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GREAT
CIRCLE
SAILINGS
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Great circle v Mercator
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Newcastle to San Francisco enters
the Arctic Circle 66 33 North
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G.C. routes in RED Note the Icebergs

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Great circle v Rhumb line

1. ADVANTAGE
Great Circle shorter distance than Rhumb
line, therefore saving Fuel and Time.

2. DISADVANTAGE
Great Circle may take you into high
Latitudes and therefore encounter bad
weather with risk of damage to the vessel
and cargo and a slower steaming speed.
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Basic Great Circle Drawing

DLong
Equator
North Pole
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Naming Courses


Initial course = Elevated pole + direction of
travel

Final course = Opposite elevated pole +
direction of travel
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Cosine formulae for Great Circle
Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

Cos AB =

C A B
(Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB)

A B
+ (Cos PA x Cos PB)
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How Do We Find ?

Angle PA?
Angle PA = (90 - Lat A)

Angle PB?
Angle PB = (90 - Lat B)

Angle P?
Angle P = (DLong A to B)
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Basic Great Circle Drawing

DLong
Equator
North Pole
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Example 1
Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 22 10N 074 56W
to
B 49 27N 010 46W

Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (DLong)
Example 1
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P
A
B
2210N
074 56W
4927N
01046W
Equator
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P 90 00N P 90 00N 074 56W
A 22 10N B 49 27N 010 46W
PA 67 50N PB 40 33N P 064 10E

C A B A B
Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 06410 x Sin 6750 x Sin 4033) + (Cos 6750 x Cos 4033)

AB = 56 41 55.73 = 56 41.9 x 60 = 3401.9287 = 3401.9N.M.

Distance = 3401.9 / 60 = 5641.9

SAVE in D
Example 1
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P
A
B
2210N
074 56W
4927N
01046W
Equator
DLong
6410E
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Initial Course
NOTE: NO Formulae Given
You will have to learn this!!!!!!

B A D
Cos A = (Cos PB Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)
A D

Remember (Cos B-AD)
(Sin AD)

Can use ABC tables

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Initial Course

Initial course = N44 26 06.64E = N4426.1E = 044.4(T)


Cos A = (Cos PB Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)
Cos A = (Cos 4033.0 Cos 6750.0 x Cos 56 41.9)
(Sin 6750.0 PA x Sin 56 41.9)
SAVE in X
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Final Course

Final course = S9412 34.56E = S9412.6E = 85.8(T)


Cos B = (Cos PA Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)
Cos B = (Cos 6750.0 Cos 4033.0 x Cos 56 41.9)
(Sin 4033.0 PA x Sin 56 41.9)
SAVE in Y if required
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Comparison

Initial course = 044.4(T)

Final course = 85.8(T)

Comparing distances by Mercator
Great Circle distance 3401.9
Mercator distance 3483.1
Difference 81.2
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Example 2
Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 39 00S 020 00W
to
B 40 00S 142 00E

Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (DLong)
Example 2
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P
A
B
3900S
020 00W
4000S
14200E
Equator
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P 90 00S P 90 00S 020 00W
A 39 00S B 40 00S 142 00E
PA 51 00S PB 50 00S P 162 00E

C A B A B
Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 16200 x Sin 5100 x Sin 5000) + (Cos 5100 x Cos 5000)

AB = 99 18 14.16 = 99 18.2 x 60 = 5955.235 = 5955.2N.M.

Distance = 5958.2 / 60 = 9918.2

SAVE in D
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Initial Course

Initial course = S13 52 54E = S1352.9E = 166.1(T)


Cos A = (Cos PB Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)
Cos A = (Cos 5000.0 Cos 5100.0 x Cos 99 18.2)
(Sin 5100.0 PA x Sin 99 18.2)
SAVE in X
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Final Course

Final course = N14 05 13.06E = N1405.2E = 14.1(T)


Cos B = (Cos PA Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)
Cos B = (Cos 5100.0 Cos 5000.0 x Cos 99 18.2)
(Sin 5000.0 PA x Sin 99 18.2)
SAVE in Y if required
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Example 3
Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 04 07N 098 55E
to
B 41 00S 033 58E

Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (DLong)
Example 3
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P
A
B
4100S
03358E
0407N
09855E
Equator
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P 90 00N P 90 00S 098 55E
A 04 07N B 41 00S 033 58E
PA 94 07S PB 49 00S P 064 57W

C A B A B
Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 06457 x Sin 9407 x Sin 4900) + (Cos 9407 x Cos 4900)

AB = 74 14 19.49 = 7414.3 x 60 = 4454.325 = 4454.3N.M.

Distance = 4454.3 / 60 = 7414.3

SAVE in D
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Initial Course

Initial course = S45 16 11.54W = S4516.2W = 225.3(T)


Cos A = (Cos PB Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)
Cos A = (Cos 4900.0 Cos 9407.0 x Cos 7414.3)
(Sin 9407.0 PA x Sin 7414.3)
SAVE in X
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Final Course

Final course = N110 07 56.71W = N11007.9W = 249.9(T)


Cos B = (Cos PA Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)
Cos B = (Cos 9407.0 Cos 4900.0 x Cos 7414.3)
(Sin 4900.0 PA x Sin 7414.3)
SAVE in Y if required
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Example 4
Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 33 52S 151 16E
to
B 12 04S 077 14W

Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (DLong)
Example 4
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P
A
B
3352S
151 16E
1204S
07714W
Equator
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P 90 00S P 90 00S 151 16E
A 33 52S B 12 04S 077 14W
PA 56 08S PB 77 56S P 228 30W
P 131 30E
C A B A B
Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 13130 x Sin 5608 x Sin 7756) + (Cos 5608 x Cos 7756)

AB = 114 55 55.95 = 11455.9 x 60 = 6895.932 = 6895.9N.M.

Distance = 6895.9 / 60 = 11455.9

SAVE in D
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Initial Course

Initial course = S53 52 12.88E = S5352.2E = 126.1(T)


Cos A = (Cos PB Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)
Cos A = (Cos 7756.0 Cos 5608.0 x Cos 11455.9)
(Sin 5608.0 PA x Sin 11455.9)
SAVE in X
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Final Course

Final course = N43 17 55.43W = N4317.9E = 043.3(T)


Cos B = (Cos PA Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)
Cos B = (Cos 5608.0 Cos 7756.0 x Cos 11455.9)
(Sin 7756.0 PA x Sin 11455.9)
SAVE in Y if required
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Example 5 (SQA July 2011)
Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 54 21S 064 18W
to
B 04 06N 008 15E


Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (DLong)
Example 5
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P
A
B
5421S
06418W
0406N
00815E
Equator
Prime
Meridian
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P 90 00N P 90 00N 064 18W
A 54 21S B 04 06N 008 15E
PA 35 39S PB 94 06S P 072 33E

C A B A B
Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 07233 x Sin 3539 x Sin 9406) + (Cos 3539 x Cos 9406)

AB = 83 19 31.46 = 8319.5 x 60 = 4999.524 = 4999.5N.M.

Distance = 4999.5 / 60 = 8319.5

SAVE in D
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Initial Course

Initial course = S106 39 32.46E = S10639.5E = 073.3(T)


Cos A = (Cos PB Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)
Cos A = (Cos 9406.0 Cos 3539.0 x Cos 8319.5)
(Sin 3539.0 PA x Sin 8319.5)
SAVE in X
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Final Course

Final course = N34 02 31.63E = N3402.5E = 34.0(T)


Cos B = (Cos PA Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)
Cos B = (Cos 3539.0 Cos 9406.0 x Cos 8319.5)
(Sin 9406.0 PA x Sin 8319.5)
SAVE in Y if required
SQA Dec 2012 Q3

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3ai) Find the Rhumb line distance between
49 47N 006 27W to 18 20N 067 50W

Start Lat 49 47.0N MP 3436.41 Start Long 006 27W
Final Lat 18 20.0N MP 1111.91 Final Long 067 50W
DLat 31 27.0S DMP 2324.50 DLong 61 23W
DLat 1887S DLong 3683W

Tan course = Dlong / DMP
Tan course = 3683 / 2324.50 = S5744.5W = 237.7T

Dist = DLat / Cos Course
Dist = 1887 / Cos 57.74 = 3535.5

Track 237.7T and Distance 3535.5
Use ANSwer button
Leave 57.74221104
on your display
Type 1887 / Cos ANS
3aii Draw a sketch
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P
B
A
1820N
067 50W
4947N
00627W
Equator
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P 90 00N P 90 00N 006 27W
A 49 47N B 18 20N 067 50W
PA 40 13N PB 71 40N P 061 23W

C A B A B
Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 06123 x Sin 4013 x Sin 7140) + (Cos 4013 x Cos 7140)

AB = 57 44 29.64 x 60 = 3464.5N.M.

Distance = 3464.5 / 60 = 5744.5

SAVE in D

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P
B
A
1820N
067 50W
4947N
00627W
Equator
DLong
6123W
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3aiii - Initial Course

Initial course = N99 48.5W = 260.2(T)


Cos A = (Cos PB Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)
Cos A = (Cos 7140.0 Cos 4013.0 x Cos 5744.5)
(Sin 4013.0 PA x Sin 5744.5)

3b Steaming times

Rhumb line 3535.3 +1810 = 5345.3
Steaming time 5345.3 / 17kts = 13d 02h 26m

GC 3464.5 + 1810 = 5274.5
Adverse current 17kts 3 kts = 14kts x 72hrs = 1008
Remainder of passage 5274.5 1008 = 4266.5
Steaming time 4266.5 / 17kts = 10d 10h 58m
Total GC steam time = 10d 10h 58m + 72hrs = 13d 10h 58m

R/L 13d 02h 26m
GC 13d 10h 58m
R/L 08h 32m quicker
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For more examples see
Position of the Vertex

End
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