You are on course 303°T. To check the speed...

Question 1 / 2707066636ee928f7522a1c519486

Question 1 of 2707066636ee928f7522a1c519486

You are on course 303°T. To check the speed of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?

Question 1 of 27070

You are on course 303°T. To check the speed of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?

🔍 Key Concepts

• Course vs. bearing – difference between the direction your vessel is heading and the direction to the observed object • Relative bearing – position of the celestial body relative to your bow (ahead, abeam, astern) • Using a beam bearing (90° off the bow) to check speed over ground along your track

💭 Think About

• From your course of 303°T, figure out what true bearings would put a celestial body exactly on your port beam or starboard beam (90° to the side). • Convert “90° on the beam” from a relative bearing (measured from the bow) to a true bearing (°T) and see which option matches. • Ask yourself: for checking speed by timing how long a body takes to move a certain angle on the bow, do you want it nearly ahead/astern, or exactly abeam?

✅ Before You Answer

• Compute course ± 90° and reduce the result to within 000°–359° to find beam bearings. • Check which answer choice is exactly 90° different from your heading of 303°T. • Verify that the chosen bearing represents a body that stays on your track line, providing the best geometry for a speed check.

Question 1 of 27070

You are on course 303°T. To check the speed of your vessel you should observe a celestial body on which bearing?

213°

123°

090°

000°