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Navigating Vessel Positioning Techniques

The intercept method allows navigators to determine a vessel's position between two observations if its course and speed over ground are known. This is done by plotting the initial lines of position, advancing the first line using the vessel's motion vector, and finding the intersection of the advanced first line with the second line, which gives the running fix position. When traveling longer distances, it may be necessary to choose reference points further from the estimated positions to reduce errors. Running fixes can also be calculated by retarding the second line of position to find the position at the time of the first observation.

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4 views1 page

Navigating Vessel Positioning Techniques

The intercept method allows navigators to determine a vessel's position between two observations if its course and speed over ground are known. This is done by plotting the initial lines of position, advancing the first line using the vessel's motion vector, and finding the intersection of the advanced first line with the second line, which gives the running fix position. When traveling longer distances, it may be necessary to choose reference points further from the estimated positions to reduce errors. Running fixes can also be calculated by retarding the second line of position to find the position at the time of the first observation.

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Chapter 5

Finding the Position of a Traveling Vessel

The intercept method even enables the navigator to determine the position of a vessel traveling a considerable distance
between two observations, provided course and speed over ground are known.

We begin with plotting both lines of position in the usual manner, as illustrated in chapter 4, Fig. 4-4. Then, we apply
the vector of motion (defined by course, speed, and time elapsed) to the LoP resulting from the first observation, and
plot the advanced first LoP, the parallel of the first LoP thus obtained. The point where the advanced first LoP
intersects the second LoP is the position of the vessel at the time of the second observation. A position obtained in
this fashion is called a running fix (Fig. 5-1).

The procedure gives good results when traveling short distances (up to approx. 30 nm) between the observations. When
traveling a larger distance (up to approx. 150 nm), it may be necessary to choose two different AP's, not too far away
from each estimated position, to reduce geometric errors (Fig. 5-2).

It is also possible to find the running fix for the time of the first observation. In this case the second LoP has to be
retarded (moved backwards).

Sumner lines and terrestrial lines of position may be advanced or retarded in the same manner.

In practice, course and speed over ground can only be estimated since the exact effects of currents and wind are usually
not known. Therefore, a running fix is usually not as accurate as a stationary fix.

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