USCG Exam PracticeThree-bearing fix and cocked-hat triangle
A navigator plots a three-bearing fix and obtains a large cocked hat. What does this most likely indicate?
- A. The vessel is in shallow water
- B. The three charted objects were too close together
- ✓ A bearing or plotting error has occurredCorrect
- D. The fix is more accurate than a two-LOP fix
Why C is correct
Bowditch Ch. 7 §705 states that a large cocked hat signals bearing or plotting error. A small cocked hat indicates a good fix; a large one requires the navigator to recheck observations and plot work.
Cited:Bowditch Ch. 7 §705