In the latest issue of Motor Boats Monthly (out Thursday), we've dedicated a massive 21 pages to the delights of overseas cruising.

As part of this package, we take a special look at crossing the Channel, and the preparations you need to make before setting off.

To make things easy, we've produced a map showing some of the obstacles encountered en route along with some of the best crossing points.

You can download the Channel crossings map in detailed pdf format , or head to MBM's gallery to see a smaller jpeg version of the map .