not sure if anyone gives a damn but if you guys are bored like me during the covid times then you can stream all the latest series on kaldrostream. I've been binge watching with my girlfriend for the last few months :)
Absolutely fascinating- the process of making charts . I only wish someone would do a full length documentary on the process. Great work Tom as always.
6:42 As someone who works in the printing industry, remember that all this was laid out and typeset BY HAND! And imagine being the proofreader for these tables! Jesus, Mary and Joseph, what a job!
Ahoy Capt'n Cunliffe. So awsome and Great. Enjoyed these soooo muchhh!!! Please keep them coming. I am a newbie but I have sail a storm. I am living vicariously in the nostalgic thrill of ancient mariners of wooden vessels and real canvass that your videos impart the feeling of. I Wish I could have sailed with you on your past trips. Thanks Karl
Fascinating, thanks. If the BBC put out more programmes like this I would happily give them the licence fee, rather than grudgingly. Keep up the good work. Just more of them! Even if it's just messing around on the water.....or reminiscing.
Most people don't seem to mind paying considerably more per year for cable/satellite TV than the BBC licence fee works out at, yet many of the cable channels show endless repeats of programmes originally made by the BBC! My son in law used to work for the BBC and I can tell you that they work under constant pressures to do everything for nothing. They're an easy target but they provide some of the best made programmes on TV. The BBC will be gone one of these days and then we'll miss them. If you've ever watched TV in the USA that'll give you something to compare against!!
@@stevehartley621 Unfortunately that quality doesn't extend to objective news coverage and debate. I'm sad about that and object to being forced to pay for. Though I agree with your other sentiments. But I'll sully Tom's channel no more than that. Have a look at this one from when the Beeb was great. th-cam.com/video/KVDpIqFJXZE/w-d-xo.html
Tom, I love sailing videos you produce, but I must say this was a grand video to watch. So very interesting to see what use to be and what it is now today!! Simply outstanding. Thank you!
This is my new favourite Tom Cunliffe video. I love the fact that Imray are still a small family enterprise producing quality charts used by sailors & mariners the world over!
I have worked at Petra and Valley of the Kings and know that unique feeling of being close, touching the ancient. Nothing prepares you for the emotion when you are holding something someone held hundreds or thousands of years ago. But what remains is still fascinating and thank you to the fine people at Imray Norie and Wilson for their hard and accurate work. Holding an accurate chart is still a wonderful feeling, like holding your life in your hands.
Tom, your fascination with nautical chart making and nautical history is the best on TH-cam and you should be commended! Thank very much indeed for this episode. Brilliant!
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns I worked on Asgard II, the Irish Sail Training Vessel for 5 or 6 years back in the early 90's. I know of you from that time and from a couple of the tall ship events. Great to see you as active as ever and dedicated to the craft!!
Tom This bit was truly a joy to watch. I believe it was your own almost childlike enthusiasm and wonder at what these people do. Thank you for making my day.
Wonderful video! I'd never heard of a lunar reduction to work out longditude - but I can imagine the theory! How clever! Wonderful insight into Imray - I'd seen the name but no idea of the history behind it! Watching the process is almost magic, imagine what those sailors in Nelson's time measuring depths with leadlines would have thought! Thank you!
What a super "favourite chair of Admiral Lord Nelson"! Gorgeous 1810 Edition of Norie's Tables - no, you're never boring! Those are very low deckheads on those office doors! I love charts - works of art. We have a collection from the 1800's; whilst it's also great to see the latest versions being made, and as you say, not necessarily by seafarers; but cartographers. Very entertaining video. Many thanks. All the best to you and yours during this difficult time. Best wishes. William.
When I studied for my Master Class IV in the early 2000's we were taught and remembered, (briefly), how to use Norie's Tables. Everyone, teachers and students, complained and said it was redundant. It was included in the course because Norie's Tables is a prescribed document that must be carried aboard in a ships library as required by the IMO. So we had to be taught how to use it. Couldn't make head nor tail of it now if my life depended on it.
What a fabulous episode, thank you. Fascinating stuff. Charts are marvellous things, even when you are not entrusting your life to them. I keep my late grandfather's charts of the Medway and Thames estuary, still carrying his navigation marks from our trips in the nineties when he was still with us. I can unfold one up here in West Yorkshire and be instantly transported to the swatchways, marshes and reaches of those beautiful waters, with the smell of the mud and the call of the oyster catchers at low tide as vivid as if I were there. Lovely evocative publications.
Tom what a fantastic insight, you never fail to impress my friend and in the same way technology brings the chart to our fingertips you are able to bring your production quality videos to us old sea dogs. Currently at home quarantined going stir crazy but you have just lifted my mood and as always put a smile on my face. Keep up the great work Tom and you and your family stay safe.
Thanks Steve. It's a joy for me to be able to share but thanks must go to Cotty the Camera who does a fantastic job on producing these longer vids. Sorry you're going stir crazy. Watch out for my new website which will have loads of articles and an audio book on there soon. I'm treating this period as a sea voyage and hoping to make a safe landfall on the other side. You keep safe too. Tom
Wonderful nostalgia Tom. I would visit Imray at the quayside St Ives in the mid eighties to collect charts and pilot guides for the East Coast. Later for the Caribbean. Memories.
Brilliant Tom. My favourite of yours so far. (Though the oil-fired riding light in Sweden is a memorable second.) Thanks so much for bringing us this spirit-lifting content in troubled times. Lovely to see the folks behind my Imray app, that helps me pilot my kayak on the high seas. What a great little British firm, producing such excellent charts and data, in both old and new styles. Hope you and Ros are well. Fair winds to kinder seas...
Tom. Yet another excellent video. We have covered our journey so far planning all our passages using Imray paper charts and the very detailed pilot guides. They are without doubt the best charts. Not only do they give an overview and detail but, the level of additional information on the inset's for depths, tidal information and visual references is outstanding. While vector charts give a lot of detail when zoomed in electronically, as you say this disappears at a wider view. While the modern electronics helps it should always be viewed as an "aid to navigation". On Impavidus we say. "Plan on Paper, Plot on paper, Guide by electronics". Hopefully when we leave port (if we can leave port) we will have been able to order by the Imray web site all the charts we need for out next seasons 1000-1500 Nm sail through the eastern Med. It's good to see that while the technology has changed in producing Imray's. The attention to detail and the quality continues along with the long standing values that they have guided us with over the last 35 years sailing. Well done Imray! Thank you Tom and team for showing the work that goes into what we think are the best charts! (and pilot books) Sail Safe guys. Ant, Cid and the pooch crew.
Being in Newfoundland, what stood out for me was the chart of Placentia from 1800 by Francis Owen. Captain Cook spent 5 seasons making accurate charts of the island in the 1760s. It was amazing work they were able to do back then with the tools they had. Castle Hill can be seen on the chart, and is now a National Historic Site (www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/nl/castlehill). A good chart is like a good book.
It is incredible the accuracy of the old charts, considering the instruments they had. Clever folk and meticulous attention to detail. Talk about intellectual rigour! Tom
When I saw you sitting next to that funny old chair I asked myself “what’s Tom doing sitting next to that funny old chair?”, so I am very glad you explained it, saved me trying to work it out. Great videos for old men like me, I am already looking forward to the next one.
Hi. I thought that would get everyone guessing. I would have liked to have sat in it, just to say I'd sat in Nelson's favourite chair, but they wouldn't let me and quite right too! Will work on some more vids soon. Tom
I could listen to you for hours Tom. Always looking forward to your next video. Please be careful and take Constance out to sea to stay safe from this horrible virus. All the best from Holland!
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns A very unexpected disadvantage of keeping your yacht abroad! Take care Tom, and thanks again for your excellent TH-cam channel.
Fascinating Tom as always! As an aside , in Hand ,Reef and Steer, the last thing you said was to recommend the Admiralty Manual of Seamanship. Well I ordered a copy on ebay and it came today! What a brilliant book! 1964 version ,volume 1 . Thank you for the tip. BTW I have a Heard 23, gaffer.
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Thats the second time ive read your's! Yes the Admiralty book is great. Just getting mine up and running as it were , she'snot been sailed for about 3 years, bought her last October. I also sail with the Cornish Maritime Trust. Hope you are keeping well in these times. Jim.
Absolutely lovely video about a lovely firm. I must confess to a slight advantage as I live just a few minutes drive from Imrays in Huntingdon and so I usually call in to pick up my chart, save on postage and experience the wonderful old-fashioned atmosphere. One thing, Tom . . . I was rather hoping you'd ask that young lad doing the chart on waters near Glasgow just what training he'd had to be a cartographer. It's obviously a hell of a responsibility creating a marine chart and he seemed SO young. Or maybe it's the policeman thing again!
Brought back so many memories of my time at sea using Nories tables on a daily basis to calculate a position. would like to replace my lost copy of Nories.
Enjoyed this post immensely thank you Sir! I remember my dad, oh 45 yrs ago had charts from the US Antarctic ships, 50 - 100 of them, the one's he kept he sent away to be updated....
Wow. They must be something. America is a great place for historic charts. An old lady friend of mine on the Vineyard once showed me some charts of her great grandfather's. He was a whaling captain under sail. There was also a rolled up one of the East Coast that went on forever. What people they were. Thanks for reminding me. Tom
Well Tom, that is one of the best videos I’ve seen in ages, absolutely fascinating. I love maps and charts and can look at them for hours; and the Clyde is where I sail with the Imray small chart portfolio of the Clyde cruising area. Well done.
Facinating episode Mr Tom! Amazing! As you alluded to, imagine cartographers in the City of London, or the Admiralty in the 19th century, working copper plates in dark offices with spurious data.....how far we have come! My Atlantic passage has been put on hold sadly, perhaps next May all things being equal, but I will be ordering up one of your Shell South Coast England/ Northern France guides...i want to sail back into Cowes and Hamble, Lymington....but also all the small ports I only blew by years ago, beginning at Falmouth and sailing east! Oh....the chair....as mighty in stature as Nelson was, he was pretty small! You sitting beside the chair made it look like a child’s play chair! Thanks, really enjoyed this. Andrew
I'm 6ft 6in and make most folks look small. They wouldn't let me sit in the sacred chair and quite right too, but just to be alongside it was something. Sorry to hear about your Atlantic trip. I was supposed to be sailing in the Channel this summer updating the Shell Channel pilot, but that's not looking so good now. If you want to buy a pilot book, go to my website. I can sign it and put a message on if you want. We're germ free here and in lockdown, but I can print the label at home and throw the package at the post box. Tom
I love these videos. These people, in their quiet competence and modesty, have saved scores of lives and opened up world travel in small craft. On more than one occasion I've looked at a chart, and I've always dug the paper one out in these circumstances, and I've said or thought to myself that as long as the chart's right we'll be ok - always has been. I've used Imray, but always bought Admiralty for my own use. The only reason being is that's what I started being shown in my early teens - silly really. There's a real magic in the air to places like these offices, like a well run sail loft or boat builders yard - especially the builders in wood. The memorabilia was really great, the chair, that old chart and the books, but the best thing by far is you meeting the people. Lucy and her crew (yes pun intended) were brilliant and I love the idea of using a chart that Jonathan or Matt will have worked on now that I've seen them. I wonder how many viewers were watching you take that chart out of the printer and saying, out loud, like I was 'is it wet or warm Tom!' - magic. All power to you and your people, stay safe. Cheers
I’d not made the link with my copy of Nories and Imray et al. Haversines - my god I’d forgotten all about those nightmare days of Marcq St. Hilaire. Still have my sight book somewhere. Probably as crumbling as the copy of Nories you were caressing. Excellent distraction from waiting to chock to death or not. Thanks again for another great video.
Hi Nigel. I started learning with Marcq St Hilaire and really struggled until my late father-in-law, an ex Spitfire/aerobatics/commercial airline pilot put me straight about AP3270. Never looked back! Tom
Glad you enjoyed the visit. I'll be putting more vids up soon plus a load of stuff on my website to give becalmed sailors a taste of salt we're all missing. Tom
Remember visiting Imray about 30 years ago to collect some charts. I was served by 2 lovely old ladies who asked if I wanted my charts folded. Done by hand in those days and the lady pressed the creases down with, what she told me, was an old whalebone!
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns That was Barbara and Ged. They worked in the chart folding room and my sisters and I spent many a school holiday with them aged 13 or 14 photocopying correction notices and sticking them onto charts with Pritt Stick before despatch. Barbara still works with us, 30-ish yrs later, no Pritt Stick in sight these days though as corrections are available to download!
What can you do in these days of Corona Virus ( not a computer virus ) but to look at Toms yachting videos , today i had a look at your latest . If you would allow me to dwell upon the subject . Here is my story : Very interesting to see how the way of making of charts have changed over the years . I have in my possession 3 Imray Blueback charts from 1899-1890 . North Sea 1,40x1.05 meter , Faroe Islands ,Shetland and Orkney islands , British isle and the Channel 2,00x1,00 meter and the White See 1,30x1,40 meter interestingly no mention of scale of the charts . These charts had been used by the uncle of father , who was first mate of the 3 mast barque Wifsta Varv ( 500 tons ship ) . I remembered as a child unfolding the charts and trying to follow the route of the ship on its way to Arkhangel in Russia . The markings in the charts seemed to be at random , but they were of course the result of winds and currents . Many years later when our yacht an HR 352 was in Leufkas and Leros in Greece did I rediscover the Imray Yachting charts . It is extraordinary with such a long history of a company . Maybe you should venture to do charts in the Baltic as well , so I could go on using your charts . Best regards Jan Kullenberg HR352 Ystad Sweden
I had just decided that in addition to my local paper, I will maintain electronic access to separate devices (pc and tablets) with both raster (from VMH) and sector chart plotter software for looking/dreaming of further afield (simultaneously). That decision was based EXACTLY on the disappearing information on different levels of vectors (that I like for other reasons) Then I came across this little video and you vindicated my decision. OK OK. I'll get your pilot then.
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns I recall Conrad, through the voice of Lord Jim, ominously explaining to a native the demonic manifestation surely to result were the water level ever to disappear below the boiler sight glass of his tramp steamer. Or was that in 'Heart of Darkness' ? No matter, good advice nonetheless. I could go on, but I'd rather you did since you've been much closer to the action. To the sea that is, not boilers, that was my trade. But it was while I was tending boilers that I read many of these classics. Thank's for sharing your memories, Tom.
I suppose all sailors love charts as many shore-based people and aviators love their maps too. No doubt many have pored over maps and charts and imagined all those cruises and journeys that were never made, and might never be made, but a good map or chart can bring it alive. Regarding sextants, I probably mentioned this already on a comment to another video, but you can do astro navigation in the back yard or on the street (neighbours might gossip!) using an "artificial horizon" which is a fancy word for a bowl of water to reflect the sun. I use cooking oil as it doesn't move about so much, and mercury would be even better - they used it on the 1801 Lewis & Clark expedition. Oil or water don't really work for stars as the reflections are too dim. The angle has to be divided by 2 (reflection doubles the angle) so low latitudes and/or summer might push the sextant to its limit. However, I have managed to "fix" my house position to within 10 nm which isn't too bad!
Wonderful tour, wonderful company! But... I really can't get my head around the Imray color scheme. On the Dutch admiralty charts white is deep and dark (blue) is shallow.
Hello, Lucy from Imray here. The logic for us is that the colours should reflect what happens in reality. Deep water is darker blue than shallow water in real life. Land is green, sand is yellow... it's all hopefully pretty intuitive. The Hydro Offices possibly use white - no ink - to show deep water as it makes them cheaper to print than big areas of blue.
@@LucyMarkAbby I am currently helping my neighbor prepare a trip from the Netherlands to Turkey. Just bought The IMRAY charts of the eastern part of the Mediterranean including Italy, Greece, and Turkey all up to Israel Egypt and the African cost. I use OpenCpn and o-charts. Great deal for just about 100 euros. Any plans to offer more charts trough O-Charts? Would be great if all of Europe would be available! Now this set I bought is all that is available from IMRAY.
That would be a good read with that chart in hand (Reading between the tides: 200 years of measuring global sea level - www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-tech/reading-between-tides-200-years-measuring-global-sea-level)
A little nervous of vector as source data and although I can see the logic, I'm slightly uncomfortable with loss of deeper contours. It smacks a little, of dumbing down.
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns You can say that again. Though I don't expect you will. Loved the opening soundtrack and pan-back of the chair BTW. Somebody on your team has a creative bent.
Tom always seems so happily interested and engaged in constantly learning and teaching others. Such a pleasant soul.
not sure if anyone gives a damn but if you guys are bored like me during the covid times then you can stream all the latest series on kaldrostream. I've been binge watching with my girlfriend for the last few months :)
@Brennan Vivaan Definitely, have been watching on InstaFlixxer for since december myself :)
@Brennan Vivaan Yea, I have been watching on Instaflixxer for since december myself :D
Lovely documentary ... British kindness and politeness is so charming. Entertaining and as same informative ...
Absolutely fascinating- the process of making charts . I only wish someone would do a full length documentary on the process.
Great work Tom as always.
O, yes! Good, precise charts are a real wonder and Lucy Wilson and her staff are real magicians! Thank you for the excursion, dear Tom!
Magicians indeed. Good you could come along on the excursion. Tom
6:42 As someone who works in the printing industry, remember that all this was laid out and typeset BY HAND! And imagine being the proofreader for these tables! Jesus, Mary and Joseph, what a job!
It was a job and a half, wasn't it. So much care and time-consuming. What people they were! Tom
Ahoy Capt'n Cunliffe. So awsome and Great. Enjoyed these soooo muchhh!!! Please keep them coming. I am a newbie but I have sail a storm. I am living vicariously in the nostalgic thrill of ancient mariners of wooden vessels and real canvass that your videos impart the feeling of. I Wish I could have sailed with you on your past trips. Thanks Karl
Fascinating, thanks. If the BBC put out more programmes like this I would happily give them the licence fee, rather than grudgingly. Keep up the good work. Just more of them! Even if it's just messing around on the water.....or reminiscing.
Thanks Sir P. When I didn't get any more commissions from the Beeb, I decided to set up my own channel. So pleased you think it's worthwhile. Tom
Was listening for years to his podcasts and have his books as well :)
Most people don't seem to mind paying considerably more per year for cable/satellite TV than the BBC licence fee works out at, yet many of the cable channels show endless repeats of programmes originally made by the BBC! My son in law used to work for the BBC and I can tell you that they work under constant pressures to do everything for nothing. They're an easy target but they provide some of the best made programmes on TV. The BBC will be gone one of these days and then we'll miss them. If you've ever watched TV in the USA that'll give you something to compare against!!
@@stevehartley621 Unfortunately that quality doesn't extend to objective news coverage and debate. I'm sad about that and object to being forced to pay for.
Though I agree with your other sentiments.
But I'll sully Tom's channel no more than that.
Have a look at this one from when the Beeb was great.
th-cam.com/video/KVDpIqFJXZE/w-d-xo.html
The varnish on that chair is still unmarked, on one of the armrests..
Brilliant film, right up my street, many thanks Tom.
Good show Jerry. Tom
Fascinating and so interesting, even didn't know about this waterproof paper quality! Thanks so much Tom🙏
Tom, I love sailing videos you produce, but I must say this was a grand video to watch. So very interesting to see what use to be and what it is now today!! Simply outstanding. Thank you!
Very kind Las. Thanks. Tom
What a splendid and fascinating episode.
A great little firm staying ahead of the game.
Fantastic.
Thanks Tom
Yes they are fascinating. If you want to find out more, read the book by Susanna Fisher, 'The Makers of the Blueback Charts'. Tom
Thank you, I will.
This is my new favourite Tom Cunliffe video. I love the fact that Imray are still a small family enterprise producing quality charts used by sailors & mariners the world over!
Thanks Mark. It's just great that they are a family firm not some corporate body. Tom
I have worked at Petra and Valley of the Kings and know that unique feeling of being close, touching the ancient. Nothing prepares you for the emotion when you are holding something someone held hundreds or thousands of years ago. But what remains is still fascinating and thank you to the fine people at Imray Norie and Wilson for their hard and accurate work. Holding an accurate chart is still a wonderful feeling, like holding your life in your hands.
Tom, your fascination with nautical chart making and nautical history is the best on TH-cam and you should be commended! Thank very much indeed for this episode. Brilliant!
Brilliant!!!! Nick the chair,, put it on your boat !!!!😆😆😆😆
This is top class, deserves to be on main stream TV.
Thanks Jim. I wish! Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns I worked on Asgard II, the Irish Sail Training Vessel for 5 or 6 years back in the early 90's. I know of you from that time and from a couple of the tall ship events. Great to see you as active as ever and dedicated to the craft!!
A level geography comes flooding straight back! Thank you.
Tom This bit was truly a joy to watch. I believe it was your own almost childlike enthusiasm and wonder at what these people do. Thank you for making my day.
Thanks Steve. You've made mine with your compliments. Tom
Wonderful video! I'd never heard of a lunar reduction to work out longditude - but I can imagine the theory! How clever! Wonderful insight into Imray - I'd seen the name but no idea of the history behind it! Watching the process is almost magic, imagine what those sailors in Nelson's time measuring depths with leadlines would have thought! Thank you!
If I wasn’t branded before I am now ...
What lovely people.
Thank you Mr C, yet again another good one.
They are a great crowd indeed. Thanks for watching. Tom
What a super "favourite chair of Admiral Lord Nelson"! Gorgeous 1810 Edition of Norie's Tables - no, you're never boring! Those are very low deckheads on those office doors! I love charts - works of art. We have a collection from the 1800's; whilst it's also great to see the latest versions being made, and as you say, not necessarily by seafarers; but cartographers. Very entertaining video. Many thanks. All the best to you and yours during this difficult time. Best wishes. William.
There's something about old charts. My study is papered with favourites of mine and I even have one or two framed. Best to you too. Tom
Real craft in what they do. Thanks very much for this episode. Well done Imray.
Many thanks Tom - please do stay safe and take care.
You too! Tom
Just love using these charts. Thanks to Lucy and Ian and the guys who produce them.
Hear hear! Tom
When I studied for my Master Class IV in the early 2000's we were taught and remembered, (briefly), how to use Norie's Tables. Everyone, teachers and students, complained and said it was redundant. It was included in the course because Norie's Tables is a prescribed document that must be carried aboard in a ships library as required by the IMO. So we had to be taught how to use it. Couldn't make head nor tail of it now if my life depended on it.
Very interesting video! It is good to be aware of the process behind the charts! I use them as well and I like them! Fair winds to everyone!
Thanks. And to you too. Tom
What a fabulous episode, thank you. Fascinating stuff. Charts are marvellous things, even when you are not entrusting your life to them. I keep my late grandfather's charts of the Medway and Thames estuary, still carrying his navigation marks from our trips in the nineties when he was still with us. I can unfold one up here in West Yorkshire and be instantly transported to the swatchways, marshes and reaches of those beautiful waters, with the smell of the mud and the call of the oyster catchers at low tide as vivid as if I were there. Lovely evocative publications.
Lovely image of you sailing with your grandfather Paul and a special memory for you. Thanks for sharing. Tom
Tom what a fantastic insight, you never fail to impress my friend and in the same way technology brings the chart to our fingertips you are able to bring your production quality videos to us old sea dogs. Currently at home quarantined going stir crazy but you have just lifted my mood and as always put a smile on my face. Keep up the great work Tom and you and your family stay safe.
Thanks Steve. It's a joy for me to be able to share but thanks must go to Cotty the Camera who does a fantastic job on producing these longer vids. Sorry you're going stir crazy. Watch out for my new website which will have loads of articles and an audio book on there soon. I'm treating this period as a sea voyage and hoping to make a safe landfall on the other side. You keep safe too. Tom
An absolute joy to watch. I love the history lesson!
Thanks Jon. So pleased you're liking the history vids. Tom
It's wonderful to see this historical information and transformation to new technology today!
Isn't it John. Just great that Imrays have continued their illustrious past. Tom
Wonderful nostalgia Tom. I would visit Imray at the quayside St Ives in the mid eighties to collect charts and pilot guides for the East Coast. Later for the Caribbean. Memories.
Thanks Geoffrey. It's a wonderful place, isn't it. Tom
What an excellent insight to cartography, thank you so much for bringing it to us Tom!
I'm delighted you liked it Jack. Tom
Brilliant video and very interesting keep up the good work big man love it.. your a natural on the camera
Such a great video from a great person. Thank you for making them and your wife for filming. Love your work.
Thanks, however Ros my wife wasn't behind the camera on this occasion. It was my mate Steve, the professional camera/sound man. Tom
Brilliant Tom. My favourite of yours so far. (Though the oil-fired riding light in Sweden is a memorable second.) Thanks so much for bringing us this spirit-lifting content in troubled times. Lovely to see the folks behind my Imray app, that helps me pilot my kayak on the high seas. What a great little British firm, producing such excellent charts and data, in both old and new styles. Hope you and Ros are well. Fair winds to kinder seas...
Thanks Amy. Kind of you to comment. Yes, I agree, a great traditional firm. All well here thanks. Keep safe. Tom
Thank You, Tom!
My pleasure Chris. Tom
I really enjoyed this. So much history in sailing. I learn so much everytime I watch these
Tom. Yet another excellent video. We have covered our journey so far planning all our passages using Imray paper charts and the very detailed pilot guides. They are without doubt the best charts. Not only do they give an overview and detail but, the level of additional information on the inset's for depths, tidal information and visual references is outstanding. While vector charts give a lot of detail when zoomed in electronically, as you say this disappears at a wider view. While the modern electronics helps it should always be viewed as an "aid to navigation". On Impavidus we say. "Plan on Paper, Plot on paper, Guide by electronics". Hopefully when we leave port (if we can leave port) we will have been able to order by the Imray web site all the charts we need for out next seasons 1000-1500 Nm sail through the eastern Med. It's good to see that while the technology has changed in producing Imray's. The attention to detail and the quality continues along with the long standing values that they have guided us with over the last 35 years sailing. Well done Imray! Thank you Tom and team for showing the work that goes into what we think are the best charts! (and pilot books) Sail Safe guys. Ant, Cid and the pooch crew.
Hi Ant, Cid and the pooch crew. Very good advice that I wholeheartedly concur with. Hope you manage to get away soon. Tom
Being in Newfoundland, what stood out for me was the chart of Placentia from 1800 by Francis Owen. Captain Cook spent 5 seasons making accurate charts of the island in the 1760s. It was amazing work they were able to do back then with the tools they had. Castle Hill can be seen on the chart, and is now a National Historic Site (www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/nl/castlehill). A good chart is like a good book.
It is incredible the accuracy of the old charts, considering the instruments they had. Clever folk and meticulous attention to detail. Talk about intellectual rigour! Tom
A wonderful film, Tom. Thanks to you and everyone involved. Andy.
Thanks for being in touch. Tom
When I saw you sitting next to that funny old chair I asked myself “what’s Tom doing sitting next to that funny old chair?”, so I am very glad you explained it, saved me trying to work it out. Great videos for old men like me, I am already looking forward to the next one.
Hi. I thought that would get everyone guessing. I would have liked to have sat in it, just to say I'd sat in Nelson's favourite chair, but they wouldn't let me and quite right too! Will work on some more vids soon. Tom
I could listen to you for hours Tom. Always looking forward to your next video. Please be careful and take Constance out to sea to stay safe from this horrible virus. All the best from Holland!
Hi Robin. I wish I could escape to sea, it's the place to be. However, Constance is quarantined in Denmark at present and I'm in the UK. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns A very unexpected disadvantage of keeping your yacht abroad! Take care Tom, and thanks again for your excellent TH-cam channel.
Fascinating Tom as always! As an aside , in Hand ,Reef and Steer, the last thing you said was to recommend the Admiralty Manual of Seamanship. Well I ordered a copy on ebay and it came today! What a brilliant book! 1964 version ,volume 1 . Thank you for the tip. BTW I have a Heard 23, gaffer.
Hi Jim. Glad you're enjoying the book. That'll keep you occupied for a while. Lovely boat too. I knew Martin Heard well. A truly great guy. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns Thats the second time ive read your's! Yes the Admiralty book is great. Just getting mine up and running as it were , she'snot been sailed for about 3 years, bought her last October. I also sail with the Cornish Maritime Trust. Hope you are keeping well in these times. Jim.
Absolutely lovely video about a lovely firm. I must confess to a slight advantage as I live just a few minutes drive from Imrays in Huntingdon and so I usually call in to pick up my chart, save on postage and experience the wonderful old-fashioned atmosphere. One thing, Tom . . . I was rather hoping you'd ask that young lad doing the chart on waters near Glasgow just what training he'd had to be a cartographer. It's obviously a hell of a responsibility creating a marine chart and he seemed SO young. Or maybe it's the policeman thing again!
Sorry, I meant St Ives, not Huntingdon!
That would have been a good question Pete. I should have thought of it. Nice to be able to drop in. Tom
Great video as usual Tom
Cheers mate. Tom
Classic and modern history as told by the classic man himself. Thank you for sharing with us.
My pleasure Larry. Tom
Oh yes saving my boredom locked up in my house. Also NELSONS CHAIR holy molly that's amazing. Best video yet Tom
Cheers for that. Tom
Fantastic watch. Great to see the care that goes into creating the charts, as well as the modern techniques in use at a company with so much history.
Thanks John. I found it fascinating too. Tom
Really interesting episode. Many thanks, Tom
Super film, Tom, well done. Hey, I've been there many times and they never told me about that chair!!
Me too! That's the first time I've ever set eyes on the chair. Tom
Brought back so many memories of my time at sea using Nories tables on a daily basis to calculate a position. would like to replace my lost copy of Nories.
Enjoyed this post immensely thank you Sir!
I remember my dad, oh 45 yrs ago had charts from the US Antarctic ships, 50 - 100 of them, the one's he kept he sent away to be updated....
Wow. They must be something. America is a great place for historic charts. An old lady friend of mine on the Vineyard once showed me some charts of her great grandfather's. He was a whaling captain under sail. There was also a rolled up one of the East Coast that went on forever. What people they were. Thanks for reminding me. Tom
That was really interesting. Thanks very much.
Glad you enjoyed it Barry. Thanks. Tom
Thanks Tom, another wonderful Reithian video. Good to see you at the CA dinner last month, I very much enjoyed your talk.
Thanks Buster. The CA was my last talk before shut down as I've had to cancel all the others. Tom
Just a matter of riding out the squall, take care
A really interesting film. Thanks Tom for this insight into the development of Imray nautical charts.
Thanks. I found it fascinating too. Tom
That was very interesting. ...and the folding bit too, yes... Thanks Tom.
Thanks for watching. Tom
Well Tom, that is one of the best videos I’ve seen in ages, absolutely fascinating. I love maps and charts and can look at them for hours; and the Clyde is where I sail with the Imray small chart portfolio of the Clyde cruising area. Well done.
Thanks David. I agree with you. I can spend hours dreaming over charts. Tom
Fascinating, as ever. Thank you.
Thanks James. Tom
That was a very interesting visit. And as for Nelson's chair.... well. Thank you for sharing.
It's special, isn't it Dale. Tom
Excellent information at an understandable level. many thanks AJ
My pleasure AJ. Thanks Tom
Thank you for sharing this with us Mr C it was very interesting and informative sending regards 👏❤️😁x
Thanks for watching. Tom
I am awe-struck!!!
Hope that's a good thing! Tom
Facinating episode Mr Tom! Amazing! As you alluded to, imagine cartographers in the City of London, or the Admiralty in the 19th century, working copper plates in dark offices with spurious data.....how far we have come! My Atlantic passage has been put on hold sadly, perhaps next May all things being equal, but I will be ordering up one of your Shell South Coast England/ Northern France guides...i want to sail back into Cowes and Hamble, Lymington....but also all the small ports I only blew by years ago, beginning at Falmouth and sailing east!
Oh....the chair....as mighty in stature as Nelson was, he was pretty small! You sitting beside the chair made it look like a child’s play chair! Thanks, really enjoyed this. Andrew
I'm 6ft 6in and make most folks look small. They wouldn't let me sit in the sacred chair and quite right too, but just to be alongside it was something. Sorry to hear about your Atlantic trip. I was supposed to be sailing in the Channel this summer updating the Shell Channel pilot, but that's not looking so good now. If you want to buy a pilot book, go to my website. I can sign it and put a message on if you want. We're germ free here and in lockdown, but I can print the label at home and throw the package at the post box. Tom
Tom Cunliffe - Yachts and Yarns Heading online! Thanks! Andrew
Amazing insight into the dark art of cartography! Valuable reference for a book scene (just a thousand years earlier :D)
Brilliant! Thanks for showing us how it’s done!
My pleasure. Tom
what a great video thanks
Glad you enjoyed it Hale. Tom
I love these videos. These people, in their quiet competence and modesty, have saved scores of lives and opened up world travel in small craft. On more than one occasion I've looked at a chart, and I've always dug the paper one out in these circumstances, and I've said or thought to myself that as long as the chart's right we'll be ok - always has been.
I've used Imray, but always bought Admiralty for my own use. The only reason being is that's what I started being shown in my early teens - silly really.
There's a real magic in the air to places like these offices, like a well run sail loft or boat builders yard - especially the builders in wood.
The memorabilia was really great, the chair, that old chart and the books, but the best thing by far is you meeting the people. Lucy and her crew (yes pun intended) were brilliant and I love the idea of using a chart that Jonathan or Matt will have worked on now that I've seen them.
I wonder how many viewers were watching you take that chart out of the printer and saying, out loud, like I was 'is it wet or warm Tom!' - magic.
All power to you and your people, stay safe. Cheers
Thanks Henry. I agree, it's really interesting to meet the folks behind something that we use. We're in good hands! Tom
awesome video thank you so much
Cheers Jacilynn. Tom
Lovely Lucy :-)
Very interesting and informative Tom, many thanks.
Thanks Frank. I enjoyed making the vid. Tom
I’d not made the link with my copy of Nories and Imray et al.
Haversines - my god I’d forgotten all about those nightmare days of Marcq St. Hilaire. Still have my sight book somewhere. Probably as crumbling as the copy of Nories you were caressing.
Excellent distraction from waiting to chock to death or not.
Thanks again for another great video.
Hi Nigel. I started learning with Marcq St Hilaire and really struggled until my late father-in-law, an ex Spitfire/aerobatics/commercial airline pilot put me straight about AP3270. Never looked back! Tom
Great video. Absolutely fascinating!
Cheers Tom.
Thanks Tom for a wonderfully informative session. Just the ticket for a "land-locked" sailor like me.
Glad you enjoyed the visit. I'll be putting more vids up soon plus a load of stuff on my website to give becalmed sailors a taste of salt we're all missing. Tom
Very interesting Tom, thanks
Thanks for watching Julian. Tom
Brilliant film Tom - more of these please!! Is it worth going to a sextant maker? With the history of the device too?
Good idea. I don't know when or where, but I'll put it on the list. Tom
Remember visiting Imray about 30 years ago to collect some charts. I was served by 2 lovely old ladies who asked if I wanted my charts folded. Done by hand in those days and the lady pressed the creases down with, what she told me, was an old whalebone!
That's a grand tale Peter. I wonder if one of those ladies was Lucy's grandmother? I remember her working there many years ago. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns That was Barbara and Ged. They worked in the chart folding room and my sisters and I spent many a school holiday with them aged 13 or 14 photocopying correction notices and sticking them onto charts with Pritt Stick before despatch. Barbara still works with us, 30-ish yrs later, no Pritt Stick in sight these days though as corrections are available to download!
i went there in the early 80s to buy the charts and pilots for my 1st atlantic circuit in 1985
Print-on-Demand is an amazing technology.
Thanks Tom, very interesting, those door frames are not Tom sized.
Not much is my size! Tom
07:30 you can hear the cogs turning. Well until you arrived.
Nice!
What can you do in these days of Corona Virus ( not a computer virus ) but to look at Toms yachting videos , today i had a look at your latest . If you would allow me to dwell upon the subject . Here is my story :
Very interesting to see how the way of making of charts have changed over the years . I have in my possession 3 Imray Blueback charts from 1899-1890 . North Sea 1,40x1.05 meter , Faroe Islands ,Shetland and Orkney islands , British isle and the Channel 2,00x1,00 meter and the White See 1,30x1,40 meter interestingly no mention of scale of the charts .
These charts had been used by the uncle of father , who was first mate of the 3 mast barque Wifsta Varv ( 500 tons ship ) . I remembered as a child unfolding the charts and trying to follow the route of the ship on its way to Arkhangel in Russia . The markings in the charts seemed to be at random , but they were of course the result of winds and currents . Many years later when our yacht an HR 352 was in Leufkas and Leros in Greece did I rediscover the Imray Yachting charts . It is extraordinary with such a long history of a company . Maybe you should venture to do charts in the Baltic as well , so I could go on using your charts . Best regards Jan Kullenberg HR352 Ystad Sweden
Hi Jan. What a treasure those charts must be. Next time I'm in Ystad you must show me. Thanks for watching and keep healthy. Tom
I had just decided that in addition to my local paper, I will maintain electronic access to separate devices (pc and tablets) with both raster (from VMH) and sector chart plotter software for looking/dreaming of further afield (simultaneously).
That decision was based EXACTLY on the disappearing information on different levels of vectors (that I like for other reasons)
Then I came across this little video and you vindicated my decision.
OK OK. I'll get your pilot then.
Cheers Ratus Bagus. I'm pleased to have vindicated your decision. Tom
I wonder if you'd like to do a segment on sailing in literature. Conrad, London, Hemingway.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll have a think about that. You've picked some winners there. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns I recall Conrad, through the voice of Lord Jim, ominously explaining to a native the demonic manifestation surely to result were the water level ever to disappear below the boiler sight glass of his tramp steamer. Or was that in 'Heart of Darkness' ? No matter, good advice nonetheless. I could go on, but I'd rather you did since you've been much closer to the action. To the sea that is, not boilers, that was my trade. But it was while I was tending boilers that I read many of these classics. Thank's for sharing your memories, Tom.
YEH JON YOU FAMOUS NOWW
Nice video
Thanks. Tom
I suppose all sailors love charts as many shore-based people and aviators love their maps too. No doubt many have pored over maps and charts and imagined all those cruises and journeys that were never made, and might never be made, but a good map or chart can bring it alive.
Regarding sextants, I probably mentioned this already on a comment to another video, but you can do astro navigation in the back yard or on the street (neighbours might gossip!) using an "artificial horizon" which is a fancy word for a bowl of water to reflect the sun. I use cooking oil as it doesn't move about so much, and mercury would be even better - they used it on the 1801 Lewis & Clark expedition. Oil or water don't really work for stars as the reflections are too dim. The angle has to be divided by 2 (reflection doubles the angle) so low latitudes and/or summer might push the sextant to its limit. However, I have managed to "fix" my house position to within 10 nm which isn't too bad!
Have you ever sailed in Georgian Bay and the North Channel of Lake Huron in Canada?
No Melvyn, I've never been in that area. Bet it's lovely. Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns It is my favourite sailing mecca, It is reminiscent of your "squeeze through the rocks" video. A great place to sail.
Amazing. Raster charts are OK, but Navionics electronic charts can be dangerous.
That woman is the very definition of pretty!
And she has a lovely personality to go with it. Tom
Whoosh right over me head
Wonderful tour, wonderful company! But... I really can't get my head around the Imray color scheme. On the Dutch admiralty charts white is deep and dark (blue) is shallow.
I guess I'm used to the colour scheme on Imray charts. They are quite distinctive. Tom
Hello, Lucy from Imray here. The logic for us is that the colours should reflect what happens in reality. Deep water is darker blue than shallow water in real life. Land is green, sand is yellow... it's all hopefully pretty intuitive. The Hydro Offices possibly use white - no ink - to show deep water as it makes them cheaper to print than big areas of blue.
@@LucyMarkAbby Thanks for your answer Lucy! That makes quite a lot off sense. The Dutch hydrografic office being cheap on ink.... sounds plausible :-)
@@LucyMarkAbby I am currently helping my neighbor prepare a trip from the Netherlands to Turkey. Just bought The IMRAY charts of the eastern part of the Mediterranean including Italy, Greece, and Turkey all up to Israel Egypt and the African cost. I use OpenCpn and o-charts. Great deal for just about 100 euros. Any plans to offer more charts trough O-Charts? Would be great if all of Europe would be available! Now this set I bought is all that is available from IMRAY.
That would be a good read with that chart in hand (Reading between the tides: 200 years of measuring global sea level - www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-tech/reading-between-tides-200-years-measuring-global-sea-level)
Thanks Sylvie for the link. Tom
Technology of today is mind blowing
A little nervous of vector as source data and although I can see the logic, I'm slightly uncomfortable with loss of deeper contours.
It smacks a little, of dumbing down.
Deep water soundings are simply not needed on Charts used by yachtsmen, the average yacht draws less than 2m
get this on the BBC ......
I'm up for it John! Just tell 'em. Tom
Lucy Wilson is cute.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thanks! Tom
💪🗺👍
Tom, sorry but you were easily eclipsed by Lucy here.
I'm joining her fan club that you've started in your comments section here.
Lucy is a lovely lady and much easier on the eye than myself! Tom
@@TomCunliffeYachtsandYarns You can say that again. Though I don't expect you will.
Loved the opening soundtrack and pan-back of the chair BTW.
Somebody on your team has a creative bent.