Session 4

Part 1
Advanced Lines Of Position (Chapter 11)
1. Vectors
2. Graphic construction
3. Construction of an Advanced LOP

Part 2
Currents (Vector Analysis); Leeway (Chapter 12)
1. Currents
2. Leeway

Dominique Prinet www.MarineNavigationBooks.com May 2021

 Part 1.
Advanced Lines Of Position (Chapter 11)

1. Vectors

– A vector is a way to represent a phenomenon which can be

defined by
• A direction
• A magnitude (intensity)

– Examples:
• A movement (direction, and distance travelled)
• A speed (direction, and magnitude)
• A force (direction, and magnitude)
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• Representation of a vector: an arrow

– The direction of the arrow represents the direction of the,

movement, the speed, or the force.

– The length of the arrow represents its magnitude. Important:

The scale needs to be consistent from one arrow to the next.

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• Resulting speed: place the two speed vectors (“distance
travelled” in one hour) at the end of each other.

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• Resulting distance travelled: place the two vectors representing the “distance
travelled” during the time considered (e.g. 50 min or 1 h 40 min) at the end of
each other.

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 Advanced Lines Of Position

2. Graphic Construction

– An “Advanced Line Of Position” (“ALOP”) is the original LOP off a

landmark (sight No 1), “advanced” (parallel to itself) by the
distance travelled by the boat between sight No 1 and sight No 2.

– The boat has advanced between the time of the first sight to the
time of the second sight, in a certain direction and over a certain
distance.

– This distance and direction of the boat travel is the “Boat Vector”

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The boat is travelling to the SSE (160° T) along the shore line. At 10:00, the navigator takes a sight of
090° M on the lighthouse. This means that, at 10:00, the boat is somewhere along LOP1.

Fig. 11.1 7
 Let us assume that, at 10:00, the boat along LOP 1 was in A. At 11:45, i.e. when the
boat navigator takes a second sight on the light house after 105 min of travel to the
SSE (160° T), the boat must be in A’, at the end of the boat vector

Fig. 11.2

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But the boat could have just as well been in B or C or D along LOP 1 at 10:00, in which
case it is at B’, or C’ or D’ at 11:45 after 105 min of travel to the SSE (160° T)

Fig. 11.3

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 If the boat was anywhere along LOP 1 at 10:00, it has to be somewhere along the
“Advanced LOP 1” at 11:45, parallel to LOP 1 at the end of any boat vector.

Fig. 11.4

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At 11:45, after 105 min of travel in the 160° T direction, the boat is along the
“Advanced LOP 1”, drawn parallel to LOP 1 at the end of the boat vector

Fig. 11.5

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At 11:45, the boat is on the Advanced LOP 1, but also on the second LOP, “LOP 2”, taken at
11:45. It is therefore at the point marked “R Fix, 1145”, for “Running Fix”

Fig. 11.6
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3. Construction of an Advanced Line of Position

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 1. Plot the first LOP

Fig. 11.7

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 2. Choose a random boat position A,
away from other graphic constructions

Fig. 11.8

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 3. Draw the boat vector: distance travelled by the boat during
the time interval between the two sights

Fig. 11.9

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 4. From the tip of the boat vector, draw an
Advanced Line of Position, parallel to the first one

Fig. 11.10

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 5. Draw the Second LOP (“LOP 2”).
Boat position: intersection of “Advanced LOP 1” and “LOP 2”

Fig. 11.11

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 Example
• Boat traveling at 6 kn from Vancouver Harbour, heading 250° T
• 08:00, 1st sight on Pt Cowan: 295 M
• 08:40, 2nd sight on Pt Cowan: 024 M
• Boat position at 08:40?

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Step 1: Plot the First LOP: Bearing 295° M on Point Cowan

Fig. 11.12
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 Step 2 Answer: Assumed boat position: Red dot

Fig. 11.13

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 Step 3 Answer: boat vector

Fig. 11.14

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 Step 4 Answer: the “Advanced LOP”

Fig. 11.15

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 Step 5 Answer: second LOP
The boat is at the intersection of the A LOP and the second LOP.
Boat location at 08:45 = 49° 17.6’ N - 123 ° 25.4’ W

Fig. 11.16
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 Exercise 4.1
• Using the attached representation of a Mercator chart with the Light
House, plot your position from two sights on the Lighthouse, using a
Magnetic Variation V = 18 ° E.

• First LOP: 212° M at 10:00

Plot the LOP at 10:00;
Label the graphic.

• The boat follows a course C = 200 ° T at a speed S = 6 kn. Advance your

10:00 LOP to 12:40.

• Second LOP: 292° M at 12:40.

Plot the second LOP; label.

• Plot the position of the boat at 12:40; label. 25

Exercise 4.1

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Exercise 4.1: ANSWER

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 Exercises 4.2 and 4.3
(See Snake Island and Fix on next slide)
• 4.2: From a position 2 NM north of the Snake Island light (off Gabriola Island) at 08:25,
you follow a course of 100° T at a speed S = 6 kn. (Use the “Georgia Strait” chart)
Plot your course, and your DRs at 08:45 and 09:05 (no coordinates required).

• 4.3: At 08:45, still on the Georgia Strait chart, you take a running fix, and record the
following bearing:

Entrance Island light: 137° M (V= 18° E).

At 09:05, you record a second bearing on Entrance Island light: 202° M. Your speed
remains S = 6 kn.

What are the coordinates of your Running Fix at 09:05?

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Exercises 4.2 and 4.3: Sights on Entrance Island

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Exercises 4.2 and 4.3 ANSWERS: Boat location at 09:05 = 49° 14.0’ N - 123°
46.7’ W

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 Exercise 4.4

• a). At 09:05, you alter your compass course to 134° C and

reduce speed to S = 5 kn. Plot a DR position for 09:35 (use
the compass deviation chart on p. 119 or 207); V=18° E.
True Course: Distance:

• b). At 09:35, you record a new bearing of 282°M to the

Entrance Island light (V=18° E), and decide to use it for
another running fix by advancing the 09:05 bearing to the
Entrance Island light. What are the coordinates of your
09:35 Running Fix?

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 Exercises 4.4a: ANSWERS
C = 125° T; D = 2.5 NM

T V M D C
D = (5 X 30) / 60 = 2.5 NM
156° 18°E 138°E 4°E 134 ° 32
Exercise 4.4b: ANSWERS Boat location at 09:35 = 49° 11.4’
N - 123° 45.4’ W

282°M = 300°T

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 Part 2.
Currents (Vector Analysis); Leeway
(Chapter 12)

1. Graphic construction (Vectors)

2. Measuring current Direction and Speed
3. Compensating for known currents
4. Leeway

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1. Graphic Constructions (Vectors)

• Resulting distance (reminder): place the two

distance vectors at the end of each other.

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 2. Measuring current Direction (“Set”)
and Speed (“Drift”)

Fig. 12.1 36
Measuring current Direction (“Set”) and Speed (“Drift”)

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Measuring current Direction (“Set”) and Speed (“Drift”)

The “set” (direction of current) is measured on the chart with a protractor.

The “drift” (speed of the current, “DFT”) must be calculated by dividing the
distance moved (“total drift”) because of the current, as measured on the
chart with dividers (length of the vector), by the time of travel in the current.

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 Exercise 4.5
From a fix at 10:30 (Lat 49°00.0’ N; Long 123° 20.0 W), on the Georgia
Strait chart, you follow the course C = 150°T with a speed S = 4 knots.
Plot your course on the chart, and a DR position for 12:00 (no
coordinates required).
 
At 12:00 you take the following GPS fix
 
Lat.: 48°55.2’ N Long.: 123° 18.7’ W
 
What has been the average set and drift of the current which you
have encountered between 10:30 and 12:00? Looking at the tide
symbols on the chart, determine the nature of the tide (flood or ebb).
 
i) Set: ii) Drift: iii) Flood or Ebb?
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Exercise 4.5 ANSWERS

12:00 DR and Fix.

i) Set: 281° T (measured on chart)

ii) Drift: 1.5 kn (2.2 NM in 1:30)
Drift = S = (60xD)/T
= (60x2.2)/90
iii) Flood tide (barbs on the current
arrow)

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 3. Compensating for known current

Fig. 12.2
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 Compensating for known current

Fig. 12.3
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 Compensating for known current

The vector construction is for one hour. Given the boat speed of 6 kn (arc of circle, 6
Fig. 12.4 NM radius), the boat direction is chosen to offset the effect of the current (AC) and
bring the boat back to the desired track (AB). 43
 Compensating for known current

The course which brings the boat back to the desired track is measured
on the chart (direction of CD). The ground speed of the boat is the length
Fig. 12.5
of the segment AD since the construction is for one hour.
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 Compensating for known current

Fig. 12.6 45
 Exercise 4.6

– Back on the South Georgia Strait chart, you notice

that you are exactly lined up with the lights of the
Porlier Pass range (016° - 196° T) from an estimated
distance of 6 or 7 NM to the N-NE. Your boat speed
is S= 4 kn. You estimate the characteristics of the
tide current in the area to be: Set = 325° T; Drift =
1.5 kn. Establish the course which the boat should
take in order to remain on the range.

– Measure the boat speed over ground (SMG).

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 Exercise 4.6 ANSWERS

Heading (course): 179° T

(measured on the chart)

SMG: 2.9 kn
(measured on the chart
with dividers)

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 4. Leeway

leeway to port (wind on the starboard side)

Fig. 12.8 48
 Exercise 4.7: Leeway
• While heading on a compass course of 250°c
under a strong wind from the South, you
notice a 10° leeway. What should be your new
compass course to correct for this leeway?

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 Exercise 4.7: ANSWER
• The boat is sailing West under a strong wind
from the South. Correcting for the leeway
requires turning into the wind, i.e. to port.

T V M D C__
Before leeway adjustment: 265° 18°E 247°E 3°W 250°
After leeway adjustment: 65° - 10 ° = 255° 18°E 237°E 1°W 238°

Note: the easy way would be to simply compensate the course by the amount of leeway
(10° to port). However, compass deviation changes slightly from heading to heading.

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The End

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