Chartroom: Plotting

Instruments
Prelim Week 1
NAV-1 (Terrestrial and Coastal Navigation 1)
 At the end of the lesson the students
will be able to:
Identify the different plotting instruments and their
uses/functions

Learning
outcomes
 0 Plotting

1
02 Plotting Instruments
CONT
ENTS
03 Measuring Distance Using Compass Divider

04 Protractor Triangles

05 Parallel Ruler and Compass Rose

06 Determining Ship’s Position and True Course

01
Plotting
 Plotting
01 What is Plotting?

Plotting is the process of keeping track of the

position of a vessel over time. This is done by
recording the successive positions of the
vessel in the nautical chart. The position can
be obtained by dead reckoning or by taking
bearings from prominent charted landmarks
and constructing Lines-of-Position.
 02
Plotting
Instruments
 Plotting Instruments
02 Tools Needed in Plotting Position on a Nautical
Chart

Chart plotting consists mainly of simple graphical

and drawing work, so it is not amazing that the
required tools may be quite familiar from school.
Just a few basic tools needed for plotting, yet
there are many options and there are an unlimited
number of special gadgets available for specific
tasks in special circumstances.
 Plotting Instruments
02 Tools Needed in Plotting Position on a Nautical
Chart
Compass Dividers
Dividers are used to measure distances on the chart
using the latitude scale. For this purpose, the
distance between two points on the chart is marked
with a divider and transferred to the latitude scale.
 Plotting Instruments
02 Tools Needed in Plotting Position on a Nautical
Chart
Compass Dividers
Dividers are available in different styles with
specific advantages and disadvantages. All dividers
consist of a pair of "legs", which can be rotated
around a common point. The legs are pulled open or
squeezed closed. Some dividers can be operated
with one hand. Other have a screw knob close at the
rotation point, which allows fine control of the
position of the "legs".
 Plotting Instruments
02 Tools Needed in Plotting Position on a Nautical
Chart

Protractor Triangles
A protractor is a tool that allows to draw into a
chart lines in a specific direction, or lines
intersecting with a particular angle or also to
measure angles between intersecting lines.
These lines, can be course lines, bearings to
charted objects or Meridians or Parallels.
 Plotting Instruments
02 Tools Needed in Plotting Position on a Nautical
Chart
Protractor Triangles
Protractors consist of a half-circle (180°) or full-
circle (360°) provided with a degree scale with tics
for each integral degree value. Protractor triangles
have a half-circle graduator scale in the triangular
form. Besides drawing and measuring angles,
protractor triangles are well suited for parallel
shifting of a base line (e.g. course or bearing), by
guiding one of the short sides with a ruler.
 Plotting Instruments
02 Tools Needed in Plotting Position on a Nautical
Chart
Parallel Ruler
This is a tool consisting of two rulers, which are
fixed such that they always remain parallel to each
other. This parallel ruler can be used to draw a line
some distance away but parallel to a base line.
03
Measuring
Distance
Using
Compass
Divider
 Measuring Distance Using Compass
03 Compass Dividers
Divider
Dividers
Dividers are frequently used by the navigator. He
keeps them handy for immediate use, primarily for
measuring distance on the chart, but they have many
other uses, also.

Learn to use the dividers with one hand, keeping the

other hand free for other purposes. With a little
practice this can be done easily and it will speed up
plotting considerably. The dividers should be tight
enough to remain as set, but not so tight that setting
is difficult.
 Measuring Distance Using Compass
03 video
Divider
Use
of
Dividers
Introductio
n
Click the link below to watch the
video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbTyE_D1KJw
 Measuring Distance Using Compass
03 video
Divider
Use of
Dividers In
Measuring
Distance
Click the link below to watch the
video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ0n_Aam3j8
04
Protractor
Triangles
 Protractor Triangles
04 video

Navigation
– Plotting
with
Triangles
Click the link below to watch the
video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t02n1VDSzYI
 05
Parallel Ruler
and Compass
Rose
 Parallel Ruler and Compass Rose
05 How to use a Parallel Ruler and Compass Rose in determining direction?

Parallel rulers
Parallel rulers are used for drawing straight lines,
moving lines parallel to themselves (as in advancing
lines of position), and for measuring direction.
 Parallel Ruler and Compass Rose
05 video

Parallel
Ruler

Click the link below to watch the

video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ9j6xgM4T4
 Parallel Ruler and Compass Rose
05 video

Determinin
g Distance
thru a
Parallel
Ruler
Click the link below to watch the
video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX53aG0HQ8U
 06
Determining
Ship’s
Position and
True Course
 Determining Ship’s Position and True
06 Different Ways
Course
Protractor Triangles
In determining ship’s course and position on a
nautical chart, there are different ways on how to do
it.

For us to be able to know the ship’s position on the

chart, the following instruments can be use:

• Compass Divider,
• Parallel Ruler; and
• Protractor Triangles
 Determining Ship’s Position and True
06 Different Ways
Course
Parallel Ruler
In determining ship’s course and position on a
nautical chart, there are different ways on how to do
it.

For us to be able to know the ship’s true course we

can only use the:

• Protractor Triangles,
• Parallel Ruler; or
• Combination of Both

Use of Triangles and Parallel Rulers in determining

courses were discussed in previous slides.
 Determining Ship’s Position and True
06 video
Course
How to
plot a
positio
n?
Click the link below to watch the
video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UraM_evs-og
Lesson
Completed