While on a course of 066° pgc, a light bears...

Question 1 of 2707066636eea28f7522a1c51afba

While on a course of 066° pgc, a light bears 18° on the port bow at a distance of 12.3 miles. What course should you steer to leave the light 4 miles abeam to port?

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Question 1 of 27070

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While on a course of 066° pgc, a light bears 18° on the port bow at a distance of 12.3 miles. What course should you steer to leave the light 4 miles abeam to port?

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🔍 Key Concepts

• Relative bearings vs. true (pgc) course • Right triangle formed by your track and the line of bearing to the light • Using basic trigonometry to keep a fixed abeam distance from an object

💭 Think About

• Sketch the vessel’s initial position, the light, and the desired closest point of approach where the light will be 4 miles abeam to port. How does this form a right triangle? • What is the difference between the current distance (12.3 miles) and the desired abeam distance (4 miles), and how does that difference relate to the sides of the triangle? • How can you convert the relative bearing of the light (18° on the port bow) into a track angle that ensures the light will pass abeam at 4 miles to port?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on the meaning of 18° on the port bow (relative bearing from the ship’s head). • Remember that abeam means 90° to your course at the closest point of approach. • Double-check which angle in your triangle corresponds to the change of course from 066° pgc before choosing the final course.