Shell Channel Pilot – Still the Go-To Guide for Channel Hops?
Thinking about crossing the Channel this season? Or maybe just finally fancy a proper explore of the Channel Islands or north Brittany, tides permitting? Before you start plotting GPS routes and downloading half the internet, do yourself a favour and grab a copy of the Shell Channel Pilot.
It’s not flashy. No QR codes. No slick app tie-in. But what you do get is one of the most trusted channel cruising guidesever written—updated, seaworthy, and full of the sort of advice that only comes from folks who’ve spent years dodging pots off Cap de la Hague and sneaking into St. Vaast before the sill shuts.
What makes it gold?
It’s clear, compact, and written like your mate in the pub—only that mate has a decade’s worth of tidal timing advice, radio channel lists, and first-hand warnings about harbour cross-flows and overfalls. Whether you’re skirting the Varne, plotting a Cherbourg hop, or figuring out the Alderney Race without your crew turning green, it has your back.
We’ve given it a full once-over: what it covers, who it’s best for, what it’s brilliant at—and where it falls short. If you’re sitting on the fence wondering whether this old-school paperback still earns its keep in a cockpit full of plotters, AIS, and Navionics, this is for you.
📝 Read our full review for the pros, cons, tidal tricks, and why it’s still a must-pack for serious coastal cruisers.
🔗 Full review: Shell Channel Pilot – Your Channel Cruising Guide
