- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
In the spirit of boring winters up north, and the fun had on a couple of other threads regarding navigation, here is a fairly simple problem based on time speed distance caluclations, and a few vectors. At 1300hrs you are at point A, with a heading of 035 deg True at a speed of 5.5 kts. You are following a coastline on your starboard side. Using your trusted chart (you don’t need a chart for this exercise), you see that a safe harbour is coming up in a few hours. The red buoy marking the harbour entrance according to your chart bears 042 deg true from your current position at 1300 hrs, at a calculated distance of 22.5 nm, using your dividers. Also using your chart you determine that a point of land is marked by a light which bears 038 true from your current position at a distance of 15.5 nm, again measured by your dividers. (Note both of these are true bearings from north, not relative bearings from your ships head.) You determine that by 1600hrs at your current speed, you should have cleared the point of land, and even though somewhat distant, you can make a clear run for the buoy and the safe harbour beyond. Here is the question: At 1600 what is your new heading to intercept the buoy and at what time will the buoy pass at your starboard hand?
