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Compiled By Capt. Sunil Bhabha

The need for Planning the turns

Unlike road vehicles a ship does not turn sharply. With lesser friction in water and under the influence of
momentum a vessel continues on her initial course for some time, beginning to turn slowly and then
rapidly later. Vessel thus traverses a curved track which can be treated as an arc of a circle.

For small ships such arcs are small and can be executed without much problem. But for large sized
merchant vessels these arcs assume greater radii and need to be treated differently. This becomes all
the more important when vessel is altering courses in restricted waters or in close proximity to
navigational hazards.

For same reasons roundabouts are charted in traffic separation schemes. Under navigation watch
keeping principles, vessel is required to do berth to berth passage planning. It is also required to lay
courses in curved segments as well, where required and to mark the wheel over positions.

In view of the above, vessels having 50,000 GT and above are mandatorily required to be fitted with
ROTI (Rate of Turn Indicator) as per Chapter V, SOLAS.

ROTI assists OOW in planning, executing and monitoring vessel’s progress along curved segment of
charted course.

The purpose of ROTI is to provide rate of turn to port and to starboard side of ship. The indicator is
usually in the form of a circular dial with zero at top. Port turn is indicated on left of zero and starboard
turn on right of zero. Graduations are provided to indicate ROT up to at least 30 degrees/minute on
either side. ROTI can be self-contained, or it may derive information from other equipment or it may
form a part of the other equipment. However, the design is such as to preclude degradation of other
equipment to which ROTI is connected, irrespective of
weather ROTI is in operation or not.

DERIVATION OF FORMULA FOR ROT:

ROT (Ө/t) is expressed in degrees per minute.

In the diagram:

PB = Initial course

BN = Final course

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AC = Curved segment of charted course;

A is commencement of turn and C is completion of turn.

Length of the curved segment = d

Ө = Amount of alteration in degrees (Angle MBN or Angle AOC)

ӨC = Angle in radians

R = Radius of the circle of which arc forms the part

t = Time

Now, we know that, by definition, radian is the angle subtended at the center of a circle by an arc equal
in length to the radius of the circle. Thus, we have:

ӨC = d/R = (V x t)/R

Or, (Ө o/57.3) = (V x t)/R (Note: Ө is in degrees)

Or, Ө /t = (V x 57.3)/R in degrees /hour

Or, Ө /t = (V x 57.3)/60R in degrees /minute

Using approximation and cancelling 60 and 57.3 with each other, we have:

Ө /t = V/R in degrees /minute

Thus, we have ROT (Ө/t) given by: V/R

Constant Radius Turn / Controlled Radius Turn / Radial Turn

In this method radius R is kept constant.

We have seen that rate of turn (ROT) is given by (Ө/t) = V/R

Or, R = V/ (Ө/t)

If radius R is to be kept constant, the expression on the RHS will have to be kept constant. But as vessel
turns, velocity V reduces. Thus ROT (Ө/t) will have to be varied proportionately so as keep R as constant.
Thus in constant radius turn ROT does not remain same and changes as vessel progresses in the turn.

Constant radius turn is negotiated in the following two ways, depending on weather the object ‘O’ is
visible or imaginary.

Object ‘O’ available as visually or radar conspicuous feature:

1. With O as center and R as radius draw an arc. (The value of R will be decided by OOW/Master and will
depend on vessel’s size, draft, weather conditions, proximity to other dangers etc.).

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2. Draw AB and BC as tangents to the arc, representing initial and
final courses.

Object ‘O’ not available as visually or radar conspicuous

feature:
1. Draw initial and final courses first.

2. Choose suitable value of R depending on size, loading condition

of vessel, weather conditions etc.

3. Calculate AB = BC = R tan Ө/2

4. Draw small arcs, with radius R, from A and C to cut at O.

5. Now O as center and R as radius, draw arc AC. This is the curved segment of the planned course.

MONITORING THE TRACK ALONG CURVED

SEGMENT:
Object O is visually conspicuous:
We know that any radius to the point of contact of a tangent is
perpendicular to the tangent. This means that for vessel to remain on
the curved track, the object O must remain abeam or very nearly
abeam. If the object is falling abaft the beam, it means that vessel is
going outside the arc (or she is turning slowly) and ROT needs to be
increased by giving greater helm.

Conversely, if object is moving ahead of beam, vessel is going inside the arc (or she is turning too fast)
and ROT needs to be reduced by easing the helm.

Object O is radar conspicuous:

In this case VRM along with parallel indexing techniques is utilized for keeping the vessel on the curved
segment of the track. Both RM and TM modes are equally suitable for the procedure.

Object O is imaginary:
In this case vessel’s position has to be closely monitored at more frequent intervals to ensure that the
vessel stays at the curved segment of the track.

With ECDIS onboard:

ECDIS has brought a revolutionary change in the way we navigate ships. The way computers have made
many old human skills irrelevant; ECDIS is also likely to play the same role. As per IMO performance

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standards for “route planning and monitoring” on ECDIS, it should be possible to draw both straight and
curved segments of planned courses.

Thus, executing and monitoring ship’s progress along any curved segment is very easy. The fact that the
courses drawn can be seen against the background of chart on the screen itself makes the procedure a
very simple task. ECDIS provides real time fixing. Hence, OOW knows where the vessel is at any moment
rather than where she was few moments ago

Constant Rate Turn

In this method ROT (Ө/t) is kept constant.

We know that rate of turn (ROT) is given by (Ө/t) = V/R

If ROT is required to be kept constant, the expression on the RHS will have to be kept constant. But as
vessel turns, velocity V reduces. Thus radius R will have to be varied proportionately so as to keep ROT
as constant. Thus in constant rate turn radius R does not remain same and changes as vessel negotiates
the turn.

Practically ROT is calculated for a mean value of vessel’s speed (mean of speed at the start of curved
segment and speed at the end of curved segment). This value corresponds nearly to vessel’s position
midway on the arc. At other locations on arc value of radius will differ from R. But these variations are
small and within practical and tolerable limits.

WHEEL OVER POINT (WOP)

It is the point on initial course at which wheel is put over to initiate the turning of the vessel. It is
obtained by intersection of initial course by wheel over line.

The distance between the WOP and the ship commencing its turn is denoted by F and depends on:

Size of vessel

Loaded/ballast condition

Trim

Type of vessel etc.

WHEEL OVER LINE

It is a line drawn parallel to the final course. The point at which it cuts the initial course line is the wheel
over point. The distance at which wheel over line is to be drawn parallel to the final course is given by
following formula:

F Sin Ө + R (1 - Cos Ө)

F= distance between WOP and the point when vessel begins to turn.

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R= radius of turn

Ө = difference between initial and final course

PROCEDURE:
1. Take F as 0.1, 0.15 or 0.2 miles depending on weather vessel is small, medium or large in size.
2. Take R as radius of turn, depending on your vessel’s size, draft and external factors.
3. Calculate the distance between WOL and final course by the formula given above.
4. Take any arbitrary point on final course and draw on arc, towards initial course, at the distance
calculated.
5. Draw a tangent to the arc parallel to the final course, cutting the initial course.
6. The point of intersection is the wheel over point.

Examples of Actual Turns Planned on a Chart

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