Tide graph watches

[SJK]

Can anyone tell me if they have a tide graph watch and how useful they have found it for offshore sailing around the UK coast? I am considering buying an Optimum watch, an OS611 with a good sized display or similar, but I keep being put off by the thought that I have all the information I need in the almanac, the binacle compass and the ship's barometer. So what point is there in buying a gadget watch? A disappointing thought as I do like gadgets, but not if they are going to be redundant as soon as I have got them.

I would appreciate your thoughts and advice.

Best wishes for a good September.

SJK

 

[guernseyman]

I've had one for a couple of years or so.
It's invaluable for my home port. Although I have tide tables everywhere, I usually look at the watch, unless I'm passage planning or wanting accuracy.
I don't think it would be much use when sailing because you would need to keep adjusting it. You would probably also want the accuracy of a tide table.

 

[snowleopard]

I have had a couple of them. Firstly they only divide the 12 hour cycle into 6 sections so very little precision. They are useful to give a rough idea if the tide is going to be in when you go down to the coast but very little use for sailing. The more expensive - and heavy - ones with tide hands are more useful. They all require you to set them for a single location and it's non-trivial to change the location so not much use for extended cruising.

 

[ditchcrawler]

Mine has to be set to a position of (from memory) half a degree of longitude.It only gives a very approximate indication of whether the tide is going up or down at that position. I find the two time zones more useful when sailing abroad.

 

[Rob_Webb]

I'm very happy with my seapathfinder:

http://www.shopwiki.co.uk/_Casio-Sea-Pathfinder-Sports-Watch-(SPF-40T-7VER)?s=644722&o=268094617

I wear it sailing mainly cos I don't want to wear my more valuable Tag on the water. And so if I'm going to have a different watch for sailing I thought I might as well get some vaguely useful functions. And they are vaguely useful for giving a broad indication of state of tide, moon and air pressure. I rarely use the compass but the temp sensor is more useful at times. Overall worth having as a second watch for sailing, I've found.

 

[oldharry]

I have had several. The big limitation is they only work for one location, and changing it is not easy. Also only the expensive ones do more than divide the tide in to three or four segments so only giving a rough idea of the state of the tide, and no indication of actual HW times. Also they calculate the tide on an average basis, that is they simply add the average time between tides, so although they remain accurate over say a month, they do not take in to account short term variation of tide times as they move from Spring to Neap for example. No substitute for tide tables and Almanac as far as navigation goes. But quite useful for a glance to see what time of day the tide will be up enough to get to the mooring!

 

[Fascadale]

At a tangent........

My iPhone now does all the tidal stuff. There is an "app" which does 7 days of tides all round the country. I find it very useful

 

[Ruffles]

I've got a cheap casio that shows tides and moon. More useful when away from the boat - you can get it to predict days ahead.

Unfortunately the strap has broken. Seems a common problem with casio watches these days. Anyone know where you can get velcro watch straps? Used to see them everywhere.

 

[snowleopard]

Unfortunately the strap has broken. Seems a common problem with casio watches these days.

I'm on my 3rd - the strap goes long before the battery gives out and it's cheaper to buy a new watch rather than replace the strap. Try a market for cheap replacements.

 

[Rob_Webb]

Hah! Yup I've also gone through about 3 of the cheaper black resin Casio pathfinders but I decided to go for the titanium version in a bid to make it last a bit longer... so far so good.

 

[tross]

I've got a cheap casio that shows tides and moon. More useful when away from the boat - you can get it to predict days ahead.

Unfortunately the strap has broken. Seems a common problem with casio watches these days. Anyone know where you can get velcro watch straps? Used to see them everywhere.

Yup you ca buy then direct from Casio - quite reasonable as well

 

[SJK]

Thanks to all for the insider knowledge and advice. I reckon I'll steer clear of the tide graph functions for the present until the manufacturers introduce something a bit smarter; hopefully will not be too long.
I have seen the iPhone and iTouch app, and was very impressed with that, unfortunately I do not have either although my kids do.
As for velcro watch straps, I get mine from the local market. It costs five quid fitted. Bargain.

happy sailing