A yaw drive adapted for use with a tidal turbine, the yaw drive comprising: a housing comprising: an upper shell configured to be fixed to the turbine, the upper shell comprising a ring drive; and a lower shell configured to be fixed to a stanchion, comprising: at least one drive motor, the at least one drive motor comprising a drive shaft that extends into the upper shell; a pinion gear coupled to the drive shaft and configured to engage the ring drive; a slip ring that extends from the upper shell to the lower shell in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the yaw drive; and a slip ring channel that extends across a diameter of the upper shell substantially perpendicular with respect to the slip ring, the slip ring channel in electrical communication with the slip ring; the at least one drive motor configured to rotate the pinion gear to cause the upper shell to rotate, the at least one drive motor configured to remain in a same location as the upper shell rotates; a motor driver device communicatively coupled to the at least one drive motor, the motor driver device configured to drive the at least one drive motor to move the turbine from the first position to the second position; and a processor for controlling the motor driver device communicatively coupled to the at least one drive motor, and a memory (2004, 2006) communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory including a table of slack times, and directions of tidal ebb and flow, the processor configured to direct the motor driver device between the first position and the second position during at least one slack time from the table of slack times. a housing comprising: an upper shell configured to be fixed to the turbine, the upper shell comprising a ring drive; and a lower shell configured to be fixed to a stanchion, comprising: at least one drive motor, the at least one drive motor comprising a drive shaft that extends into the upper shell; a pinion gear coupled to the drive shaft and configured to engage the ring drive; a slip ring that extends from the upper shell to the lower shell in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the yaw drive; and a slip ring channel that extends across a diameter of the upper shell substantially perpendicular with respect to the slip ring, the slip ring channel in electrical communication with the slip ring; the at least one drive motor configured to rotate the pinion gear to cause the upper shell to rotate, the at least one drive motor configured to remain in a same location as the upper shell rotates; an upper shell configured to be fixed to the turbine, the upper shell comprising a ring drive; and a lower shell configured to be fixed to a stanchion, comprising: at least one drive motor, the at least one drive motor comprising a drive shaft that extends into the upper shell; a pinion gear coupled to the drive shaft and configured to engage the ring drive; a slip ring that extends from the upper shell to the lower shell in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the yaw drive; and a slip ring channel that extends across a diameter of the upper shell substantially perpendicular with respect to the slip ring, the slip ring channel in electrical communication with the slip ring; the at least one drive motor configured to rotate the pinion gear to cause the upper shell to rotate, the at least one drive motor configured to remain in a same location as the upper shell rotates; at least one drive motor, the at least one drive motor comprising a drive shaft that extends into the upper shell; a pinion gear coupled to the drive shaft and configured to engage the ring drive; a slip ring that extends from the upper shell to the lower shell in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the yaw drive; and a slip ring channel that extends across a diameter of the upper shell substantially perpendicular with respect to the slip ring, the slip ring channel in electrical communication with the slip ring; the at least one drive motor configured to rotate the pinion gear to cause the upper shell to rotate, the at least one drive motor configured to remain in a same location as the upper shell rotates; a motor driver device communicatively coupled to the at least one drive motor, the motor driver device configured to drive the at least one drive motor to move the turbine from the first position to the second position; and a processor for controlling the motor driver device communicatively coupled to the at least one drive motor, and a memory (2004, 2006) communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory including a table of slack times, and directions of tidal ebb and flow, the processor configured to direct the motor driver device between the first position and the second position during at least one slack time from the table of slack times.