Ch.

Mates Compass - Today’s

Lesson
• Basic Magnetism & the Earths field
• Hf & Zf
• Induction
• Effect of the Earths’ field on new build vessels
• Compass correcting – what are we correcting?
• Card System
• Coefficients B, C, D, E, A
• Correction for coefficients
• Heeling Error and Correction
Magnetism
Opposite poles Like poles
Attract Repel
LINES OF FORCE

EXIT RED POLE

ENTER BLUE POLE

 o le
N P

ole
S P
 Hf & Zf

Fleetwood 68°
 RATIO OF Hf & Zf
ASHORE
Hf Hf

Zf

Zf

HIGH & LOW LAT.

 Hard & Soft Iron
Ferro-magnetic materials - iron, steel,
nickel
Non-magnetic – brass

Hard Iron - retains magnetism becoming

a Permanent magnet

Soft Iron - quickly loses it’s magnetism

and is then re-induced by another field
Induction
WHERE FIELD ENTERS ‘BLUE’ POLE
INDUCED

WHERE FIELD EXITS ‘RED’ POLE

INDUCED
FLINDERS BAR IS INDUCED SOFT IRON
IT HAS HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL
POLES
 How you know
your compass is
reliable?
If the compass is
steady on all headings,
directive force is
improved and residual
deviation is minimized
and symmetrical.
Permanent Hf
Magnetism Zf
Hull

Effect of the
Earths’ field on a
New vessel
BUILT HEADING NORTH - NORTH LAT.
BUILT HEADING SOUTH - NORTH LAT.
Heading ?
 Card System
• Driving force?
• Where will it work best?
• Magnet system – needle or ring
• Magnet casing – brass
• Float - High centre of gravity.
• Jewel - sapphire
• Pivot - iridium
• Liquid - Bayol
 Coefficients
• A coefficient is a mathematical representation
of deviations on two opposite headings.

• East is ‘+ve’. West is ‘-ve’.

• Types: Constant, Semicircular and

Quadrantal
Semicircular
Quadrantal
 Coefficient ‘B’
It is the mathematical representation
of deviations on EAST & WEST
headings.
There are 2 causes:
BP – ‘B’ permanent
&
BI – ‘B’ induced
 Coef. ‘B’ Permanent
Cause: ships’ fore & aft magnetic
field
COEFFICIENT +B

EASTERLY DEVIATION
( BLUE BOW )
 COEFFICIENT +B

WESTERLY DEVIATION
( BLUE BOW )
Bp – Correction?
Fore and Aft
permanent
corrector magnets
 Coef. ‘B’ Induced
Cause: induction of fore & aft,
vertical soft iron near the binnacle
 Vertical soft iron
induced by Zf

Northern
Hemisphere
Vertical soft iron
induced by Zf

Southern
Hemisphere
 INDUCED B
(NORTHERN HEMISPHERE)

What will be the deviation?

 INDUCED B
(NORTHERN HEMISPHERE)

What will be the deviation?

 INDUCED B
(NORTHERN HEMISPHERE)

What will be the

deviation?
 INDUCED B
(NORTHERN HEMISPHERE)

COMPENSATION WITH
FLINDERS BAR
( BLUE POLE )
 INDUCED B
(SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE)

COMPENSATION WITH FLINDERS BAR

( RED POLE )
BI at the
Equator?
Split ting ‘B’

Why?
Split ting ‘B’

4 methods
 Splitting ‘B’
1. Adjusters method
2. Two diff. latitudes method
3. Home coast method
4. Magnetic Equator method
 Coefficient ‘CP’
• It is the mathematical representation of
deviations on NORTH & SOUTH headings.

Cause: ships’ athwartship permanent magnetic

field
N

EASTERLY
DEVIATION
WESTERLY
DEVIATION

S
C - Correction
Athwartship
permanent
corrector magnets
Coefficient ‘CI’
COEFFICIENT
‘D’
 Coefficient ‘D’
It is the mathematical representation of
deviations on Intercardinal headings.

Due to the RESULTANT of 2 causes:

Induction into Continuous F & A Horizontal
Soft iron
&
Induction into Continuous Athwartships
Horizontal Soft iron
 Coefficient ‘D’
• Quadrantal

• Named in the first quadrant (NE)

• Only affected by the Hf component

of the earths magnetic field
• Only visible when Coef’s ‘B’ & ‘C’
have been removed
 Nett effect
F & A Horizontal Soft iron – WESTERLY Deviation

Thwartships Horizontal Soft iron – EASTERLY Deviation

DEV.

Nett effect
Small EASTERLY
DEVIATION
 ?
SE heading
What’s the deviation?
I nduced
C ontinuous
H orizontal
A thwartships
S oft iron
COEFFICIENT ?D
NE

EASTERLY
DEVIATION
 COEFFICIENT ?D

WESTERLY
DEVIATION

SE
 COEFFICIENT -D
NE

WESTERLY
DEVIATION
COEFFICIENT -D

EASTERLY
DEVIATION

SE
 COEFFICIENT -D
NE
WESTERLY
DEVIATION
Is ‘D’ affected
by changes in
latitude?
SPHERES & DIRECTIVE FORCE

WEST
 N
NW NE

W E

SW SE
S
 Correction
• Kelvin’s spheres
• Hollow soft iron
• Provide non-continuous soft iron
• Correct size of the spheres to match the
+D of the ship
• Sliding brackets – if there is a small
residual +D slide the spheres closer
• Spheres will work whatever the dip angle
• No change with latitude as forces remain
in proportion
Effect of Flinders Bar

NE

EASTERLY
DEVIATION
“+D”
 Coefficient A
• Real A
– Induction into Asymmetrical horizontal
Soft Iron – i.e. binnacle is not on the centre
line
– Same size and sign on all headings
• Apparent A
– Azimuth ring/prism
– Cockeye observations
– Lubberline – i.e. not in the fore & aft line
– Same size and sign on all headings
 Coefficient ‘E’
It is the mathematical representation
of deviations on Cardinal Headings.

Caused by induction of Horizontal

Symmetrical Soft Iron about a 45
degree line relative to the ships head.

Corrected by slewing the Spheres

 Coefficient ‘J’
It is the mathematical representation
of deviations heeled 1degree to port
and 1degree to starboard

Definition
It is the difference in deviation between that
when the ship is upright and that when the
ship is heeled on the same course.
Northern Hemisphere
 Heeling Error
Correction?
Heeling Error
Bucket
Position the corrector bucket,
with corrector magnets
installed, at the approximate
position.
Mid. Lat = Mid height
Adjust the height of the
bucket with the chain until
the needle is horizontal
Heeling Error is now
corrected for that latitude
 FLINDERS BAR INDUCTION
FROM H.E. MAGNETS

RED POLE ‘UP’

FLINDERS BAR

RED POLE ‘UP’

H.E. MAGNETS
End