How Do I Use Slack Tide?

[Cavalier MK2]

Sit yourself down for a spell with one of the PNW current tables for the passes and check the velocities then reflect on that 12s rule.

[jongleur]

I've just found this site:

DeepZoom Nautical Charts Tides and Currents

It's so cool!

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Bobby Wandering

I guess I should have been more specific. How can I use the slack tide, slack water, to my advantage as I leave and return to the dock? ...............

What you are looking for is "slack current" and in general, it's a lot easier to control a boat in a marina without the current pushing you one way or the other.

As some folks have already mentioned, slack current is often not the same time as high or low (slack) tide. High or low tide is the highest or lowest the water depth will get during that tide cycle. It's possible, especially on a river for the current to continue flowing without the water rising or falling.

[Lepke]

I operate this boat most of the time alone. So along with planning, and better yet no wind, only my inputs effect the boat movements. Slack water high tide is probably the best time for new captains practice boat handling.
Most of the ports in the US NW have bars to cross. The best time is slack water, high tide. Swells get closer together and higher as the water becomes shallower. So crossing a bar is best done at the high tide slack water. Boats have grounded at low tide because the trough is so deep. That can lead to the stern going over the bow.
In the inland passages to Alaska and in most narrows you need to be aware of currents. I've been in a 22 knot current in a boat that normally cruised at 7. Because of planning, it was going my way.

[Bobby Wandering]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

There is no such thing as slack tide.

Tides go up & down. Currents are directional.

Any tide & current book show:

Tides: high, low, high, low

Currents: flood, slack, ebb, slack, flood, etc.

You might want to get these straight in your own mind first.

Good discussion, though.

Awesome. That was very helpful. Thanks, Stu. I got that, now.

S/V Wandering Star
Tacoma, WA

It is what it is.

[Bobby Wandering]

As usual, you all throw in your 2¢, I run around picking up the pennies and gather some sense in the process.

S/V Wandering Star
Tacoma, WA

It is what it is.

[Crabber50]

Deepzoom.com is an excellent resource for watching the future currents and planning your voyage. We use it to calculate what the best time to leave would be, allowing us the best use of current. Now we do not always leave at the optimum time but it is helpful to know what the currents in The Sound will be doing. Some other thoughts are thinking through what the current will do if strong, for example it will normally run fastest in deep open channels and slower towards shore. But can also create great flow across a point, creating back eddies etc. most of this areas are shown very well for Puget Sound.