The calculation is simple, the setup is not
Most wrong answers come from mixing up charted depth, drying height, height of tide, draught, and clearance. Label each value before calculating.
Tidal heights practice
Tidal heights questions test whether you can turn a tide table into a safe depth decision. Good practice links height of tide, charted depth, drying height, draught, clearance, and timing.
| Skill | Day Skipper focus | Advanced focus |
|---|---|---|
| Height of tide | Read HW/LW and estimate height at a given time | Integrate height with pilotage, margins, and passage timing. |
| Depth and clearance | Add height of tide to charted depth and compare with draught | Apply safety margins in less forgiving approaches. |
| Secondary ports | Understand differences from the standard port | Handle timing and height changes across a longer plan. |
Practice with a margin
Revision should include decisions: not just can I get in, but what margin remains and when should I arrive?
Move to advanced tides when the basics are reliable
Coastal and Yachtmaster tide work often combines streams, heights, secondary ports, and passage constraints in one decision.
Common questions
What is the most common tidal heights mistake?
Mixing up height of tide with depth available. Depth available is the charted depth plus height of tide, adjusted for drying heights where relevant.
Should I revise tides before chartwork?
Revise them together. Tides affect course to steer, depth decisions, pilotage timing, and passage planning.
Choose the revision route that matches what you are studying now.
Access is course-specific unless a bundle clearly says otherwise. Each brand stays on its own domain inside the Compass Revision Network.