Passage planning for tidal waters

Specific tide data for your route delivered to your iPad.

course2steer uses route-specific tide data to calculate course-to-steer, estimated positions and passage timing.

See how it works Contact course2steer
A navigator using an iPad beside a paper chart at a yacht's chart table
Designed to work alongside chartwork, chartplotters and existing navigation apps.

Why course2steer

Using tide data in passage planning.

Modern technology has transformed navigation, but tide forecasts can still be manual, less accessible and difficult to apply to a route.

Charted tidal diamonds and traditional tables provide valuable information, yet the navigator must often decipher, interpolate and plot the effect of set and drift by hand. course2steer brings accurate, relevant tide data into a useful mobile app that calculates the best course-to-steer while planning a passage or underway.

Example of a traditional tidal diamond data table

From information to calculation

Route-specific, time-specific, useful.

Tide data is selected for the navigator’s route, date, time and projected position, then converted into one calculation-ready tide table.

How it works

From route import to underway updates.

course2steer connects the route, the forecast and the real passage.

  1. Bring the route

    Import a GPX route and set the planned departure time, speed through the water, leeway and magnetic variation.

  2. Build the tidal picture

    Acquire tide data closest to the route, projected time and position, then build a tide table for the passage.

  3. Calculate the course

    Compare navigation methods, plot course-to-steer and estimated positions, and check the predicted track and timing.

  4. Update underway

    Use an observed position or revised conditions to recalculate the rest of the passage, including while offline.

Experience

Before departure, at the chart table and underway.

Use course2steer before departure, at the chart table and underway. It complements established navigation practice rather than replacing it.

Before departure

Prepare the passage

Set the route and passage parameters. course2steer builds the tidal picture for the planned time window.

At the chart table

Compare and check

Compare Standard and CrossTide methods, plot the resulting course and review estimated positions and arrival time.

Underway

Keep the plan current

Update timing, speed, leeway or an estimated position. The remaining passage is recalculated with refreshed data.

Data APIs

Copernicus Marine, Admiralty and NOAA tide data.

course2steer connects to digital tide providers through their application programming interfaces (APIs).

The selected data is specific to the navigator’s route and time window. Provider samples are validated and converted into one consistent tide table for use by the navigation engine.

Copernicus Marine Service

Provides ocean-model forecasts of tidal currents by date, time and position. Its modelling incorporates atmospheric pressure and tide station observations to refine forecasts.

UKHO Admiralty Tidal API

Supplies astronomical tide predictions that support passage planning months in advance. Data can be selected for the route, departure time and projected passage position.

NOAA tides and currents

Publishes US tide and current information through station-based APIs, including predictions, hourly water levels, currents and related measurements.

Provider-independent processing course2steer converts different provider formats into the same route-specific tide-data model.

System overview

Preparing tide data for the navigation engine.

The course2steer server obtains provider samples and the iPad app performs the interactive navigation workflow.

A passage session stores the route parameters, canonical tide table and calculation inputs required for later offline adjustment and replay.

A representative network of modern marine navigation instruments

Built as a companion

Used alongside existing navigation systems.

Chartplotters excel at electronic charts, position, speed and heading. course2steer focuses on applying the tide to route planning, course-to-steer and passage timing.

Contact

For product enquiries please contact:

clayton@lockehaven.co.uk
Lockehaven Limited Company number 12378511 Registered in England and Wales 41 Simons Walk Egham TW20 9SJ United Kingdom