Plotting Fixes - using reciprocal

[Gunfleet]

I agree with you. If you are on the boat and you don't know which way is north you are in terrible trouble. So the logic goes, if you know which way is north you are hardly going to make a muddle with a bearing or reciprocal? I mean if the compass reads 165 and points near to where you know north to be, the mistake will shout at you. I wonder if Mrs Robb or her instructor isn't getting general navigation mixed up with Maydays, where they will always want the reciprocal and want it given in reciprocal form eg from North Foreland to you, not vice versa.

 

[Chris_Robb]

I quiet agree - the use of rymes etc to help should only be for initial training. I would also not be happy sailing with someone who had to think wether to add or subrtact variation and deviation!

 

[nicho]

I too was tought to do it that way, but that was in relation to giving your position in a mayday situation, e.g. "our position is 4 miles from the Needles lighthouse on a heading of 190 degrees...."(i.e. 4 miles SSW of the lighthouse) I was told it is easier for the emergency services to pinpoint your whereabouts doing it that way. Problem is, as you say, having to add 180 degrees to your compass reading in an already stressful situation could (especially in my case!) lead to an innacurate plot....