I use swell map ... MAPS not the charts.
http://www.swellmap.com/forecast-maps
The maps have small localized tiles that also take into account tides and currents... updated every 3 to 4 hrs from memory.
 Good for 3 to 5 days out.. excellent indicator 7 days out.
Wed looks light breeze under 5 knots, swell/ chop, mirror flat.

Got to agree with ya Smudge! Steps using Swellmap  planing trips seven days out is nonsense. It changes daily even if its showing all green. Classic example here in Mokau yesterday, fine day no wind swellmap showing one meter on bar. A couple of local boats I know pulled the pin on going fishing as the bar was pumping one and a half to two metres. An out of town big AMF boat arrives decides they are going! Got out but as it jumped the last two big waves coming down a crew member broke his leg. A quick turn around back in, ambulance then rescue chopper arrives to cart him off to Waikato Hospital. Steps No doubt you will write pages on why you think your theory is right but on this occasion I wouldn't bother.

Talking about the weather the fine spell has finally finished, calm but steady rain in the Waikato now. Raglan A cam shows bar as nearly flat for those that can get away from the office for a fish.

Steps using Swellmap  planing trips seven days out is nonsense.
I did not say planned 7 days out and never had... It is a good indicator.. and as in previous posts the pattern often changes between 8 and 24 hrs ...so that 'window' now maybe in the middle of the night or a Friday instead of a sat.
 So its  message to crew "...pencil in this couple days, confirm closer to date"

 3 days out if summer or winter (main seasons) gets to be rather accurate.  The change of season periods, when weather is changable, autumn and spring...things can change.


And yes used it for around 10yrs Waiheke  bottom end furth.. we have even used it to helicopters up onto the mountain thru breaks in cloud in PNG when no holes can be seen from the ground 36 hrs before hand.

 Now we are west coast.. like smudge...he goes manukau bar, we go Waikato bar (that also like Raglin has cctv)  from maps check wind strength direction and swells.

As Geoff mentioned swell map can be  optimistic and the swells on the bar are actually slightly larger

When watch the raglin bar cctv, the  SWs wells tend to be a bit sheltered around the bar.. as indicated by swell map, get out the back and swell get bigger.. as indicated by the map...
Waikato and manukau are not sheltered so what comes straight in from the ocean is what it is.

 Same goes  say head up waiheke channel, mirror flat , stick your nose out from ponui and can be rather snotty if tide and wind are opposite... or chop up out there quick when tide changes...

Its not just about read weather forecast, lets go..
Conditions are about several things.. its about watching swells ,
watching wind direction,
watching highs lows
distance between iso bars on maps,
watch change tide,
 know current direction
under standing lea of land.

 Put that together with good data and then things become reliable.

 If one just looks up a forecast, doesnt matter which one  and dont combine all the factors, then any forecast when out on the water can turn out rather wrong..often.

 So here is how it works  in real time..

So last Sat  7 days out see a POSSIBLE window starting to  form for the bars on frid  for the weekend.
 So thats a pencil in for sat/ sun , possible Monday.
Much the same yesterday 6 days out.
 Today change shows the window actually opens late thurs, window opens for frid thru weekend and closing monday arvo...
From yrs of observation, also having run a local weather station for a few yrs... This time around I can confidently say , bars are open for the weekend...5/6 days out.. and I could not do that a few weeks back because change of season.

So lets see what happens in 5 or 6 days time.. again.

Now I hope this helps some, as my previous posts on there matter have.. and silently use swellmap as forecaste are intended to be used...

Got a BiteAnd a good page on the subject! Steps 99% of the time your knowledge and stuff you know on any topics you post on here in my opinion we all learn something from it! The other 1% like today thought Id'e keep ya honest!! On the guy injured yesterday heard thismorn his foot ended up facing wrong way, not good. I use to go over Mokau bar with a mate in a six meter alloy. Once we took huge air off a big wave. I was wearing me old white Freezing work gummies and the impact when landing nearly broke an ankle. Took few months to come right. That day also we shouldn't of attempted a crossing.    

Lingee, here is the view out the bedroom window right now (1:45pm Tuesday - looking over Stanmore Bay north to Mahurangi etc.)  It is looking good and tomorrow will be better.

Wed..?  I posted right up at the top on mon

Wed looks light breeze under 5 knots, swell/ chop, mirror flat.

 Stil the same for tomorrow. Chop and breeze picks up a little early hrs Thursday.
 Late Frid arvo then turns to crap and your water tanks get a top up right thru to to Monday morning.

Yet same period looks like west coast bars will be a go and our tanks dont get topped up

I've totally given up with the SwellMap charts now. Have used Windy for a while now and it's pretty accurate, but liked the SwellMap charts for an overview of the next few days as easy to read. Just not accurate enough even for that.

So get out yesterday?

Wed..?  I posted right up at the top on mon
Wed looks light breeze under 5 knots, swell/ chop, mirror flat.

 Still the same for tomorrow. Chop and breeze picks up a little early hrs Thursday.

Looks like Chop and breeze picks up a little early hrs Thursday. is a few hrs out .. picking up early morning instead.
Not bad being 4 days out..couple hrs out.

Again looking at the bar window last weekend, Frid starts to look good... well a little better than predicted back then.. thu still not suitable for us and our size boat.. guys been heading out anyway.

 And Sat.. yep window still there, NNE wind picks up a little then drops.. Still all good
The rain comes in from the nth, out at the 400/500m mark  off shore a little earlier than predicted week ago, so maybe a shower around the time we head back to the bar from the 50/60m
Not a worry but watching anyway.

All on Met Ocean (swellmap) map tiles not charts.

Your boat .. I would not be going up the outside of the islands..and if do .. I dont know change of tide, but when it does it is liable to go from ok to bit snotty pretty quick.

 I would hit into the middle of the  'flats.. big drift with strayines on light gear, and burley hanging on thin rope  off the stern just off , even bounce a little across the sea bed.
 Waiheke channel will be calm , but general crap fishing , thu drift the the shallow bays or around the inside of pakatoa  in 2 to 5m water.
 Dont go dropping sinkers in the boat.. be like a kayak..