Tide and currents

We are glad to announce that the new Tide & Currents database was implemented in Transas Navigator.

Our earlier database included more than 10.000 reference points, received from Admiralty T&C database, NOAA and a majority of other additional sources.

The new Tide & Currents database comprises about 5000 reference points, being based only on Admiralty T&C as the key and most up to date resource. The reduce in number, however, doesn’t mean the reduce of quality – on the contrary, the additional data obtained while compilation of the new database just failed to meet our strict requirements.

Safety first principle, as well as the true respect for our customers, are the reasons why we can not afford using out-dated resources.

Tides & Currents is an option for viewing and analyzing dynamic changes in sailing conditions, depending on tidal heights and surface currents direction.

The option enables viewing changing dynamics of tide and current factors and affecting sailing conditions with varying discretion by means of Environment Data Display.

Tides & Currents option also allows the following data to be displayed:

• tidal curve specifying the tidal height depending on the time (UTC or Local)
• critical water level value, set by the navigator proceeding from the ship draft and the minimum passage depth
• time intervals marked with vertical lines and highlighted with color to indicate the water level is higher than the set one

The viewing of tidal currents changes may be associated with the display of tidal height changes dynamics in all the reference points available in the TN tides and currents database. It is worth mentioning that the tidal height in the closest reference point and the distance to this point in the bottom part of Environment Data display are specified for the current moment of time.

The tidal current database was generated basing on the information provided on paper nautical charts, in the official editions of atlases and tables, where tidal current vectors for individual points of the sailing area covered by the given chart or table, are calculated for every hour.

The system allows displaying vectors and taking the tidal current effect into account. Tidal current vectors are shown on the chart panel in the dark blue color. The vectors issue from the reference point, which coordinates and current parameters were taken from the aforementioned sources. The effective tidal current is determined by interpolation between the closest suitable reference points. System Data display shows the vector along with the digital values of the tidal current direction and speed for the current ship position.

Calculations of tidal height are made in accordance with the method described in British Admiralty Tide Tables.