Page Level Ads

Mercator Sailing Formula

A vessel at LAT 18° 54' N, LONG 073° E heads for a destinations at  LAT 13° 12', LONG 054° E. Determine the true course and distance by Mercator sailing.

Given:

Postion 1:   LAT 18° 54' N, LONG 073° E
Position 2:  LAT 13° 12' N, LONG 054° E

What is asked:

Course and distance by Mercator sailing

Solution:

1. Solving for difference in latitude (DLAT)

                Lat1 = 18° 54' N
                Lat2 = 13° 12' N  (same sign, so subtract)
              DLAT =  5° 42' S (Sign of DLAT is south because the direction of the ship is going south)
                             x  60     to convert it into miles
                              342 miles

2. Solving for the difference in longitude (Dlo)

             Long1 = 073° 00' E
             Long2 = 054° 00' E  (same name: subtract)
                  Dlo =  19° W       (Sign is west because the direction of the ship is westward)
                          x  60       to convert it into miles
                             1140 miles

3. Solving for Meridional Parts in each latitude and the difference in meridional parts (DMP). This is the formula in getting meridional parts.

             Meridional Parts = (Latitude ÷ 2) + 45 = Tan Log Ans × 7915.7 - Sin latitude × 23.2 

            So, Lat 18° 54' N = 1147.6 MP
                  Lat 13° 12' N =  793.8 MP

And to get DMP, we have to subtract the meridional parts because our latitudes are of the same sign.

                            MP1 = 1147.6
                            MP2 =   793.8 
                            DMP =   353.8

4. We can now solve for the course. This is the formula in solving course by Mercator sailing.

                  Tan Course = Dlo    
                                        DMP
                                     = 1140 
                                        353.8
                         Course = 72.76°
                                     = S 72.76° W  (southwest, that is in the third quadrant. You might ask, why SW? What is the rule in naming? South because that's the sign of your DLAT; and West because that's the sign of your Dlo).

Converting quadrantal form to the new form:

                          Course = S 72.76° W
                                           +  180°         (because that's in the 3rd quadrant)
                  True Course = 252.76°

5. Solving now for the distance.

                        Distance =    DLAT         
                                        Cosine Course
                                      =    342        
                                         Cos 72.76°    (not 252.76 to avoid negative answer)
                                      = 1153.9 nautical miles is the distance
           
P.S. Like what you read? Please click the share button below to share this post to your friends. Sharing is caring...

You Might Also Like

63 comments:

  1. This is really helpful! I'm glad I found your blog. Thanks a lot! :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi nauta. can you please show me how to use the formula of meridional parts step by step? i've been trying this formula with my calculator for how many times but always came up with the wrong answer. anyway, i'm using casio fx-85ms. S-V.P.A.M. thanks in advance :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How I wish I could, Kim, but I no longer have my svpam calculator with me. Thanks for visiting this blog.

      Delete
    2. Kim sky if you know how please tell me.how you do it.

      Delete
    3. (lat1/2)+45=tan Ans Log Ans x 7915.7 -sin Lat1 x 23.2 that's the formula on how to calculate meridional part!

      Delete
    4. Other formula for DMP = Lat÷2+45=tan=log=×7915.7-23.2sinLAT

      Delete
    5. dmp=7915.7xlog tan(lat/2 + 45) - 23.2xsinlat

      Delete
    6. Sir how to solve DMP? can u explain briefly

      Delete
    7. How to divide the latitude? Do I need to convert it first?

      Delete
  4. you can also get the MP by

    MP=Log Tan (lat / 2 + 45) x 7915.7 - (sinLAT x 23.2689)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sir the 7915.7 and 23.2689 it is constant?

      Delete
    2. Yes. Page 5 of Bowditch Volume II, 1981.

      Delete
  5. how to compute tan co= dlo
    dmp
    using my calculator casio fx 901 thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We got the same problem if you know how please tell me.

      Delete
    2. We got the same problem if you know how please tell me.

      Delete
    3. After getting the quotient by dividing the DLO and DMP, press shift then Tan.

      Delete
  6. hi how to compute tan co=dlo/dmp?

    ReplyDelete
  7. hi how to compute tan co=dlo/dmp?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To get the course tan needs to be transfered to the right side. so use tan-1 x dlo/dmp

      Delete
    2. Find the course and distance from initial position A. latitude 30°00'N longitude 045°00'W final position B. latitude 25°00'N longitude 050°00'W

      Delete
  8. when im try your meridonal part formal im getting the wrong answer please help

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very good answer. I have confused to North or South MP and DMP. Thx for your answer:-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. my question is how to determine if long is e or w...because sometimes i get confuse about it..pls reply...thank you

    ReplyDelete
  11. my question is how to determine if long is e or w...because sometimes i get confuse about it..pls reply...thank you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The name of longitude is given...

      Do you mean how to determine the name of the difference in longitude (dlo)?

      The name of your dlo is determined to what direction your ship is going, either east or west.

      Delete
    2. it depends on the course of the ship, that's my opinion.

      Delete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. why north to north answer is south in dlat ?

      Delete
    2. The Dlat is south because your direction is going south. The ship is from 18 deg 54 mins N going to 13 deg 12 min N. Therefore, your Dlat is named south.

      But, supposing the ship is from 13 deg 12 min N going to 18 deg 54 min N, then your Dlat is north.

      Delete
  13. sir how about where did you get the 342 miles by converting 60 what is the formula?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sir asap where did you get to come up the answer of 342 miles is the da dlat and 1140 miles is the dlo, and also the distance is 1153.9?? what formula did you use?

      Delete
  14. Thank You to this blog..it's really heplful!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you for the mini lesson....I got that AHA! moment while i was doing my lesson and reading over your blog...Thank you...Oh and I just get my MP from table 5 in Bowditch II ;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi good day! I need explanation regarding the distance formula. Why did you use the DLAT instead of the DMP? To my understanding if you use DLAT its Plane Sailing not Mercator Sailing anymore.

    I used the pythagorain formula and we didn't arrive in the same answer... :-(

    ReplyDelete
  17. Handing, moet ik niet meer zelf doen

    ReplyDelete
  18. How to get this Course= S 72.76° W i don't know how get this can you help me please.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In sci calcu, shift tan, then do the division. Then dms

      Delete
  19. In solving dlat and dlo and have different name, do you add them?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Please Tell me the quadrants from 1 to 4

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NE = as it is
      SE = -180
      SW = +180
      NW = -360

      Delete
  21. How to compute the meridional parts using sci cal step by step because it always show syntax error :(

    ReplyDelete
  22. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Sir please make 2 example per topic to for us to avoid confusion. Thank you sir more power!

    ReplyDelete
  24. How did the dlat turned into 342 my calculator show 325.2? Need help

    ReplyDelete
  25. How to solve dlat if the lat1 long1 course and distance are given??

    ReplyDelete
  26. sir if the question is a vessel is 065degree T , covering a distance of 254m
    req.Dlat
    p/departure
    Dlon

    what is the answer

    ReplyDelete
  27. Sir , how you simplify the DMP FORMULA. ?

    ReplyDelete
  28. Sir ganda naman ng example mu ask ko sana kung my plane at parallel sailing ka thanks sir Godbless you paki email lng sir kung pwede hehehe thanks talaga

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here's the example of a parallel sailing on this blog.
      https://oic-nwreviewer.blogspot.com/2014/03/advancement-of-clock.html?m=1

      Delete
  29. how can I divide the latitude? Do I need to convert it first?

    ReplyDelete
  30. how can I divide the latitude? Do I need to convert it first?

    ReplyDelete
  31. what if same longitude how to get the course and distance ?

    ReplyDelete
  32. the course 72.76 deg.. its on the 3rd quadrant, shouldn't you subtract it by 270?

    ReplyDelete
  33. What should I do if the total of my DLAT 0° 6' ?

    ReplyDelete
  34. Can you do plane Sailing?

    ReplyDelete
  35. How to solve plane sailing?

    ReplyDelete