New Year Message from the Trustees and Management Committee

As we move into the new year, the Pilotage Foundation continues to recover from the knockdown that came with the pandemic of 2020-21. Sales of our Imray titles have continued to recover in 2022, although still down some 14% on pre-pandemic levels, while our Adlard Coles titles – Pacific Crossing Guide, Atlantic Crossing Guide and Ocean Sailing – have increased steadily over the period.
The sales figures benefitted from the new publications during the year – Nicholas Hill’s Germany and Denmark – a new title for the Foundation – in June 2022 and Judy Lomax’s 4th edition of Norway, published in August.

Recognising the outstanding work in the publishing of pilotage information through her authoring of 4 editions of the Norway pilot over 15 years, Judy was awarded the Archie Black prize by the Royal Cruising Club.
2022 also saw considerable further developments of the Explore with Imray digital pilotage platform. Coverage has been expanded to include content from 26 books including a large part of the Pilotage Foundation portfolio and considerable enhancements have been made to the display of pilotage information and to functionalities available to users. Explore with Imray is on course to represent the digital hub for all Imray’s pilotage information including commentary and feedback from users which will facilitate the updating for new editions.
Otherwise, the lifting of travel restrictions has allowed authors to continue with or complete their research on new editions so that we look forward to the publication in 2023 of new editions of North Africa, Atlantic France, Channel Islands Cherbourg Peninsula & North Brittany, North Spain (previously South Biscay) and Balearic Isles (previously Islas Baleares). The new publications will go some way to address the considerable backlog of new editions that had accumulated over the past few years. Notwithstanding, and reflecting the continuing priority to keep our publications current and accurate, new editions were commissioned in 2022 for Pacific Crossing Guide, Baltic Sea, Atlantic Spain & Portugal, Isles of Scilly and Arctic & Northern Waters.

On the personnel side, after over 10 years efficiently dealing with the Cruising Notes received from users on the Foundation’s publications, Nick Coleman is standing down from the role Hon Feedback which responsibilities have been taken on by John Lancaster Smith. Also new to the management team is Steven Williams who deals with the promotion of the Foundation in the yachting and other media. Looking forward, and as you will all probably be aware, after some 10 years of enormous success in the role, Jane Russell, the Foundation’s Editor in Chief has decided to step down in 2023. The search for a successor to fill this critical position has already begun. We have been impressed by the high calibre of the expressions of interest received and hope to identify a successor in the near future.
The Pilotage Foundation enters the new year in good order. Although we registered a small deficit for the financial year to 30th Sept 2022, our revenues remain strong, as do our relationships with our publishers, Imray and Adlard Coles. In 2023 our focus continues on maintaining the integrity and currency of our pilotage portfolio and its availability to the widest audience.
Thank you to our authors, publishers, users of our pilotage information and others who have supported the Pilotage Foundation. We wish you all a prosperous and enjoyable 2023.

The Trustees and Management Team Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation