🔍 Key Concepts

• Relative bearing vs. true or compass bearing • Relative bearing system: 000° at dead ahead, increasing clockwise through 360° • Positions: dead ahead, dead astern, port beam, starboard beam

💭 Think About

• First, picture where "dead astern" is relative to the bow of your vessel—forward or behind you? • In the relative bearing system, what bearing is assigned to a target directly ahead, and how many degrees around the clock from that position is directly behind you? • Compare the options to the positions you know: which of these angles matches the direction straight behind the vessel on a 0–360° clockwise scale from the bow?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be sure you are thinking in relative bearings from the bow, not true or magnetic bearings on a chart or compass card • Confirm that 000° relative is dead ahead, then count clockwise around the full circle to the stern position • Verify that the choice you pick represents the direction directly behind the vessel, not off to port or starboard beams