USCG Exam PracticeDanger bearings and danger circles
A three-bearing fix produces a large cocked hat whose nearest corner lies close to a charted shoal. Per standard piloting practice, the navigator should:
- A. Take the centre of the triangle as the vessel's position and continue on course
- ✓ Assume the corner of the triangle nearest the danger as the vessel's positionCorrect
- C. Discard all three bearings and obtain a running fix instead
- D. Average the three LOPs to produce a single line of position
Why B is correct
Bowditch Ch. 7 §705 states that where the cocked hat lies near a hazard, the corner nearest the danger is assumed for safety. Taking the centre would understate the risk when the fix quality is poor.
Cited:Bowditch Ch. 7 §705