
Lesson 2 - Direction


A bearing is the direction between two specific objects, measured in degrees. For example, you might take a bearing from your position to a lighthouse to ensure you’re on the right course.
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Course is the direction you intend to steer your vessel. It’s your planned path.

​​Heading is slightly different. It’s the direction your vessel is actually pointing at any given moment, which can be affected by wind, waves, or currents.

Course Over Ground (COG):
This is the actual direction your vessel is moving across the surface of the Earth.
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Course Through Water (CTW):
This is the direction your vessel is moving relative to the water itself
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Importance of COG (Course Over Ground) and CTW (Course Through Water)
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Safety
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Efficiency
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Navigation Accuracy
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Compass Errors: Variation and Deviation
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Variation - Difference between True North and Magnetic North.
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Deviation - Magnetic interference from objects on your vessel
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Correcting and Minimising Errors
When combining deviation and variation, it’s best to correct one at a time:
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Start with deviation to find your magnetic heading.
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Then adjust for variation to find your true heading.
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Types of Compass
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Magnetic Compass: Simple, reliable, but prone to deviation.
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Gyro Compass: Uses gyroscopic inertia to find True North. It’s independent of the magnetic field but relies on power.
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Fluxgate Compass Uses electronic sensors to detect magnetic fields.
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Chart Plotter Tools
