Lesson 14:

Precise Piloting and Anchoring

• AGENDA:
– Ship’s Handling Characteristics
– Plotting Advance, Transfer and Turn Bearings
– Anchoring Terminology and Selection
– Determining a Suitable Anchorage
– Precision Anchoring Plotting
– Sea and Anchor Detail Execution
– Post-anchoring Considerations
– Swing Circle/Drag Circle
• Applicable reading: Hobbs pp. 234-251.
Ship’s Handling Characteristics
• Advance - the distance gained in the original direction
until a ship steadies on its final course.
• Transfer - the distance gained at a right angles to the
direction of the original course until the ship
steadies on on its final course.
• Turning Circle - the path followed by a ship’s pivot
point when executing a 360° turn.
• Tactical Diameter - the transfer involved in the
execution of a single turn of 180°.
• Final Diameter - the diameter of the turning circle that
a ship would scribe when turning 360°
Transfer
Final Course

End
of
Turn

Start
of
Turn

Advance & Transfer

Tactical Diameter, Final Diameter, and Turning Circle

E
C

Tactical Diameter
D B

Wheel Over

Original
Course
000
Turn Tables: Data from Tactical Data Folder
Example: Speed: 15 kts, Standard Rudder
Angle

Angle of Turn Advance Transfer

15o 180 18
30o 230 30
45o 270 60
60o 310 110

Calculate Advance and Transfer for a 50o turn.

Example cont.:

Interpolate-

Advance = 270 + 5/15 * (310-270)

= 283 yds

Transfer = 60 + 5/15 * (110-60)

= 77 yards

Now, let’s look at how to plot this.

 Use of Advance/Transfer
During Piloting
• STEP #1 - Calculate advance/transfer from tactical
data folder.

• STEP #2 - Plot “transfer” line perpendicular to

original course.

• STEP #3 - Plot “advance” by parallel to original

course.

• STEP #4 - Draw the turning point.

• STEP #5 - Select a NavAid for a Turn Bearing (TB)

 N
50

A
TR - 000 T

TR 100 0 100 200 300

Scale in Yards
 Advance and Transfer Table
Angle of
Turn Advance Transfer
15 180 18
30 230 30
45 270 60
60 310 110
75 330 170
For a 50 degree turn:
Advance = 283 yds Transfer = 77 yds
 N
B

77
TR - 000 T

TR 100 0 100 200 300

Scale in Yards
 N
B

A
TR - 000 T

281

77

TR 90
100 0 100 200 300
D C Scale in Yards
Turn Bearings - In order to plot the position
at which the ship must put the rudder over
(to turn onto a planned track), you must
select a suitable Navaid as a turn bearing.
Select a Navaid closest to the beam
Danger Bearings – Are drawn on the chart
to keep the ship in safe water even when
the pelorus is on the danger bearing and
are measured from the pelorus to either
the bow or the stern, whichever is greater.
 N
B

A
TR - 000 T

281
Select a suitable
NAVAID as a
77 turn bearing.
TR 90
100 0 100 200 300
TB 270
D C Scale in Yards
 Tank
Danger Bearings / Ranges
Light
FL 6s 58ft 9M
9
5 5 9
12 9 5
9 12 12 9
12 5 9 12
13 13 9 9
12 13 13 15
15 pa
13 15
19 12 17
NMT 070 96 17 19 19
17 19 17
20
NLT 200 yds 20
20 20 21
20 20
21 21
21 21
21 21 20

23 23 23 23
23 23
 Anchoring Stages
• 4 stages of Anchoring:

1. Selection (Pre-sail)
2. Plotting (Pre-sail)
3. Execution (Sail)
4. Post Anchoring (Post-sail)
 Selection
Suitable criteria:
• Low winds, Low current
• Protected from sea
• Suitable Landmarks/Navaids
• Free of Hazards - Draw the swing circle
• Bottom: sand, mud, not rocks, or
obstructions
 Sources of Information
• Chart
• Publications, to include:
– Coast Pilots
– Sailing Directions
– Fleet Guides (ports most frequented by USN ships)
• Word-of-mouth
• Pass down files
 Plotting
Terms:
1. Approach Track: 1000-2000 yards
2. Head Bearing
3. Range circles
4. Letting-go circle
5. Letting-go bearing
 Plotting Terms
• Head bearing - the final heading of the ship
prior to anchoring
• Range circle - arcs plotted along the approach
track to indicated the distance from the
anchorage.
• Letting-go bearing - the bearing to a Navaid to
that indicates when the anchor should be let go
• Letting-go circle - centered at the center of the
berth with a radius of equal to distance from
the hawsepipe to the pelorus.
 10 8 4
20 Kentmore marina
10
Mast 6
12 8
4
2
10
20 20 16 14 G1 G C 3 Piles
Dredged 10 ft 1996
16 R2 R N 4

14 4
16
R12 10
20 Fl R 2.5s 2
14 Hobbs Lt Fl 2s 70ft 15M
Hobbs Pepe Pt
20 Rks t 4 Fl 6s 54ft 7M
20 6 t
14 Red 2
16 t t 10
8 4 6
16 14 12 t Pepe 8
14 16 Reef
Uncov. 12
14 1m 14
16
R14
Anchorage16 Plot
16
20 Fl R 5s
16
 Plotting a Precision
Anchorage
Preparation (Pre-Sail):
Step 1 - Predict the effects of wind and current
along the approach track.

Step 2 - Identify a prominent navaid to use as a

head bearing and plot the approach track.

Step 3 - Measure and plot the radius of the letting-go

circle over the center of the anchorage
 Plotting a Precision
Anchorage
Preparation (Pre-Sail):
Step 4 - Scribe and label the range arcs on the
chart.

Step 5 - Select a suitable navaid to use as a Letting-

go bearing, and plot the LGB on the chart.
N
TR Anchorage Plot

HB 004
Tank Stack
100
200
300
400
500

TR 004
600
700
800
900
1000

1200

1400
 Terminology
Range Arcs - Arcs drawn around the center of
the anchorage designating distance to the
anchorage. Drawn in 100 yard increments
measured outward from the Letting-Go Circle
anchorage for the last 1000 yards of the
approach, and at the 1200 yd, 1500 yd and
2000 yd marks.
 Execution
• Approach slowly (7 slowing to 3kts)
• When you reach the letting-go bearing:
“Let go the anchor !”
• Immediately shoot a fix.
• If done correctly, anchor is within 50 yds
of center of anchorage
• Ship is now backed to set the anchor
 Post Anchoring
• Anchor scope: 5 - 7 times the depth of
the water
• Now, Navigator shoots another fix and
notes the direction the anchor is tending
=> Determine final anchor position
• Draw the SWING CIRCLE.
• If no obstructions exist w/in => OK
• Draw the DRAG CIRCLE.
 Terminology
Swing Circle - A circle drawn from the actual
anchor location with a radius equal to the length
of anchor chain veered plus the total length of the
ship.

Drag Circle - A circle drawn from the actual

anchor location with a radius equal to the
length of the anchor chain veered plus the
distance from the hawespipe to the pelorus.
Drag / Swing Circle

130 yds
300 yards

Drag Circle

Swing Circle
 Post Anchoring Terms
Swing Circle
• purpose: to ensure the anchorage is
hazard free

• centered at the position of the anchor

• Radius = (Length of ship) +

(Length of anchor chain)
 Post Anchoring Terms (cont)

Drag Circle
• purpose: to ensure the anchor is not
dragging
• centered at the position of the anchor
• Radius =
(Distance from Hawsepipe to Pelorus) +
(Length of anchor chain)
 Plotting a Precision
Anchorage
At Anchor (Post-Sail):
Step 1 - As the anchor is “Let go”, take a fix
noting the ship’s heading.

Step 2 - Once the fix is plotted, the anchor

position is plotted (measured from the fix in
the direction of the ship’s head at a distance
equal to the distance between the hawespipe
and the pelorus.
 Plotting a Precision
Anchorage
At Anchor (Post-Sail):

Step 3 - Plot the swing and drag circles

around
the anchor’s actual position.
 Post-anchoring
Considerations
• Veer out sufficient anchor chain (scope)
• Cover the chart with acetate over the
swing and drag circles
• Select the navaids to use to fix the ship’s
position while at anchor
• Set the “Anchor watch”
 Precision Anchoring
Overview
• STEP #1 - Select an anchorage (LOGREQ)
• STEP #2 - Plot a swing circle to ensure
anchorage is safe.
• STEP #3 - Select and plot an approach track,
head bearings, and drop bearings.
• STEP #4 - Apply advance/transfer and
compute turn bearing.
• STEP #5 - Plot letting go circle, swing circle,
and range circles.