MOD NAV 101B 16 r.3

PNTC COLLEGES
Zone III, Lt. Cantimbuhan St. Poblacion, Dasmariñas City
COLLEGE OF MARITIME EDUCATION

ONLINE DISTANCE LEARNING MODULE
COURSE CODE Nav 101B PRE-REQUISITE NAV 100

COURSE TITLE Terrestrial & Coastal Navigation 1 SEMESTER 2nd
UNITS 5 YEAR LEVEL 1st
COURSE DESCRIPTION This course covers the requirements in Chapter II of the 1978 STCW Convention, as
amended, in Table A-II/1 of section A-II/1 and Table A-II/2 of Section A-II/2. This course
provides the background knowledge to support the following main topics arranged by
chapter: The Electronic Position Fixing System, Use of Information from Navigational
Equipment for Maintaining a Safe Navigational Watch, Echo-Sounders, Compass –
Magnetic and Gyro, The Principles of the Magnetic Compass and their Correction, The
Principles and Errors of Gyro Compasses and Systems Under the Control of the Master Gyro
and the Operation and care of the main types of Gyro Compasses.
MODULE 16 (WEEK 16)

1.7 SAILINGS
TOPIC LEARNING OUTCOMES
The students shall be able to:
(1) Uses the Mercator formula calculates the course and distance of two positions
(2) Uses the Mercator formula calculate the final position, course and distance
(3) Demonstrates understanding of great circle sailing including composition and limited latitude great circles
ENGAGE
Review: What is a Mercator sailing?
EXPLORE
What is the highest point reached by a ship sailing on a great circle track?
EXPLAIN AND ELABORATE
MERCATOR SAILING
Form No. BPM2-CME 20 F-009 NAV 101B (Module 15)

Rev.03 Page 1 of 5
COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
Copyright © 2022 PNTC Colleges, All rights reserved.
When printed, this document is uncontrolled unless properly identified as controlled
PNTC COLLEGES
Example 1: A ship at lat. 32°14.7'N, l 66°28.9'W is to head for a point near Chesapeake Light, lat. 36°58.7'N, l
75°42.2'W.
Required: Course and distance
Solution:
Tan C = DLo m
DLo = m tanC
D=l cosC
First calculate the meridional difference by entering Table 6 Meridional Parts and interpolating for the meridional
parts for the original and final latitudes. The meridional difference is the difference between these two values. Having
calculated the meridional difference, solve for course and distance using the equations above. Figure 1219a depicts
the relationship between Mercator and plane sailings.
M2 (36° 58.7' N) = 2377.1

M1 (32° 14.7' N) = 2033.4
m = 343.7
l2 = 075° 42.2' W
l1 = 066° 28.9' W
DLo = 9° 13.3' W = 553.3' W
tan C = DLo / m
C= arctan (DLo / m)
= arctan (553.3'/343.7') = N 58.2° W
Cn = 301.8°T
L2 = 36° 58.7' N
L1 = 32° 14.7' N
l = 4° 44.0' = 284.0'
D = l / (cos C) = 284.0' / (cos 58.2°) = 538.9 nm
Answer:
C = 301.8° T
D = 538.9 nm
Example 2: A ship at lat. 75°31.7' N, l 79°08.7'W, in Baffin Bay, steams 263.5 nm on course 155°.
Required: Latitude and longitude of point of arrival
Solution:
l = D (cos C); and DLo = m (tan C)
D = 263.5 nm
Cn = 155° T = S 25° E
l = 263.5 (cos 25°) = 238.8' S = 3° 58.8' S
L1 75° 31.7' N
+ l 3° 58.8' S
L2 71° 32.9' N
Rev.03 Page 2 of 5
PNTC COLLEGES
M1 = 7072.4
M2 = 6226.1
m = 846.3
DLo = 846.3 (tan 25°) = 394.6' E = 6° 34.6'
DLo = 6° 34.6' E
l1 = 079° 08.7' W
+DLo 6° 34.6' E
l2 = 072° 34.1' W
Answer:
L2 = 71° 32.9' N
l2 = 072° 34.1' W
The labels (N, S, E, W) of l, DLo, and C are determined by noting the direction of motion or the relative positions of the
two places. Here the vessel is steaming SE’ly.
Great Circle Sailing

A great circle is defined as a circle on the earth's surface the plane of which passes through the centre of the earth.
For navigation purposes :
The great circle track is the shortest distance between two places on the earth's surface.
The great circle track appears as a straight line on Gnomonic (great circle) charts.
The vertices of a great circle are the two points nearest to the poles which have a course on the great circle track due
EAST / WEST.
Great Circle Sailing
To follow a great circle track, the navigator needs to adjust the ship's course continuously because the great circle
track is a curve when plotted on a Mercator Chart. Therefore, it is not really practicable to sail on an exact great circle
route.
In order to take advantage of the shorter steaming distance of the great circle track, mariners usually divide a great
circle track between the initial position and the destination into smaller segments (way points) of about one to two
day's steaming time and make course adjustments at noon. The total distance is therefore the sum of the distances
of those segments calculated by means of Mercator Sailing.
Composite Great Circle Sailing

Although the great circle track is the shortest route between two locations, it also usually enroutes closer to the pole
(or to higher latitude) than the two places.
Polar Gnomonic Chart

To avoid the danger of sailing high latitude, which is normally associated with bad weather and icing, a careful master
mariner will normally set a latitude limit on his ocean passage plan. The ocean passage will thus consist of a first great
circle track with vertex at the latitude limit then sailing along that latitude until meeting the vertex of a second great
circle track leading to the destination. This type of route is named as composite great circle route.

Rev.03 Page 3 of 5
PNTC COLLEGES
The easiest method to outline a composite greate circle route is by plotting it on a Gnomonic chart.
The figure on the right shows the relationship between the three types of route, the rhumb line, the great circle and
the composite great circle routes for the same set of locations.
Because the great circle crosses meridians at higher latitudes, where the distance between them is less, the great
circle route is shorter than the rhumb line.
The savings in distance offered by a great circle route, as compared to a rhumb line track, increases as:
1. the latitude increases (the farther from the equator the route is),
2. as the difference of latitude between the two points decreases (the more easterly/westerly the track),
and
3. as the difference of longitude increases (the longer the route is). Of course any track that runs exactly due north or
south, or lies along the equator is itself a great circle and would be coincident with the rhumb line track.
The decision to use a great circle sailing depends upon several factors. The savings in distance should be worth the
additional effort, and of course the great circle route cannot cross land, nor should it carry the vessel into dangerous
waters. If a vessel finds herself considerably off the desired great circle track, it may be preferable to generate a new
great circle route for the remainder of the voyage, rather than return to the original route.
The position where the Great Circle reaches its highest latitude is called the vertex of that Great Circle. Every great
circle has two vertices; one in the Northern and one in the Southern
Hemisphere. At the vertex the direction of the Great Circle is 090° or 270°, and it is at this point closest to the nearest
Pole, and furthest from the Equator. Meridians and the Equator are Great Circles that have special characteristics.
They may be considered to have no vertices.
Since the great circle is continuously changing direction as one proceeds along it, no attempt is usually made to follow
it exactly. Instead, a number of points along the route are selected (either at specific distances, arc, or DLo from the
vertex) and rhumb lines are followed between these selected points. Since for short distances a great circle and a
rhumb line almost coincide, this practice effectively yields the savings of the great circle route. This is normally done
on a great circle chart.
Rev.03 Page 4 of 5
PNTC COLLEGES
For video reference please the link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMjf5Bqt5Pg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpREukPB-HU
EVALUATE
1. Solving Problem No 1:
A ship at lat. 35°53.3'S, l 020°23.1'E, leaving Cape Town, heads for a destination near Ambrose Light, lat. 40°27.1'N, l
073°49.4'W.
Required: (1) Course and (2) distance, by Mercator sailing.
2. Solving Problem No 2:
A ship at lat. 25°03.7'N, l. 141°26.8'E steams 65.4 nm on course 035°T.
Required: (1) Latitude and (2) longitude of the point of arrival, by Mercator sailing.
EXTEND
Why is it wise to use great circle sailing?

References:
http://shipofficer.com/so/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/8.-Mercator-Sailing.pdf
https://www.nordian.net/REPOSITORY/110_easa_general_navigation_demo.pdf
Bowditch. American Practical Navigator. Chapter 12. The Sailings
Revision Status:
MOD NAV 101B(15)

Rev.: 01-01102022

Rev.03 Page 5 of 5

MOD NAV 101B 16 r.3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MOD NAV 101B 16 r.3

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

MOD NAV 101B 16 r.3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

PNTC COLLEGES

Zone III, Lt. Cantimbuhan St. Poblacion, Dasmariñas City

COLLEGE OF MARITIME EDUCATION

COURSE CODE Nav 101B PRE-REQUISITE NAV 100

MODULE 16 (WEEK 16)

The students shall be able to:

Review: What is a Mercator sailing?

EXPLAIN AND ELABORATE

Form No. BPM2-CME 20 F-009 NAV 101B (Module 15)

Required: Course and distance

M2 (36° 58.7' N) = 2377.1

Required: Latitude and longitude of point of arrival

Great Circle Sailing

For navigation purposes :

Great Circle Sailing

Composite Great Circle Sailing

Polar Gnomonic Chart

Form No. BPM2-CME 20 F-009 NAV 101B (Module 15)

For video reference please the link below

Required: (1) Course and (2) distance, by Mercator sailing.

Why is it wise to use great circle sailing?

MOD NAV 101B(15)

Form No. BPM2-CME 20 F-009 NAV 101B (Module 15)

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.