Set
The direction toward which a current is flowing; the direction component of set & drift.
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In depth#
How this term is used in the rules, and where it tends to trip people up on the exam.
Set points toward the flow
Set is the direction toward which a current carries the vessel. That wording matters: a current setting 090° flows east, not from the east. Drift gives the speed associated with that direction.
Set and drift form the current vector
Plot the current as a vector whose direction is the set and whose length is drift multiplied by elapsed time. Add that vector to the vessel's DR motion through the water to estimate the track and position made good over the ground.
Exam questions#
Does a current setting west come from the west?
No. A west-setting current flows toward the west. Current set is named for the direction toward which the water moves.
What information is needed with set to plot current?
You also need drift, the current's speed, and the elapsed time. Together they determine the current vector's direction and length.
Sources#
- NGA Pub. No. 9 — The American Practical Navigator, Vol. I, §803 (retrieved 2026-08-09)
Related terms#
See Set in a real exam question.
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