You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A...

Question 1 of 2707066636ee928f7522a1c51967c

You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 5.5 knots on course 033°T, and bears 284°T, 43 miles from you. What is the time to intercept if you make 16 knots?

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Question 1 of 27070

You are enroute to assist vessel A. Vessel A is underway at 5.5 knots on course 033°T, and bears 284°T, 43 miles from you. What is the time to intercept if you make 16 knots?

🔍 Key Concepts

• Relative motion between own vessel and target vessel when both are moving • Using the concept of closing speed along the line of sight to find time to intercept • Vector triangle: separating the other vessel’s motion from your own to get relative speed

💭 Think About

• How can you break the problem into two motions: your vessel’s motion and vessel A’s motion, and then combine them into one relative motion? • Is your full 16 knots acting directly along the line of bearing 284°T, or do you need only the component of your speed along that line? • Once you know the effective closing speed along the line between the vessels, how do you use distance and speed to find time?

✅ Before You Answer

• Draw a relative motion diagram (or vector triangle) showing your course, vessel A’s course, and the line of bearing between you • Carefully compute the component of your 16-knot speed that actually works to close the 43-mile distance along the bearing line • Use the correct formula with consistent units: Distance (NM) / Speed (knots) = Time (hours), then convert decimal hours to hours and minutes accurately