Join First Class Sailing for some amazing boat experiences and challenges & how you can get afloat

Marine podcaster Ceri Hurford-Jones meets up with the Editor of Imray publications Jane Russel to talk all things about sailing with families on board. Jane shares some fascinating insights into how she and her husband have traveled hundreds of miles, relatively stress free, whilst keeping young folks entertained and very safe!

Jane Russell grew up with parents who were big dinghy sailors, meeting her husband through the same route! After university, instead of being sensible and buying a house, they bought an old steel boat, living and cruising on her knowing almost nothing!! As she says 'it all built from there'! With many sea miles under the keel from sailing to various destinations around the world, they landed back in the West Country in 2000.

Once children arrived, right from the word go, they had them on board, as they continued to cruise extensively.   

On behalf of Imray marine Podcaster Ceri Hurford-Jones meets up with Peter Harvey, editor of The Tidal Havens of The Wash and Humber who’s sailing origins are all based on the East coast, where he's well used to boating around in muck, as opposed to mucking around in boats!

Peter's love of all things that float goes right back to his school days, when the boat he built wouldn’t actually fit out of the woodwork room! After serving in the Royal Navy he got involved in various forms of Marine consultancy, that led him back to the Wash where he was involved in the design and building of Wisbech yacht Harbour, of which he later became harbormaster. Now retired, he dedicates his time to helping the sailing community to explore more of his favourite part of the UK.

To get your own copy of this fascinating pilot book just click here. https://www.imray.com/Publications/Other+publishers+Pilot+books,+handbooks,+almanacs/IB0176/ 

Managing Director Lucy Wilson talks to podcaster Ceri Hurford-Jones about Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson Ltd nautical publications, who produce over 250 charts, 100 pilot books and cruising guides, along with a series of apps for the digital era. 

It’s a time of change, not only for Imray but also within the wider marine industry as sailing habits are changing and technology open up huge opportunities. 

It’s an exciting challenge and one that Lucy couldn’t take on without the rest of the wider family at Imray! 

Listen to this podcast to hear more about what the future holds for this amazing 300 year old company @imraynautical

This is a bonus edition in our series Exploring Sailing Topics with Imray with Ceri Hurford-Jones.

Today’s special guests not only know about all the places to visit, but they will probably help influence your culinary choices on the way! On this podcast they talk about some of their experiences sailing to some of the most amazing and uplifting coastlines around.

Born in New Zealand, Rod Heikell, abandoned academic life in the UK, and sailed a 1950s, 20 foot plywood yacht down to the Mediterranean where he worked in the charter market. Until in ignorance of the scale of the task, he decided to write a yachtsman’s guide to Greece. Over the past five decades, together with his wife Lou, they've produced a whole host of pilot books covering everywhere from the Med to the Indian ocean, along with many other books and novels.

Lou Heikell, met her husband when she joined him as crew on a trip between the Azores to Gibraltar, many sea miles and a circumnavigation later, they have lived loved and worked together for nearly 20 years. Now, living on the Isle Of Wight, when they're not on their beloved yacht Skylax, they work on books and cooking great food.

Explore Sailing topics with Imray and Ceri Hurford-Jones, today’s guests are Dinah and Trevor Thompson who have been keen sailors since childhood.

Trevor began his time at sea with a brief stint in the Merchant Navy. Dinah began sailing in Poole harbour. Then together in 1973, they got together pooling their resources to buy a 17ft sailing cruiser, getting as far as St Ives with her.

Various adventures and boats later they purchased Joleta of Pettycur, a 26' junk rigged beauty in which they set off to sail to the Mediterranean, and the boat which was their floating home in the Adriatic.

Keen to pass on their knowledge to the next generation, both have formed deep relationships with their local Sea Cadet Corps, but their Magnum Opus is, The Adriatic Pilot first published by Imray in 1986 and now in its eighth edition.

Please follow the link for more information;

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/IB0240-1/ 

Ceri talks to another great guest in the series Explore Sailing topics with Imray, together with The Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation.   

Today’s guest is Andrew Wilkes the editor of Arctic and Northern Waters pilot book. Andrew started his working life as a Radio Officer in the merchant navy but came ashore in his twenties to work in the telecoms industry. He’s been an active cruising sailor ever since with stints at the helm of everything from a dingy to a 67ft steel Challenge yacht.

He’s an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor who with his wife, Máire sail their 56 ft steel gaff cutter, Annabel J, to some of the world’s most remote places; from Argentina to the Baltic, and from the Faroe Islands to Alaska.

When not on his own boat, Andrew sails with the Ocean Youth Trust, a charity which takes disadvantaged young people to sea

To find out more about his pilot book please go to;

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/IB0209-2/

Welcome to another edition in our series Explore Sailing topics with Imray as Ceri Hurford-Jones talks to more of the contributors that work with Imray. Today’s guest is Lu Heikell co-editor of Mediterranean France & Corsica Pilot

Growing up in the west country Lu gained a love of cruising and dinghy sailing from her father, Peter. Then met up with her husband Rod in 1999 when she joined him as crew on a trip from the Azores to Gibraltar…..they have been together now for over twenty years and live on the Isle of Wight when not on their yacht ‘Skylax'.

Click here for a copy of Mediterranean France & Corsica Pilot

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/IB0194-1/ 

Join Ceri Hurford-Jones,for another in our series Explore Sailing topics with Imray, together with the RCC Pilotage Foundation.

……Today he is talking to David Baggaley, who with his wife Susie, have over 65 years’ sailing experience between them and have sailed over 150,000 miles, most of which have been since their retirement, including extensive periods in the Caribbean, North America and northern Europe as well as the Mediterranean. They have certainly used their Beneteau 42, Kookaburra to good effect as they carried out their extensive research of the Balearic islands for the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation Islas Baleares cruising guide. Having lived on Menorca for several years, it’s clear that’s where their hearts lie. They say, that high on their list of priorities these days is for well-protected anchorages with good sand or mud bottoms where they can sleep soundly through wind shifts!

To order a copy visit 

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/IB0231-1/ 

Ceri Hurford-Jones talks to Geoff Crowley, an RYA Ocean Yachtmaster, who speaks Icelandic! He’s also one of the volunteer skippers in the Able2Sail charity that offers free sailing experiences to disabled young people. In his 'spare time' he is the editor of the Clyde Cruising Club’s Sailing Directions and Anchorages Firth of Clyde  - one of the titles in the CCC’s well-known and popular series.

Part of the Clyde Cruising Club’s Sailing Directions and Anchorages series, Firth of Clyde extends beyond its titled area to the coast of Northern Ireland (Rathlin Island to Belfast Lough) and on the Scottish side southwards from Stranraer to Portpatrick and beyond to the Solway Firth and Cumbria.

Firth of Clyde covers everything from the busy waters of the Firth of Clyde and River Clyde to the more remote areas of the wider estuary and connected lochs, including the protected and beautiful Kyles of Bute and Loch Riddon, Loch Fyne and the Crinan Canal. Coverage then extends west and south to encompass North Channel and Solway Firth.

‘Drawing upon an impressive list of sources… All charts, photographs and commentary provide unique information for sailors wishing to undertake real or ‘virtual’ cruises in the finest areas of west and northeast Scotland- those of us who have cruised there in the past can only look with envy on all the data, wishing that these fine publications had been available in our day!’ Cruising Magazine.

Buy your own copy of this pilot book here;

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/IB0242-1/ 

Ceri Hurford-Jones talks to Madeleine Strobel who met her partner at a sailing school in Germany in the 60's, luckily, they both liked sailing (and clearly each other!) and have kept both passions alive since.

From dinghy sailing on Lake Geneva to many years of extensive cruising in northern Europe on Easy Rider, their trusted Bowman 40, and southwards to the Mediterranean including Corsica and Sardinia where they have spent many years, both on and off the water, researching and writing the latest edition of the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation’s pilot book Corsica and North Sardinia.

The west coast of Corsica and the northeast coast of Sardinia have some of the finest scenery in the Mediterranean for the cruising yachtsman. Limpid blue and turquoise waters, small coves and spectacular cliffs and beaches are scattered along the 1,000M of coastline......on the podcast Madeleine shares some of her favourite anchorages and harbours along with some great advice for anyone planning on visiting the area. 

For more information on this wonderful cruising ground please visit:

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/IB0218-1/