GREAT CIRCLE SAILING PROBLEMS

In the following cases ,find the initial co, final course, G.C. distance and position of
vertex along a G.C. track
i) From 300 20’ S, 1420 45’ W To 500 40’ S ,1700 30’ E. Also find the Lat at which G.C
track cuts the meridian of 1800. ANS:- In Co:- S 45050.6’ W; F.Co:-S77040.7’ W;
G.C.Distance 2403.1 n.m; Lat of Vertex :- 510 44.5’ S, Long:-1540 43.8’ E. 480 54.5’ S

ii) From 690 30’ N, 0600 50’ E To 440 40’ N,1200 20’ E. ANS:- In Co:- S 81028.2’ E; F.Co:-S
29008.5’ E; G.C.Distance 2297.4 n.m; Lat of Vertex :- 690 44.2’N, Long:-051044.1’ E.

iii) From 100 00’ S,1500 00’ W To 400 00’ N,1600 00’ E. Also find the Longitude at which
G.C track crosses the equator. ANS:- In Co:-N 390 14.3’ W; F.Co:- N540 24.5W ;
G.C.Distance:-4084.8 n.m; Lat of Vertex :-51028.1’N, Long:-1110 55.6’ E.158004.4’W

iv) From 490 50’ N, 0050 15’ W To 320 29’ N,0640 00.0’ W. Also find the longitude at
which G.C track crosses parallel of 400N. ANS:- In Co:- N89002.8’ W; F.Co:-S490 52.0’
W; G.C.Distance 2769.5 n.m; Lat of Vertex :- 490 50.4’ N, Long:-0060 29.8’ W. 510
25.0’ W

v) From 390 00’ S,0200 00.0’ W To 400 00.0’ S,1420 00.0’ E. ANS:- In Co:- S 13052.8’E;
F.Co:-N140 05.1’E; G.C.Distance 5958.2 n.m; Lat of Vertex :- 790 15.4’S, Long:-0610
09.7’ E.

vi) From 190 00.0’ N, 0670 00.0’ W To 360 00.0’ N, 0060 00.0’ W. Also find the Latitude in
which the G.C track crosses the meridian of 400 W. ANS- In Co:- N 58049.6’E; F.Co:-
N89034.9’E; G.C.Distance 3347.5 n.m; Lat of Vertex :- 360 00.1’N, Long:-0050 17.2’
W. 300 50.9’ N.
Q 1. A SHIP ON A G.C TRACK FROM ‘A’ 470 25’S 0060 10’E TO ‘B’ 180 30’S, 063016’E. FIND THE
G.C.DISTANCE AND LATITUDE OF THE POINT WHERE G.C TRACK CUTS LONGITUDE 0600
E. ANSWER:-- 3263.75’ ; LAT :- 210 36’ S
Q 2. A vessel intending to sail on a Great Circle track from 370 N,1230 12’ W, To 360 00’
N,1410 30’ E decides to make a composite sailing with a limiting Lat 45 0 N. Find the extra
distance sailed. ANSWER :- G.C.Distance :- 4373.94 n.m; Composite G.C.distance :-
2026.33 + 458.2 + 1900.14 =4384.7 ; extra distance sailed = 4384.7—4373.94 = 10.73
n.m
Q 3. A vessel has to sail along a Great Circle track from 230 20’ S ,0420 40’W, To 330 30’ S 0170
50’ E. Divide the G.C.track into three equal parts and find the positions of the points
dividing the track. ANS:- 1) Lat :- 290 49.9’ S,240 05.4’ W (2) Lat :- 330 26.7’ S ,0030 33.5’
W.
Q 4. A vessel departing from Phillippines (100 N,1250 E) to Chile ( 320 30 ‘ S,0730 00’W) loaded
upto Summer marks.The Southern limit of Summer Load line is 33 0 S beyond which the
Winter loadlines starts. Calculate the shortest distance the vessel has to steam so as to
keep herself in the Summer Zone throughout by limiting the maximum Latitude to 32 0
30’ S .Also calculate the ETA Chile in Chilian time if the ETD is 26th April 1600 hrs
Phillipines time .( Phillipines time= GMT + 8 hrs, Chile Time =GMT – 4 hrs, SPD 15 kts.)
ANS:- TOTAL DISTANCE :-6531.35 + 2830.35 = 9361.7 ; TIME TO REACH FROM
Phillipines To Chile = 9361.7/ 15 = 26 D 00H 07M ;ETA Chillian time 22nd May 04H 07 M.
Q 5. On a Great circle track from 200 (S) , 1200 E To 100(N), 0600 E, find the course at which
G.C.track cuts the Equator and Longitude at that Point. Answer :- Long :- 0780 39.7’ E,
Course N 61.10 W.
Q 6. Find the Total Composite G.C Distance, Initial course and the Longitudes where the track
reaches and leaves the Limiting Latitude 450 S, on a composite G.C track From ‘A’ Lat :-
260 12’ S, Long :- 0340 00’ E To ‘B’ Lat :- 430 36’ S, 1460 02’ E. Answer:-Total Comp
G.C.distance :- 5279.6 ( 3081.8+1431.5+766.3) Initial Co:- S 520 00.4’E. Long :- 0940
31.4’ E ; 1280 15.8’ E.
Q 7. Find the Initial course, Final course and Composite Great circle distance from ‘A’ 45 0 30’
S, 0710 37’ W To ‘B’ 460 40’ S, 1680 20’ E . Limiting Latitude :- 490 00’S. ANSWER:-
Distance :- 4803.8 n.m( 1144.8+ 2731.0+ 928).Initial Co:- S 690 23.5’ W.
Q 8. Find the initial course, final course and shortest distance from Lat :- 420 53’ S, Long :-
1470 20’ E to Lat 520 43’ S Long 0720 43’ W, with a limiting Lat 520 43’ S.
BY MERCATOR SAILING
M.P FOR 520 43’ :- 3716.97; M.P FOR 420 53’=2837.60; DMP=879.37;
D’LAT=09050’(590’),D’LONG:-1390 57’(8379);;TAN CO= D’LONG/DMP= 8379/879.37
CO=S84.02150 E ; DIST=D’LAT/COS CO= 590/COS 84.0215= 5664.62
Q8 and Q 9 are SAME QUESTION .
ANS:- Initial Co :- 124.20 (T) Comp G.C.Dist :- 5323.5n.m ;Lat 470 58.7’S

Q 9. Find the initial course, final co and distance by composite G.C sailing from Lat :- 420 53’
S, Long :- 1470 20’ E to Lat 520 43’ S Long 0720 43’ W, with a limiting Lat 520 43’ S. Find
also the Latitude where G.C track cuts the Longitude 1600 E. ANS:- Initial Co :- 124.20
(T) ,Final Co :- 0900(T) Comp G.C.Dist :- 5323.5n.m ;Lat 470 58.7’S
Q 10. A vessel sailed from a place ‘A’ ,Long:-0750 40’ W on a G.C track for a place ‘B’ in
Northern Hemisphere. If Initial Course was 0560(T) and Final Course was 1120(T), find
the position of the vessel after steaming 3630 n.m. ANS:- Lat:-420 56.3’ N. Long:-
004036.1’ E.*****