how to plot a course with a compass

1. Locate a Landmark. Hold the compass flat and steady. Point the direction-of-travel arrow toward a notable feature in the terrain.
2. Align the Magnetized Needle and the Orienting Arrow. Turn the bezel ring until the magnetic needle sits inside the orienting arrow. ...
3. Adjust for Magnetic Declination. Unless you have a compass that allows you to “set it and forget it”, failure to do so means your reading will be out ...
4. Draw a Line from the Landmark Along the Bearing. Place the compass on the map, making sure that the orienting lines are parallel to the north-south grid lines.
5. Repeat Two Times and Triangulate. Repeat steps 1 to 3 two times with two additional landmarks or features. ...

Full Answer

How do you use a compass on a map?

Sep 06, 2017 · https://theprepared.com/guides/learn-compass-map/?utm_source=yttp&utm_medium=cross&utm_campaign=orienteering Part of a free, one page guide on the basics of ...

How do you plot a course on a boat?

How to Plot a Course Using a Compass. Roadside Nature. 1 CQ. Going somewhere? Check out this lesson and find out how to plot a course with your compass. Orient the lines to true north and start hiking! Did you enjoy this lesson? Send a comment. Love this lesson. Tip the teacher.

How does a magnetic compass work?

Feb 02, 2010 · How to use a baseplate compass to plot a course on a map. How to use a baseplate compass to plot a course on a map.

How do you use a compass to find bearings?

Mar 14, 2022 · Here’s the process (nicely laid out in David Seidman’s much-recommended The Essential Wilderness Navigator ): Take a back bearing from the landmark and draw your position line, then walk a straight line (aided by your compass),... Draw that bearing line on the map. Put a straight-edge parallel to ...

How do I get my compass course to steer?

Staring at Point A, draw a line bearing 255 True with a length of 2.5nm. This is the current. Next, draw a line from the end of the current line to Point B. Measure the compass reading of this new line - this is your new Course to Steer.

How do you plot positions on a chart?

In chart navigation, use the scales on the right or left side to find latitude. These scales are broken down into degrees, minutes and tenths of a minute, or degrees minutes and seconds. One degree of latitude equals sixty minutes; one minute of Latitude equals sixty seconds. 50" / 6 = 0.8' (rounded off).

What do navigators need to consider when plotting a course?

8 Things to Consider While Doing Nautical Chart Plotting On ShipsScale of the Chart. The Scale of the chart is the first thing to check before commencing Chart work. ... Notes of the Chart. ... Chart Symbols. ... Chart Corrections. ... GPS Positions. ... Radar Fixes. ... Visual Fixes. ... Position Circle and Position Line.

How do you plot a navigational course?

How to plot a course on a chart:Draw a line from point A to B - using parallel rules, from starting mark to next mark.Check the line for safety - if not, move end mark until you get a safe leg.Measure and mark the heading - transfer the leg to compass.Measure and mark the distance - measure the legs.More items...

How do you plot coordinates in navigation?

Get the coordinates of a placeOn your computer, open Google Maps.Right-click the place or area on the map. This will open a pop-up window. You can find your latitude and longitude in decimal format at the top.To copy the coordinates automatically, left click on the latitude and longitude.

What are the 4 stages of passage planning?

There are four stages for passage planning:Appraising all relevant information.Planning the intended voyage.Executing the plan taking account of prevailing conditions.Monitoring the vessel's progress against the plan continuously.Nov 19, 2020

What is the best position fixing method?

Primary method of position fixing There should always be at least two method of position fixing. Now at open sea, the primary method is GPS and secondary method would be “celestial fix”. If there is a radar conspicuous object, the primary method of position fixing becomes the “radar fix”.May 6, 2017

Is reckoning dead?

dead reckoning, determination without the aid of celestial navigation of the position of a ship or aircraft from the record of the courses sailed or flown, the distance made (which can be estimated from velocity), the known starting point, and the known or estimated drift.

How to use a compass and a map?

Hold your compass flat in your hand and turn your body and compass until RED is in the Shed. Of course, you are now facing the direction in which you need to travel. Figuring your heading from a map is the most basic way to use a map and compass together to plot a course of travel.

How to find your current location on a map?

Lay your map on the ground - it can be facing any old direction. Find your current location on the map and where you want to go. Lay your compass on the map so one edge makes a perfect line from where you are to where you want to be.

Can you take readings from a map and navigate across country?

Now that you understand that a map has north-south lines on it representing longitudes and your mountaineering compass points to magnetic north, you can take readings from a map and navigate across country following a course of your choosing. Being able to do this is the simplest use of a map and compass together so let's tackle it.

Quick and Easy

Here is a quick and easy explanation on how to find your estimated position or your “EP” based on just your course heading and one bearing. This method is used when you are making way on a steady course and you use an un-moving landmark to sight a bearing angle from your ship’s compass (or handheld).

Practice Question

This is typical of what you may find on your coastal navigation portion of your exam. Or if you are taking the ASA105 course. Thank you Tom Tursi at the Maryland School of Sailing for this practice question.

1 - Plot Your Dead Reckoning Positions

Remember we plot all lines on the chart in TRUE! So you need to use your TVMDC conversion table to find the True angles to plot. When labeling the plotted lines, you can use either True values or psc values, you just must stay consistent when writing the exam (and better also in real life practice).

2 - Sight and Plot Your Bearing

At 1000, we take our bearing on the landmark. Again, we choose a non-movable object. In this question, we use a spire. Using the ship’s compass, we sight the spire over our port side at 319° or 299°T.

3 - Never Where You Think You Should Be

Well, we have fallen quite short of where we thought we would end up at 1000! It could be because there is a current, or it could be the tide. Or, maybe, you did not maintain a constant speed of 6.4 knots for the entire hour.

4 - Square And A Dot

Where those two lines meet is your estimated position (EP). Mark it with a square and a dot, then find the latitude and longitude of this dot!

What happens if your autopilot isn't integrated with your GPS?

If your autopilot isn't integrated with your GPS, you will adjust it step by step to the course to steer as your GPS changes waypoints. You're all set if you put in the CTS calculation in the course, just follow the numbers.

What is CTE in autopilot?

Many autopilots have a Cross Track Error (or "CTE") mode of navigation. In normal course mode, most autopilots point at the next programmed mark, which works well enough without big currents.

How long does it take to sail from A to B?

Draw a line from A to be, and measure and note it’s length (8 miles) and direction. If your boat speed is eight knots, it will take you an hour to sail from A to B normally. This means you will be exposed to one hour of current - so the current will sweep you 2.5nm in that time.

What happens when a boat is off course?

Wind, tides, and currents can pull your vessel of its intended track, which over time can lead to danger. This is known as set and drift. Learning to make corrections while your boat is moving is one way to be sure that you remain where you want to be and out of harm’s way.

What is a nautical chart?

A nautical chart shows land, water and its depth, danger areas, landmarks, buoys, lights and other aids to navigation. It has a compass rose to give you a true bearing in which to steer your boat, a distance scale, and a latitude and longitude scale so that you can you find your location.

What are the signs that every boater should know and follow?

Worldwide, there are nautical “road signs” that every boater should know and follow such as buoys, lights, and other aids to navigation that assist mariners in determining a vessel’s position and course and that warn of danger.

What is marine navigation?

At its simplest, marine navigation is the art and science of finding your way on the water. It has been used by sailors for centuries to get from point A on the vast globe of the world's oceans and waterways, to point B. Historically, sailors navigated by the stars and constellations.