Your vessel is steering course 216° per standard magnetic compass, variation for the area is 9°W, and deviation is 2°E. The wind is from the east, producing a 5° leeway. What true course are you making good?
• The order of applying variation and deviation when converting between compass and true • How west and east errors (variation/deviation) affect the numerical value of the course when going from compass to true • How leeway from the wind (from the east) will shift your course made good
• Start with the given compass course and step-by-step convert to magnetic and then to true. At each step, ask: do I add or subtract this correction? • Think about the compass rose: does a west correction move your heading number toward higher or lower degrees? What about an east correction? • Once you have the true course through the water, decide in which direction the wind from the east will push the vessel and whether that makes your course made good numerically larger or smaller.
• Make sure you clearly label each step: Compass (C) → Magnetic (M) → True (T) before applying leeway. • Double-check the rule you’re using for adding/subtracting: many students mix up whether to add west or east when converting C→M→T. • After you apply leeway, verify that the direction of push from the wind (from the east) is consistent with the final change in the course angle.
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!