Your vessel is steering 195° per standard magnetic compass. Variation for the area is 13°W, and the deviation is 4°E. The wind is from the west-southwest, producing a 2° leeway. Which true course are you making good?
• Compass to true conversions (Using "Can Dead Men Vote Twice At Elections" or similar memory aid) • Effect of westerly variation and easterly deviation on converting compass to true • How leeway from WSW wind will push the vessel and how that changes the course made good
• Start from the standard magnetic compass course and convert step‑by‑step to magnetic course, then to true course. Decide at each step whether to ADD or SUBTRACT the correction. • Think about the direction of the WSW wind: from which side of the vessel does it blow on your 195° compass heading, and does that make your course made good more westerly or more easterly? • Compare your final true course made good to the answer choices and see which is closest given the small size of the corrections.
• Be sure you apply variation and deviation in the correct order and with the correct sign (East is least, West is best). • Confirm whether leeway should be added to the left or to the right of your track, based on where the wind is coming from relative to the bow. • After all corrections, check that your final true course is within a few degrees of the original compass course; if you get a very large change, re-check your signs.
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