USCG Exam PracticeThree-bearing fix and cocked-hat triangle
After plotting a three-bearing fix, the navigator finds a large cocked hat. What does a large cocked hat most likely indicate?
- ✓ Bearing or plotting error in one or more of the observationsCorrect
- B. The vessel is in deep water with no nearby hazards
- C. The three charted objects were well separated in azimuth
- D. The fix is more accurate than a two-LOP fix
Why A is correct
A large cocked hat signals bearing or plotting error. A small cocked hat indicates a good fix. The size of the triangle reflects the quality of the observations and the plotting, not the depth of water or object separation alone. (Bowditch Ch. 7 §705)
Cited:Bowditch Ch. 7 §705