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EXERCISE 3– Practical Navigation Solutions (Mercator Sailing)

March 7, 2026

EXERCISE 3 — MERCATOR SAILING (Numerical Solution)

ex 3 q 1
Find, by Mercator Sailing, the course and distance:-
 FROMTO
LATITUDELONGITUDELATITUDELONGITUDE
1.     24˚ 00.0’ N074˚  15.0’ W46˚ 00.0’ N053˚  45.0’ W
2.     06˚ 00.0’ N079˚  00.0’ W38˚ 00.0’ S179˚  00.0’ E
3.     40˚ 18.0’ N100˚  20.0’ W68˚ 00.0’ N140˚  10.0’ E
4.     70˚ 20.0’ N010˚  22.0’ W52˚ 50.0’ N009˚  45.0’ E
5.     32˚ 29.0’ S064˚  00.0’ E49˚ 50.0’ S005˚  15.0’ E
NOTE:
  • Where the distance exceeds 600 M, it is generally recommended to use Mercator sailing so that results are more accurate results obtained.
  • To get DMP, apply same rule as for D’Lat i.e, same names subtract, different names add.
  • To get distance, use plane sailing formula.
  • In order to understand and solve such questions in a better and easy way, one must always draw the diagram.

SOLUTION:

  1. LAT P    24˚ 00.0’ N           LONG P   074˚  0’ W                   MP OF P        1474.54 NLAT Q   46˚ 00.0’ N         LONG Q     053˚  45.0’ W             MP OF Q      3098.70 N
D’LAT   22˚ 00.0’ N           D’LONG       020˚ 30.0’ W            DMP       1624.16

We know that:

TAN CO. = (D’LONG / DMP)
= (1230 / 1624.16)
COURSE = N 37˚ 08.23’ W

DISTANCE = (D’LAT × SEC CO.)
DIST. = 1655.81 M

COURSE = N 37˚ 08.23’ W   DIST. = 1655.81 M

  1. LAT P      06˚ 00.0’ N            LONG P      079˚  0’ W                MP OF P      0358.20 NLAT Q       38˚ 00.0’ S           LONG Q      179˚  00.0’ E            MP OF Q   2453.85 S
D’LAT       44˚ 00.0’ S             D’LONG      102˚ 00.0’ W        DMP         2812.05

We know that:
TAN CO. = (D’LONG / DMP)
= (6120 / 2812.05)
COURSE = S65˚ 19.31’ W  

DISTANCE =( D’LAT × SEC CO.)
DISTANCE  = 6323.03 M

COURSE = S65˚ 19.31’ W   DISTANCE  = 6323.03 M

  1. LAT P     40˚ 18.0’ N            LONG P    100˚  0’ W             MP OF P        2631.10 NLAT Q    68˚ 00.0’ N           LONG Q      140˚  10.0’ E     MP OF Q   5609.09 N
D’LAT       27˚ 42.0’ N             D’LONG      119˚ 30.0’ W        DMP        2978.00

We know that:
TAN CO. = (D’LONG / DMP)
= (7170 /2978)
COURSE = N 67˚ 26.7’ W

DISTANCE = (D’LAT × SEC CO.)
DIST. = 4332.97 M      

COURSE = N 67˚ 26.7’ W                   DIST. = 4332.97 M  

  1. LAT P       70˚ 20.0’ N         LONG P     010˚  0’ W             MP OF P     6002.80 NLAT Q     52˚ 50.0’ N           LONG Q      009˚  45.0’ E         MP OF Q    3728.51 N
D’LAT       17˚ 30.0’ S             D’LONG         020˚ 07.0’ E          DMP       2274.29

We know that:
TAN CO. = (D’LONG / DMP)
= (1207/2274.29)
COURSE = S27˚ 57.3’ E

DISTANCE = (D’LAT × SEC CO.)
DIST. = 1188.7 M

COURSE = S27˚ 57.3’ E         DIST. = 1188.7 M

  1. LAT P     32˚ 29.0’ S            LONG P  064˚  0’ E                  MP OF P        2050.10 NLAT Q    49˚ 50.0’ S           LONG Q      005˚  15.0’ E           MP OF Q       3441.05 N
D’LAT       17˚ 21.0’ S         D’LONG      058˚ 45.0’ W           DMP           1390.95

We know that:
TAN CO. = (D’LONG/DMP)
= (3525/1390.95)
COURSE = S 68˚ 28.00’ W 

DISTANCE = D’LAT × SEC CO
DIST. = 2836.18 M

COURSE = S68˚ 28.00’ W                                            DIST. = 2836.18 M

FIND, BY MERCATOR’S PRINCIPLE, THE POSITION ARRIVED:-
     STARTING POSITION
LATITUDELONGITUDECOURSEDISTANCE
6.     36˚ 48.0’ N085˚  53.0’ W241˚1897 M
7.     06˚ 10.0’ S176˚  47.0’ W333˚4450 M
8.     38˚ 18.0’ S005˚  11.0’ W124˚3256 M
9.     44˚ 11.0’ N140˚  20.0’ W056˚2222 M
10.     18˚ 58.0’ N072˚  52.0’ E265˚7126 M

  1. Course = 241˚ = S 61˚ W

We know that:
D’Lat   = (Distance × Cos Co.)
= (1897 × Cos 61˚)
= 919.68’ S
= 15˚ 19.7’ S

Lat Left = 36˚ 48.0’ N                 MP for Lat Left           2363.60 N
D’Lat = 15˚ 19.7’ S                       MP for  Lat Arrived     1310.70 N
Lat Arrived = 21˚ 28.3’ N                                     DMP       1052.90

D’Long = (DMP × Tan Co.)
D’Long = 1899.5’ or 31˚ 39.5’ W

Long Left  085 ˚ 53.0’ W
D’long     031 ˚ 39.5’ W
Long Arrived       117 ˚ 32.5’ W

POSITION ARRIVED   :-     LAT 21˚ 28.3’ N        LONG 117˚ 32.5’ W

  1. Course = 333˚ = N27˚ W

We know that:
D’Lat   = (Distance × Cos Co.)
= (4450 × Cos 27˚)
= 3965’ N
= 66˚ 05.0’ N

Lat Left           = 06˚ 10.0’ S             MP for Lat Left            0368.20
D’Lat                = 66˚ 05.0’ N         MP for Lat Arrived      4497.11 N
Lat Arrived     = 59˚ 55.0’ N                                   DMP        4865.31

D’Long  = (DMP × Tan Co.)
D’Long  = 2479’ or 41˚ 19’ W

Long Left               176 ˚ 47.0’ W
D’long                   041˚ 19.0’ W
Long Arrived        141 ˚ 54.1’ E

POSITION ARRIVED   :-     LAT 59˚ 55.0’ N        LONG 141˚ 54.1’ E

  1. Course = 124˚ = S56˚ E

We know that:
D’Lat   = ( Distance  × Cos Co.)
= (3256 × Cos 56˚)
= 1820.73’ S
= 30˚ 20.7’ S

Lat Left           = 38˚ 18.0’ S                 MP for Lat Left            2476.64 S
D’Lat                = 30˚ 20.7’ S               MP for Lat Arrived      5712.16S
Lat Arrived     = 68˚ 38.7’ S                                   DMP             3235.52

D’Long = (DMP × Tan Co.)
D’Long = 4796.85’
= 79˚ 56.8’ E

Long Left               005˚ 11.0’ W
D’long                    079˚ 56.8’ E
Long Arrived        074 ˚ 45.8’ E

POSITION ARRIVED   :-     LAT 68˚ 38.7’ S        LONG 074˚ 45.8’ E

  1. Course = 056˚ = N56˚ E

We know that:
D’Lat   = (Distance × Cos Co.)
= (2222× Cos 56˚)
= 1242.52’ N
= 20˚ 42.5’ N

Lat Left           = 44˚ 11.0’ N                      MP for Lat Left      2944.81 N
D’Lat                = 20˚ 42.5’ N               MP for Lat Arrived     5141.25 N
Lat Arrived = 64˚ 53.5’ N                                              DMP    2196.44

D’Long = (DMP × Tan Co.)
D’Long = 3256.3’
=  54˚ 16.3’ E

Long Left               140 ˚ 20.0’ W
D’long                      054˚ 16.3’ E
Long Arrived        086 ˚ 03.7’ W

POSITION ARRIVED   :-     LAT  64˚ 53.5’ N        LONG 086 ˚ 03.7’ W

  1. Course = 265˚ = S85˚ W

We know that :
D’Lat   = (Distance × Cos Co.)
= (7126 × Cos 85˚)
= 621.07’ S
= 10˚ 21.0’ S

Lat Left           = 18˚ 58.0’ N             MP for Lat Left       1151.77 N
D’Lat         = 10˚ 21.0’ S             MP for Lat Arrived     0515.50 N
Lat Arrived  = 08˚ 37.0’ N                                  DMP    0636.27

D’Long = (DMP × Tan Co.)
D’Long = 7272.60
= 121˚ 12.6’ W

Long Left               072 ˚ 52.0’ E
D’long                    121˚ 12.6’ W
Long Arrived        048 ˚ 20.6’ W

POSITION ARRIVED   :-     LAT 08˚ 37.0’ N        LONG 048˚ 20.6’ W

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