Step By Step guide to learning Chart work

How to do a Set and Drift (Chart work) (1) Plot your

starting position, call this "A"
(2) Find the true course you are steering.
(3) Draw a line from "A" and lay off your true course.
(4) Call the end of your course "D"
(5) Find the amount of time you have steamed for.
(6) Find your speed.
(7) On the line (A,D) measure the distance you will go in
the time your given. (E.g.) if your going at 10 knots for 3
hours then the distance is 30 miles so you would measure
30 miles on the (A,D) line.
(8) At the end of the line you steamed for call this "B"
(9) Find out the course and speed of the tide, make sure
the hours your are steaming for and the tide are the
same. (E.g.) you steamed for 3 hours and the tide is set
at 0400 2 knots, you would have to multiply 2 knots by 3
hours which is 6 miles of tide.
(10) At "B" measure off your tide for its course and
distance.
(11) At the end of the tide call this "C"
(12) Give the line (B,C) 3 arrows.
(13) From "A" draw a line to "C" this is the course you will
be streaming.
(14) Give the line (A,C) 2 arrows.
(15) The rate of the tide = (B,C) speed of tide
The amount of hours steamed
Track Made good, the course the tide will take you.

(1) Plot your start position "A"

(2) Find the true course you are steering.
(3) From "A" draw a line for the true course.
(4) At the end of this line call this "D"
(5) On the (A,D) line measure the distance you will go in
1 hour.
(6) Call this "B"
(7) Find the course and speed of the tide.
(8) From "B" lay of your course of the tide for 1 hour.
(9) Call this "C"
(10) From (A - C) this is the course and speed you will go
in 1 hour (Ground track)

1 arrow = true course. Authors tip;

2 arrows = the course and speed made good.
3 arrows = speed and course of tide.
Make sure all distances are for 1 hour, some
questions gives you the tide for 1 hour but
you're steaming for 6 hours.
Measure the distance covered as well as the
course from (A to C)

Running fix (Without tide or wind)

(1) You are given 2 bearings of a point of land and the

times when they where taken.
(2) Measure these courses off on your chart.
(3) Anywhere on the 1st bearing of the point of land, draw
a line for your true course.
(4) Call the starting position "A" and the end "D"
(5) The time given between the 2 bearings, work out the
distance you will go in that time.
(6) From "A" measure this distance on the (A,D) line.
(7) Call this "B"
(8) Using a parallel rules, lay them on the line from "A" to
the point of land, move the parallel rules onto "B"
(9) Draw a line from "B" along the parallel rules onto the
2nd bearing of the point of land.
(10) This is your ships position.
Running fix (With tide and/or wind)

(1) You are given 2 bearings of a point of land and the

times when they where taken.
(2) Measure these courses off on your chart.
(3) Anywhere on the 1st bearing of the point of land, draw
a line for your true course.
(4) Call the starting position "A" and the end "D"
(5) The time given between the 2 bearings, work out the
distance you will go in that time.
(6) From "A" measure this distance on the (A,D) line.
(7) Call this "B"
(8) From "B" lay off the tide for 1 hour.
(9) At the end of the tide call this "C"
(10) Using a parallel rules, lay them on the line from "A"
to the point of land, move the parallel rules onto "C"
(11) Draw a line from "C" along the parallel rules onto the
2nd bearing of the point of land.
(12) This is your ships position.

Counteraction course (countering against tide/wind)

(1) Plot your start position and call this "A"

(2) Plot your finished position and call this "D"
(3) Draw a line from "A" to "D" (This is the course you
want to steer on)
(4) Find the speed and course of the tide.
(5) From "A" lay off the tide for 1 hour.
(6) At the end of the tide, call this "B"
(7) With a set of compasses, measure the distance your
vessel will go in 1 hour.
(8) From "B" cut an arc on the "A" - "D" line, call this "C"
(9) Draw a line from "A" to "C"
(10) This is your course to steer and speed you make
good (speed you will do)
(11) Measure the line "A" - "D" and the line "A" - "C"
(12) The time is takes from "A" - "D" = distance AD
Distance AC
Horizontal and/or vertical Sextant angles.

(1) Find the positions of the land bearings on a chart.

(2) Draw a line from the 1st to the 2nd to the 3rd
positions, call them "A", "B" and "C"
(3) If the angle is less than 0900 then subtract it from
0900
(4) If the angle is more than 0900 then take the angle
and subtract 0900 from it.
(5) If the angle is less than 0900 draw the angle towards
the sea.
(6) If the angle is more than 0900 draw the angle towards
the land.
(7) Using a protractor and the 00 is facing point "B" is on
the line at point "A" mark the degrees.
(8) From point "B" facing "A" mark the degrees.
(9) From point "B" facing "C" mark the degrees.
(10) From point "C" facing "B" mark the degrees.
(11) Where "A" and "B" intersect, using a set of
compasses, measure the distance from the intersection to
"A" and "B" they should both be the same, draw a circle
(12) Where "B" and "C" intersect, do the same again.
(13) Where both circles cut this is your ships position.