the devide

[sawingknots]

when motoring in a chanel inside a long island do you use the time/current devide factor?theres a certain point behind every island where the tide changes direction

[sawingknots]

uh huh,no clue huh,but hey you can spell good

[ccriders]

Even though LI Sound is a very long way from here and I will probably never sail there, I once studied a tide chart for the sound. It was quite amazing how the ebb and flow set up currents that could have you screaming along, or standing still. I concluded that it would be best to get away from the islands if trying to make distance. I would like to hear how others plan a day's voyage and how to compute a trip that minimizes the time sailing like crazy and going nowhere.
John

[sawingknots]

exactly!its an old tugboat capt.s trick if your going with the tide you might be making 8 knots,but when you reach the divide,sundenly you slow to maybe 2-3 knots,the tows often just wait until the tide reverses,saving gobs of fuel and time,yes time,the same principal applys to sailboats too,are you going to hurry to speed along at 2 knots or wait for the tide and make 8 knots,ofcoarse if one leaves the bay or inlet at the optimum time there may be no waiting at the divide

[sawingknots]

i doubt it would be as much of a benefit in a power boat

[paulk]

Obviously, a powerboat is planing over the surface of the water, so is totally unaffected by the tide. Ask any powerboater, other than a tug captain, for 100% concurrence with this precept. That is why they have a POWERboat. We consult Edlridge's current charts for Long Island Sound religiously for any long distances we do, racing or cruising. There aren't enough really long islands (other than Long Island itself) around here to actually apply any time/current/divide factor, and what we might have is also messed up by river flows. C'est la vie.

[sawingknots]

i understand,but in some place's the coast of s.c and ga comes to mind there are one island after another,ofcoarse you can just go out side but if your not in a hurry the inside passages can make some great sightseeing

[CalebD]

Dude,
(Channeling Doug Sabbag on a bad day)
Are you really asking about the LI Sound in NY/CT or are you asking about any long island? There are several Long Islands and one of them is in the Bahamas. They've got a Cat Island there too but it does not claw too much.
You sail on a lake or a river right? Doesn't the current flow around any islands in a river? Same deal with the tides. Sometimes there are eddies or gyres like in the ocean around the Gulf Stream.
LI Sound is an interesting place to sail but it is not at all as intense as places like the Bay of Fundy up in Canada where the tidal range is like 40'. LI Sound has a tidal range of about 8' at it's highest range. The currents in most of LI Sound are not that high with 2 knots being a high number. The places that get the most intense currents in the LI Sound are at the choke points (The Race, Plum Gut & East River) where the tides flow in and out. There you can have 4 - 5 knots of current which is nearly impossible to sail through on a sailboat if you hit the current wrong. So you plan for going with the tides at the choke points but the rest of it you just harden up and deal with.
I've never seen a tug with a barge waiting for the tide to go in their favor on LI Sound or in the Hudson River. The tugs plow through the current even at the choke points 'cause they have big-assed engines and they can.
Speaking of the Hudson River, it flows both ways, north and south at nearly 2 knots each way. It is quite a fun place to sail and even better for a sailboat race as it adds another layer of variability.
Tides and currents are fun and can be both helpers or adversaries depending on the direction of the wind.
Come on up. I'm sure we got some whiskey you could drink up he'ah.
Personally, I like cheap beer - and lots of it.

[jrd22]

I'm always trying to figure out the route of the stronger currents and the counter currents. In our area (PNW, BC) we routinely have 3-5kt currents to contend with and in the narrows they are much, much higher. Even when making grocery runs to town in the powerboat I take advantage of them as much as possible, I'd rather be making 22+ kts than 13 when possible even if it's a bit out of the way. It's amazing how few sailors seem to take advantage of the counter currents, or even aware of them.

[sawingknots]

absolutely but river currents remain constant,tidal currents are a whole different ball of wax,btw a tug pushing mega tons burn lots of fuel,yeah they can power their way through but skippers are also very aware of their fuel consumtion