How to find tide current direction?

[eamnesia]

I have Garmin BlueChart for Long Island and would like to find the tidal currents (direction and speed) around the East River. Unfortunatly I can find only the estimated water level. How can I do with BlueChart? Even better, is there any place on internet with tidal forecast?

thanks

[sailingdog]

You really need to get either Eldridge or Reed's East Coast almanac.. .

[camaraderie]

Nah...just take this URL and download your own windows tides and current predictor for anywhere. FREE!
http://www.wxtide32.com/

[sailingdog]

From the Wxtide32 website:

Do not rely on the output of this program for decisions that can result in harm to any person or property. There is no way to provide certified data on a zero budget so if you need guaranteed results then WXTide32 is not for you.

Get and use Eldridge's or Reeds... neither requires a computer or anything more than a clock, and the ability to read.

[SanderO]

I am curious in this age of hi tech, why NOAA doesn't use a series transducers to generate real time data which can be accessed on a web site. with a clock to advance the date in 1 hrs increments for a day or two?

I like the graphic feel of going to a chart and seeing the current (vectors) on the entire body of water... as opposed to using reference stations etc.

There is a nifty current chart for 24 hrs in Reeds or Eldridges which is very handy. But this can be turned in an web site which coastal sailors could access real time. Why not?

I think the same could be done with AIS where you could access a chart via the intenet (on board of course) where you could see all the AIS based traffic.

I do foresee the time in the not too distant future when sailors with be web enabled and be able to receive local charts with "layers" of information... weather, current, traffic etc.

Waiting patiently on watch.

jef
sv shiva

[sailingdog]

While this would be of use to armchair sailors, it isn't that useful to sailors out on sailboats. Most sailboats I know of don't have an internet connection, unless they're at the dock.

[btrayfors]

NOAA does provide tide and current predictions for major U.S. sites. The current predictions for 2007 can be found here:

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/currents07/

Bill

[wind_magic]

Originally Posted by SanderO

I think the same could be done with AIS where you could access a chart via the intenet (on board of course) where you could see all the AIS based traffic.

I thought somebody said they were avoiding this kind of thing for terror threat reasons, something about AIS being a proximity warning system but not wanting everyone in the world to know at a button click exactly what ships are where at all times.

[SanderO]

SD,

I suspect that web based navigation gear will be appearing on sailboats in the future and not be for the well keeled mega yachts and armchair sailors. I can't predict when there will be some sort of marinized web receiver which can access real time data... but I see it in the future.

People with Raymarine can add on Sirius Sat weather now to their plotters so it is beginning to happen as we chat.

jef
sv shiva

[camaraderie]

Dawg...
RE: Tides32 program.
Just like charts...it is always prudent to have paper back up. Nevertheless..
you get the same disclaimer on lots of stuff...it is CYA. The program is deadly accurate for the US, Canada and the Caribe as the datum is the same as Eldrige and NOAA uses from the gov't. It may vary elsewhere where things are less free and open.