MAXIMUM Harbormaster Tide Clock Instruction Manual
- June 9, 2024
- MAXIMUM
Table of Contents
HARBORMASTER
Installation / Operation Instructions
INSTALLATION
Please follow this procedure before setting your tide clock. Use of our wall
mounted panels or mantle mounts is recommended but not necessary. Our panels
are pre-drilled so that centering the instrument is not a concern.
Simply screw the two supplied right angle hangers into the two centrally
located pilot holes on either side of the large hole in the panel. These
hangers should be screwed in so that there is approximately a ½” of clearance
left between the hanger and the panel.
On the back of your tide clock you will find 2 holes that will line up with
the hangers. Align the holes and hangers and push the clock against the panel.
The clocks three rubber feet (not the rim of the brass case) will now be
resting on the panel. While still applying pressure against the rubber feet
simply slide the clock down so that it seats on the 2 hangers. If this feels
too tight simply back the hangers off one turn. If it feels too loose simply
tighten the hangers one turn.
If you are not using one of our panels you can use the supplied template to
spot the hanger holes on your mounting surface. Using a #50 or 1/16” drill bit
bore the two hanger holes into your mounting surface. The installation
instructions above will now apply as if you were using one of our panels. Do
not remove decorative screws around the instrument for mounting. Mounting
with screws while protective rubber bumpers are in place will cause premature
failure.
TIDE SETTING
Insert a standard AA 1.5 volt battery in the battery compartment (+ side
first) observing proper polarity. Look at the face and check that the round
disc with the small hand at the center of the clock is rotating. This is the
“going indicator” and its sole purpose is for you to verify that the clock is
operating. You are now ready to set the Harbormaster. It is first necessary to
determine the exact time of the high or low tide you wish to set the clock to.
This information is most easily found in a current tide table, either printed
or on-line. When reading a tide table, remember to allow for the difference
(if any) between your exact location and that of the reference location. Once
you have determined when high or low tide is, simply set the clock accordingly
at that time using the thumbwheel on the clock mechanism just above the
battery.
HOW A TIDE CLOCK WORKS
It has been known for centuries that up and down the east coast, tides occur
approximately 50 minutes later each day than they did the day before. The
primary reason for this daily lag can be traced to the moon. It takes the
earth 24 hours to make one complete rotation in relation to the sun. This
rotation is called a “solar day”. It takes the moon 24 hours and 50 minutes
to make one complete rotation around the earth. This rotation is called a
“lunar day”. It is the moon’s close proximity to us and the relatively strong
gravitational effect it has on the earth that causes the tides to follow the
moon’s lunar schedule of 24 hours and 50 minutes per cycle.
While this lunar cycle is the primary force behind the workings of the tide,
it is not the only force. On a daily basis the average tidal cycle of 24 hours
and 50 minutes can be affected by such cosmic variables as the relative
position of the earth to the sun and the specific elliptical pattern of the
moon around the earth. Localized variables affecting daily tides also exist.
These would include strong winds, changes in atmospheric pressure, distant
storms and an infinite number of other atmospheric conditions. The total
affect of all these different factors cause tides to vary around the average
point of 24 hours and 50 minutes. These variations can cause the reading of
your tide clock to be either fast or slow in relation to actual tides, by as
much as one hour or more on any given day. However, the rhythmic 24 hour and
50 minute cycle will prevail over any given 28 day lunar period. Basically
what all this means, is that on any give day the clock may read fast or slow,
but over a 28-day period it will average itself out to be correct.
For most purposes, high and/or low tide is not really a point in time, but a
condition that exists over a period of time. If for some reason you require
exact tide information you should always refer to a current tide table. The
purpose of a tide clock is not to be exact, but to tell us the best
approximate time to go swimming, fishing, boating, etc. For these functions a
tide clock works just fine.
TROUBLESHOOTING
It is very easy to determine if your Harbormaster is functioning properly. First make sure it has a fresh battery. Then, simply time it against a regular clock. It takes 12 hours for a regular clock to make one complete revolution. However, a tide clock requires 12 hours and 25 minutes to make one complete revolution. If the hand on your Harbormaster completes one revolution in 12 hours and 25 minutes it is working properly. If it takes more or less than 12 hours and 25 minutes then there is a problem and the clock should be sent to the factory for service.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Your brass case is solid brass A70-30 Hollowware quality with a durable lacquer finish. It is in fact a piece of jewelry and should be treated as such. It should be cleaned at least once a week to keep airborne pollutants (dust, etc…) and any moisture from collecting on the case thereby attacking the lacquer. At no time should you use an abrasive cleaner or cloth on the brass case. Simply use a soft cloth or soft paper towel with a mild glass cleaner to wipe the case clean. If your instruments are in a summer home, and you are not able to clean them regularly, simply lay a small cloth or towel across the top two-thirds so that dust cannot settle on the finish.
COMPONENTS
Along with the indicator, the following components are included with the
instrument:
PIN OR TACK TO USE TEMPLATE USE A LEVEL
TO MAKE LINE LEVEL
OR
USE A PIN OR TACK TO MOUNT
TEMPLATE ON WALL AT POINT SHOWN.
ATTACH A PAPER CLIP WHERE INDICATED.
LET THE TEMPLATE LEVEL ITSELF.
SPOT TWO HANGER HOLES ATTACH PAPER CLIP HERE 30 Samuel Barnet Boulevard
New Bedford, Massachusetts 02745
508-995-2200 www.maximum-
inc.com