WARSASH MARITIME SCHOOL
DEC409 Ocean Navigation
AE2 Navigation Examination – Paper 3 (Mock)
Date: Time:
PROVIDED MATERIALS
• 1998 Nautical Almanac – DO NOT MARK REFERENCE MATERIAL
• Norie’s Tables – DO NOT MARK REFERENCE MATERIAL
• SQA Navigation Formulae Sheet
• Answer booklet
• Graph paper (Radar plotting sheets available upon request)
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
• Candidates are required to attempt all questions.
• Formulae used must be stated and full workings must be shown throughout.
• All work (including rough work) is to be completed in blue or black ink in the
answer booklet except:
o Plotting on graph paper or plotting sheets which should be in pencil.
NB: Where calculations or other work associated with the plot are
required, these are to be in blue or black ink in the answer booklet.
• Any work not intended for marking must be crossed through once.
• Answers must be expressed to the following level of precision:
o Latitudes and longitudes in degrees and minutes to one decimal place
of a minute.
o Distances in miles to one decimal place.
o Courses and bearings to the nearest ½°.
o Times to the nearest minute (including date when appropriate).
• Silent, non-programmable scientific calculators may be used.
• No other electronic devices are permitted.
Marks will be awarded in accordance with the Marking Scheme indicated on the
Assessment paper. There are 140 marks available in total.
To obtain a Pass grade a minimum mark of 40% for the Module must be obtained.
To obtain a Pass for MCA requirements a minimum mark of 65% for this assessment
must be obtained.
Do not remove this paper from the exam venue
1) Calculate the DR position having sailed 687 miles on a heading of 252½˚T:
From Lisbon, Portugal 38˚ 40’N 009˚ 15’W
(20)
2) Consider the following voyage:
From San Diego, California 32˚ 42.1’N 117˚ 09.8’W
To Funafuti, Tuvalu 08˚ 29.6’S 179˚ 11.4’ E
a) Calculate the great circle distance
b) Calculate the great circle initial course
c) Calculate the positions of BOTH vertices on this great circle.
(30)
3) Using Plane Sailing, calculate the course and distance:
From Nab Tower, UK 50˚ 39.2’N 000˚ 57.4’W
To Dieppe, France 49˚ 54.8’N 001˚ 05.1’E
(20)
continued…
4) Calculate the intercept for the following observation:
Ship’s date and time 1998 June 15th / 21:00
Assumed position 50˚ 53’N 148˚ 56’W
Chronometer time [Link]
Chronometer Error [Link] Slow
Sextant altitude (Eltanin) 60˚ 04.0’
Index error 1.9’ off the arc
Height of eye 10.4m
(20)
5) Calculate the true bearing of the Sun:
Ship’s date and time 1998 January 26th / 15:24
Assumed position 23˚ 35’S 118˚ 26’W
Chronometer time [Link]
Chronometer Error [Link] Slow
(20)
6) An observation of the Sun has been taken at meridian passage as follows:
Ship’s date: 1998 November 13th
Assumed position: 07˚ 12.2’S 068˚ 14.2’E
Observed body: Sun (Upper Limb) bearing south
Sextant altitude: 79˚46.3’
Index error: 2.1’ on the arc
Height of eye: 18.4 m
i) At what time (ship’s time) did meridian passage take place?
An observation from earlier in the day has been resolved as follows:
Time Object True Bearing Intercept
0830 Sun 097°T 4.6’ Away
ii) Determine the ship’s position at the time of meridian passage.
(30)
