CHARTWORK AND
FIXING
A Brief by Lance Grindley
Gruntproductions 2009
CHARTWORK CONVENTIONS
Planned Track (To be made good):
A bold thick line.
Course: Along the track.
14
0
Course to Steer: In brackets.
Speed: Vertically in a box.
(1
42
)
12
0800
DR (Dead Reckoning): Allowing for direction steered
at speed through the water only and for NO OTHER factors.
Tidal Stream: Three arrow heads from a tidal diamond,
show rate and effective time.
06
B
060900
1.2
Wind:
Force 5
EP (Estimated Position): Estimated from course steered through water,
allowing for wind, tidal stream, current etc.
Gruntproductions 2009
06
CHARTWORK CONVENTIONS
230
Distance to Destination
Shown in miles.
0800
Expected time in a position
Darkness
Across the track
1810 SS
Wolf Rock Lt
Raising and Lowering of Lights
0547SR
Change of Chart
Chart 2052
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POSITION LINES
Visual bearing from an object
Visual bearing transferred
Radar range/VSA
Astronomical position line
Radio Fixing Aid
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SUN
0932
0900
Position line by transit
f
Ship
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CHARTWORK CONVENTIONS
19
5(
19
6)
Potential Dangers - near track should
be highlighted
T
NM
T
0
16
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090
NM
Wheel over bearings (2) - show
position and est time with open
arrow head, show wheel if not
standard
140
NMT 176
Clearing Bearings - Solid arrow
heads towards object, NMT or NLT
181(182)
Safe Depth - hatch in
LDL for ship and HOT
0
20
105
(10
4)
POSITION LINES LEADING TO FIXES
Compass or Gyro bearing (3 or more)
Transit (must be sensitive)
Relative bearing
Horizontal Sextant Angle
Vertical Sextant Angle
Range by optical instruments
Range by raising/lowering of lights
(Horizon range)
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POSITION LINES LEADING TO FIXES
Soundings
Astronomical position line
Radar range
D/F bearing
Radio fixing aids
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USING CHARTS
Always use the largest scale chart
appropriate to the purpose:
Corrected first.
More detail.
Use nearest compass rose:
Correct Variation.
Less projection distortion.
Parallel ruler has less distance to travel.
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USING CHARTS
Transfer position by range and bearing and
Lat and Long.
Check unit of depth.
Measure distance opposite latitude Mercator.
Only one chart on the table at any one time.
Use soft pencil - Dont dig.
Dont doodle !!!!
Gruntproductions 2009
CHANGING CHARTS
Transferred positions may be fix, DR or EP.
Transfer position by range and bearing and
Lat and Long.
Note down position in Nav Record Book.
Plot onto new chart.
Fix to verify position as soon as practicable.
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The Fix
Visual Fix :
-made up of transits,
gyro bearings or
compass bearings
Radar Fix:
-made up of at
least three
radar ranges
Gruntproductions 2009
092
6
095
7
FIXING
Cross
cut of 2 position lines. 3 position
lines are used as error check.
Use Visual / radar conspicuous points.
Are points charted ?
Avoid blind arcs (visual and radar).
Aim for a good angle of cut.
Aim to fix at least every 6 minutes.
Gruntproductions 2009
Horizontal Sextant Angles
Advantages
Potentially the most accurate method of
fixing.
Freedom from Gyro repeats.
Can be used in event of Gyro failure .
Disadvantages
Takes longer to obtain the fix.
Manpower intensive.
Requires three suitable fixing points
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Chord of a Circle
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HSA FIX
0900
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HSA FIX
Plotted
using:
HSA Lattice chart.
Douglas Protractor.
Station Pointer.
Beware
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of circular fixes.
When not to fix by HSA or bearings
q
f
q
Possible
Positions
q
f
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Douglas protractor
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FIXING BY RELATIVE ANGLES
Co
u
rse
03
G15
G45
30
35
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G80
VISUAL FIX
Ship Movement:
Delay between first and
last bearing been taken.
Approx 10-15 Secs =
30 100m at 12 Kts
Duration of fix
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Sources of the Cocked Hat
Reading
Error:
+/- 1/2
approx 50 Meters at 3nm
Compass
Error:
Gyro Compass accurate to +/- 1.
0.3 = 33 meters at 3nm.
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Detection of Gyro Error
Transits.
Bearing
of celestial body.
Line of Jetty.
Comparison of observed / charted
bearing from a known position.
Reduction of a cocked hat using
Station Pointer.
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Running Fix
45
0900
0900
0900
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Range by Vertical Angle
Angle
measured by sextant.
Elevation of charted objects
given above the Datum of MHWS.
Value of MHWS either given or
obtained from Tidal Level Table
on chart.
Height of tide usually given.
Beware of index error if given.
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Nories Tables
Distance
by Vertical Angle (page
478)
Calculator can be used if
desired.
Tan VSA = h/d where h is height
of object and d is distance from
object.
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Calculating VSA (1)
Elevation
MHWS
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Calculating VSA (2)
Elevation
Sea Level
Chart Datum
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MHWS
Height of Tide
Calculating VSA (3)
Elevation
Sea Level
Chart Datum
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MHWS
Height of Tide
Fixing by a bearing and a sounding
M97/1295-9-13
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Fixing
Procedure
Select objects (consult chart)
Write down in notebook
Shoot up objects - think ahead
Take 3 bearings and shoot up a further mark
Time fix to coincide with DR/EP
Take bearings quickly (remember last 2 digits)
Bow/Quarter first, beam last
Note time
Plot
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Selection of
Marks
Good cut
Near objects to reduce errors
Charted and visible!
All visible from same repeater
Are they circular?
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SHOOTING UP
A) By bearings
from fixes
FS
1000
190
1015
8
1030
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Bn
SHOOTING UP
B) By transits
FS
1000
A. Buoy O Hotel 117
B. Buoy O Church 088
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190
Bn
Hotel
Conspic
OPENING BEARING
All Saints
pens
0
All S
aints
o
All saints will appear
when Stab Pt bears 018
18
First church will open
W/O
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Stab Pt
The DR Position
0900
Course Steered and Speed
through the water
Fix
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30
The EP Position
0900
Course Steered and Speed
through the water
Fix
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Course and Speed Made Good
30
Tidal
Stream
Vector
30
Course to Steer
Fix
Speed Made Good
Course Required
Course to Steer
Tidal
Stream
Vector
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Radius Vector for
Speed through the
water
Course to Steer (3)
Speed Made Good
Course to Steer
Tidal
Stream
Vector
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This is a vector (relative velocity)
triangle which can be constructed
in any convenient position such as
the Compass Rose
Assessing the Tidal
Stream
Course Steered and Speed
through the water
1415
Cours
e and
27
Speed
Made
Good
1427
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EP Based on Fixes
Course Steered and Speed
through the water
1415
Cours
e and
27
31
Speed
Made
Good
1427
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To reach a required
position
15
1500
A A
1410
Direction (Course) and Distance to
be steamed in the next 45 minutes
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Any
Questions
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