Chapter 7

Fixing the vessels position with and without current

Introduction
During the course of Navigation on the coast, quite often you may find
that there is only one conspicuous object for taking a bearing. Under
these conditions it becomes necessary to use the methods explained.

Running fix without current:

This method of position fixing is used when there is only one terrestrial
object available for observing at any given time i.e., a lighthouse or light
vessel whose position is known, without any means for measuring the
distance from the object i.e. Radar out of order etc.
Running fix method uses the technique of transferring a position line. In
this method, a position line is the observed bearing. Provided all
conditions such as the engine speed and course steered are known
between the observations, the position lines can be transferred without
loss of accuracy.
In the figure, AB is the first observed bearing (position line). At the time
of observation the vessel lay somewhere along this line. If the vessel
was steaming a course for a known period of time provided engine
speed, course etc. remain unchanged, line AB can be made to run for
that period along the course steamed to A’ B’. Thus the vessel should
now lie somewhere along A’ B’ which is a transferred position line.
(TPL).
We can best explain the method, with the help of illustration given
below:

While steering a course of 070 (T) “A” light bore 014 (T) at 1000
hours, and the same light bore 304 (T) at 1030 hours, find the ship’s
position at 1000 hours and at 1030 hours. Speed by ship’s log 12 knots.
You can try this on any chart assuming a position for the given light and
work on the same lines.

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 Fig: Running Fix

Follow the steps given below:

1. Lay A B true bearing of Lt House at 1000 hours i.e. 014 (T)

2. Lay A C true bearing of Lt House at 1030 hours i.e. 304 (T)

3. AB being the position line at 1000 hours, your vessel lies along this line.
Take any point along AB, say, “D”. (Arbitrary position should be taken as
close to DR as possible to minimise plotting error.)

4. From D plot your true course being steered i.e. 070 (T) and mark
distance covered by your vessel between the interval of observations,
1000 hours to 1030 hours i.e. DE = 6 miles
Provided there were no changes in ship’s speed, course and prevailing
meteorological conditions, position line of 1000 hours can be
transferred through E without any loss of accuracy.
5. Transfer position line AB through E i.e. A’ B’. Intersection of two position
lines drawn is the ship’s position ‘F’ at 1030 hours. Now, if ship’s course
is traced backward through F we get intersection “G”. This was the
ship’s position at 1000 hours.
You may now ask as to what is the maximum duration for which a
position line can be transferred. As stated earlier, if speed, course or
other factors affecting the progress are known, position lines
theoretically can be transferred over a larger interval of time. However,
under normal circumstances a position line should not be transferred
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 when navigating in the coastal waters for more than three hours. The
longer this interval the larger the chances of an inaccurate fix.

Running fix with the current

In case of simple running fix problem explained earlier ship’s speed and
course are assumed unchanged during the interval between the
observations. But in case of tidal areas where steady current of known
strength and direction is experienced between the observations,
following method is used for obtaining a fix. This is done to allow for the
current set / drift of the transferred position line to its new location and
then crossed off with the second position line.
In our earlier illustration, of running fix, if vessel also experienced a tidal
stream as setting 285 degrees at 3.5 knots, the working would be as
follows:

A
A'

H F
E
C

D B'
B

Fig: Running Fix with current

Working is similar up to step 4.

5. Draw the set & drift vectors for 30 minutes through E up to F, i.e. 285
deg true and 1.75 Miles for interval of 30 minutes between 1000 hours
and 1030 hours.

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 6. Transfer Position line AB through F, intersection of A’B’ and AC at ‘G’ is
the fix at 1030 hours and on tracing the course made good i.e. DF
backward through G we get ‘H’ fix at 1000 hrs.

Notice in this method course steered is not traced backward through ‘G’
instead course made good DF is drawn through ‘G’, to obtain position at
1000 hours.

Three point bearing for obtaining course made good:

When no modern methods are available and only one conspicuous
object is available, it is possible to obtain a lot of information from three
observations of the same object.
This is a very good method for obtaining course made good, using three
observations of the same object taken at a known interval of time and
therefore a known distance run between the observations.
Though there are various methods of calculating course made good,
this method requires three bearings of only one object. Thus making it a
very quick plotting method especially in coastal regions where the
navigator cannot afford to spare much time for plotting and needs to
know accurately the course being made good by his vessel especially
in cases of non availability of RADAR/ARPA /GPS etc.
This method is better illustrated stepwise as follows:

Fig: Three Point Bearing

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 1. Lay all three bearings AB, CB and DB of the observed object towards
the sea.
2. Through the observed object ‘B’, draw a line perpendicular to the middle
bearing EF.
3. On this line, mark the distance steamed between 1 st and 2nd observation
and the distance steamed between 2nd and 3rd bearing on their
respective side of the middle bearing BE, BF.
Alternatively, instead of marking distances on the perpendicular line EF
you may even mark the ratio of time or distance i.e. duration of 15
minutes and 45 minutes between the observations can be marked as
1:3. Distance steamed between observations of 4 miles and 16 miles
can be marked as 1:4 using any suitable scale.
For this purpose, longitude scale is a very convenient scale as it is a
constant scale and as we are not addressing the actual distances but
their ratios.
4. Draw lines parallel to the middle bearing i.e. EG & FH from the points
obtained in step 3 on the either side of observed object till they meet
first and third bearing and mark these two points ’G’ and ’H’ on the
respective bearing.
5. Join the points obtained in Step 4. GH is then the course made good
between first and third bearing.
It is important to note that the above method gives only the course
made good over the ground.

Doubling the angle on the bow for obtaining the distance off
In the figure ‘C’ is a lighthouse. First bearing is then taken relative to the
bow and the time and log reading is noted. The observer continues to
observe the light-house till the observed bearing becomes double in
value on the bow (relative bearing on port or starboard bow). Time and
speed log is again noted to calculate distance steamed between these
two observations.

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 C

2θ D

θ
B

Fig: Principle - doubling the Angle on the Bow

AC – first bearing of light

BC – second bearing of light
AD – course steered between observations.
AB = BC = distance run between first and second observations.
BC – distance from the light at the time of second observation

In this illustration, Initial relative bearing on port bow was the  BAC =
 and at the time of second observation relative bearing on bow CBD
= 2.

Distance steamed between first and second observation is the distance

from observed object at the time of second observation, because
triangle ABC is isosceles triangle with AB = BC.
This method gives distance from the object observed at the time of
second observation. It can also help in predicting or planning distance
off when abeam in advance.
Distance off when abeam = Distance off at the time of 2 nd observation x
Sine of angle at the time of 2nd observation
Practical application of the above is the four point bearing on the bow
for knowing the distance off when abeam.

When a shore object like a lighthouse is equal to four points, (45) note
down time and log and continue to observe the object till it comes

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 abeam (90) Distance from the object at that time will be the distance
steamed between first and second observation.

45º

90º

45º
B
A

Fig: Doubling the Angle on the Bow

AC = first observation, when angle on the bow is 45.

BC= second observation, when angle on the bow is 90.

AB = BC.
Note that this method suffers from the disadvantages that distance from
the object is only known when ship is already abeam position.

Special angles on the bow for obtaining distance off

We use this process for estimating the distance abeam, at which the
ship is going to pass any observed object.
Special angle method of estimating distance gives the distance abeam
from the object in advance, enabling us to take a decision regarding
safe passing distance etc.
Unlike doubling the angle on the bow, if certain pairs of angles (table A)
are observed on the bow and time and log is noted, distance off when
abeam can be estimated.
A pair of selected angles are observed on the bow whose cotangent
value gives difference of one, thus the distance steamed between two
observations will be the distance off, when vessel is abeam of the
target.

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Table A

 
26.5 45
30 53.75
35 67
40 79

90º
θ

Ф D
B
A

Fig: Special Angles

AD = ship’s course steered

AC = first relative bearing such as  BAC=  (any special angle from

table A)

BC = second relative bearing such as DBC =  (paired special angle

with first angle on the bow)
From figure

Cot  = BD/DC ----------- (1)

Cot  = (AB+BD) / DC= (AB/DC)+(BD/DC) ---------------(2)

From (1) and (2)

Cot  - Cot  = (AB/BC) +(BD/DC) – (BD/DC) = (AB/DC)

Cot  - Cot  = (AB/DC)

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If AB = DC
AB/DC = 1

Hence, Cot  - Cot  = 1

A good number of pairs will fulfil this requirement. More frequently used
pairs are given in Table as in the table A given above.

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