This course covers the fundamentals of earth coordinates, including definitions, great circles, small circles, spherical angles, earth’s poles, equator and meridians, latitude and longitude, nautical mile, cable and the knot. Additionally, students will learn about chart projections, the Mercator chart, and corrections and notices to mariners. This course covers the principles and techniques of gyroscopic navigation and stabilisation. Topics include the physics of gyroscopes, their applications in aviation and marine navigation, and the design and operation of gyroscopic instruments. Students will gain hands-on experience with gyroscopic devices and learn how to interpret and analyse gyroscopic data. Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of physics and mathematics. This course covers the concepts of compass north deviation and variation, compass error, calculating the distance between two positions on the Mercator chart, and determining position lines and positions. This course covers the various resources and tools used in marine navigation, including notices to mariners, chart catalogues, and pilot books. Students will learn how to use sailing directions and tide tables and interpret radio navigation warnings and ship routing information.
The course will also cover various navigation techniques, such as sailing, plan, parallel, traverse, middle latitude, and great circle. In addition, students will learn how to use trigonometry to solve rhumb line courses and distances and calculate routes and distances using great circle sailing and spherical trigonometry.
This course covers the fundamental navigation concepts, including using nautical charts, dead reckoning, direction measurement using magnetic and gyro compasses, error analysis, and determining a ship’s position using landmarks. In addition, this course covers the topic of aids to navigation, which includes the study of lighthouses, beacons, and buoys. Finally, this course covers the principles and techniques of dead reckoning, including the factors of winds, tidal streams, current, and speed by log. Students will learn to calculate and apply these variables to determine their position and navigate various environments accurately.