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BML Revision: Compass Work (Section 1, part 3)
Revision card 3 of 16 — Boatmaster's Licence, Tier 1 Level 2 Underpinning Knowledge, MSN 1853 Annex 10. Also new for Level 2 — compass theory isn't part of the Tier 1 Level 1 syllabus at all.
Magnetic & Gyro Compass
- Magnetic compass: card graduation in degrees, compass bowl and binnacle, dangers of magnetic material nearby, standard compass vs. steering compass
- Gyro compass and repeaters, compass alarm, off-course alarm
Using the Compass
- Use of azimuth mirror, pelorus etc. for taking bearings
- Calculate compass error and deviation using transits
- Determine variation and deviation from charts, curves and tables
- Convert compass or gyro courses to true courses
Quick Self-Check
- What's the practical difference between variation and deviation?
- Talk through converting a compass course to a true course, step by step.
- How would you find compass error using a transit?
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