, spring and neap tide dates, sunrise and sunset times, moon rise and set times, moon phases, currents, and tidal stream atlases. Everything you need for a safe and enjoyable experience. 3️⃣ Powerful tools for tide analysis: Imray Tides Planner gives you access to tide graphs for any location. You can easily visualise tide patterns throughout the day. Choose from different modes like actual depth, rate of rise and fall, and dual marker. Get precise depth readings by dragging the scale of the minimum depth level. Download today: https://www.imray.com/digital/Imray-Apps/tides-planner-app/ #ImrayTidesPlanner #TidalData #SailingApp #SurfApp

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Our Story

Imray is the leading publisher of nautical information for leisure sailors. Combining the latest official hydrographic data with verified first-hand research, Imray charts, books and digital products present quality information to the highest standard.

Imray was formed in 1904 when three nautical publishing firms, each with a history from the mid 18th century, joined. Today, it works with well-known authors and organisations, covering popular sailing areas worldwide. Charts Imray charts set the standard for the leisure sector with our award-winning cartography. Based on up-to-date official surveys, they receive continual attention and amendment by highly-skilled staff. Drawn and printed in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, they are supported by weekly correction notices available via our website. They are available as digital editions via our Imray Navigator app and on a selected range of chart plotters. Pilot books, cruising guides and almanacs Imray pilot books provide sailing directions and information for cruising areas from Northern Europe and the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and Far East. They are universally regarded as being the best available and the Imray guide is usually seen as the definitive reference to the coast it covers. The attention to detail and high standard of production is unrivalled and is the result of our successful long-term partnerships with some of the best sailing authors and cruising clubs including Rod and Lu Heikell, Tom Cunliffe, Peter Cumberlidge, Don Street and the RCC Pilotage Foundation. Agents We are distributing agents of official UK Hydrographic Office, SHOM and Norwegian charts and publications.