O. M. Watts

Oswald Martin Watts, FRAS, FIN (18 March 1901 – 1 November 1985) was a master mariner and nautical author who founded the ship chandlers and yacht brokerage Captain O. M. Watts. He had a large showroom and mail order department at 49 Albemarle Street, London W1

Early life and family Oswald Watts was born in Streatham on 18 March 1901 to Alfred Ernest Watts, a chartered accountant, and his wife Lilian.

Career Small plaque used by Capt. O. M. Watts Ltd on goods or designs supplied Watts was a master mariner and nautical author who founded the ship chandlers and yacht brokerage Captain O. M. Watts. During the Second World War and before Watts trained a large number of sailors to their then Yacht Master's (Coastal) certificate. He was also a yacht designer.

In 1965, the BBC weather forecasts for coastal waters were introduced as a result of strong representations on the part of Capt O M Watts, Vice Commodore City Livery Yacht Club, and an editor of ‘Reed’s Nautical Almanac’, together with support from other notable sailors including Senior Rear Commodore Capt W H Coombs, CBE RNR, one of the Younger Brethren of Trinity House.

Personal life and death Watts lived in Norbury, London, SW16 and died on 1 November 1985.

Selected publications Lockwood's Manuals. Ship Stability & Trim Made Easy Including The Construction And Use Of Tipping . Scale And Slip Table, Etc. Published 1 January 1926 by Crosby Lockwood & Son The Sextant Simplified A Practical Explanation of the Use of the Sextant at Sea, Published 1 January 1973 by Thomas Reed Publications Coastal & Ocean Seamanship, (Ed.) Thomas Reed Publications, 1971 Log Book for Yachts (Ed.) Practical Shipmasters' Business, Published 1 January 1927 by Imray Hints to Up-to-date Navigators, published 1 January 1927 by Crosby Lockwood Practical Cargo Stowage for Ships' Officers Captain H. H. Bridger and Captain O. M. Watts, Published by Imray, Laurie, Norie and Wilson Ltd, 123 Minories, London, 1930 Stanford's Coloured Chart of the English Channel from the Goodwins to Selsey Bill Watts, Captain O.M., Published by Edward Stanford, London (20-22 Maddox Street, Mayfair address)

As editor Reed's Nautical Almanac