USCG Exam PracticeDanger bearings and danger circles
When constructing a danger bearing on a chart, the navigator draws a line from a charted object tangent to the hazard. What is the purpose of scribing a danger circle around the hazard before drawing that line?
- ✓ To establish a safe clearance distance rather than passing exactly tangent to the hazard itselfCorrect
- B. To mark the area where a running fix should be taken
- C. To indicate the range at which the charted object becomes visible
- D. To define the cocked hat boundary for a three-bearing fix
Why A is correct
Bowditch Ch. 7 §706 states the danger bearing line may be drawn tangent to the edge of the hazard or to a danger circle scribed at a safe distance around it. The circle adds a margin of safety beyond the charted hazard boundary.
Cited:Bowditch Ch. 7 §706