🔍 Key Concepts

• Relative bearings vs. course steered (what does '8° on the port bow' actually mean?) • Using right triangle / bearing line geometry to relate your track, the light, and the desired closest point of approach (CPA) of 3 miles abeam • How changing course will change the relative bearing at CPA (abeam = 90° off your bow)

💭 Think About

• Sketch your original course as a straight line, plot your vessel, the light (8° on the port bow at 11.7 miles), and then mark the point where you want to be 3 miles abeam of the light. What kind of triangle does that form? • If you want to pass 3 miles abeam (to port), what must the distance from your track line to the light be? How does that relate to the original 11.7-mile range and 8° relative bearing? • After you find the track line that gives a minimum distance of 3 miles from the light, what true/pgc course corresponds to that line?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear about the relative bearing: '8° on the port bow' means 8° to the left of your ship’s head, not 8° from north. • Confirm you use sine/cosine with correct angles when finding the cross-track distance from your original course to the light. • Before choosing an answer, check that your new course keeps the light on the port side at CPA and that the geometry gives a 3-mile minimum distance, not more or less.