Composite Sailing

Composite Great Circle Sailing

Learning Outcome
At the end of the sessions, students should be able to determine the
initial course and total distance using the " Composite Sailing" method.
Composite Sailing
• Composite Sailing is a navigation method used to combine the
advantages of both Great Circle Sailing and Rhumb Line Sailing to
create an efficient route that avoids extreme latitudes.

• This is particularly helpful when navigating in high latitudes, where

direct Great Circle routes might bring a vessel dangerously close to
polar regions, ice, or harsh weather conditions.
Key Concepts of Composite Sailing:
• Great Circle Route: The shortest path between two points on a sphere.
However, it often passes through high latitudes.

• Rhumb Line Route: A course that maintains a constant compass

direction. While easier to follow, it's usually longer over long
distances.
Purpose of Composite Sailing
• To achieve a shorter distance, similar to a Great Circle route, but
without reaching high-latitude extremes.

• To avoid the risks associated with high-latitude sailing, such as ice and
severe weather conditions.
Advantages of Composite Sailing
• Safety: It avoids the dangers of high-latitude routes, like icebergs or
severe weather.
• Efficiency: While not as short as a full Great Circle route, Composite
Sailing still offers a shorter distance than a pure Rhumb Line route.
• Ease of Navigation: The Rhumb Line segment allows for a constant
compass heading, which simplifies navigation for a portion of the
journey.
Sample Problem
From Lat. 35° 40' N, Long. 141° 00' E to Lat. 37° 48' N, Long. 122° 40' W,
the maximum latitude to be is 45° N. By composite sailing, compute the
following:
a. D’lo
b. Longitude where the track meet. (LongV1)
c. Longitude when leaving the maximum Latitude. (LongV2)
d. Initial Course.
e. Final Course.
f. Total Composite distance.
Solve for Difference of Longitude (D’lo)
Given: Long1= 141° 00' E
L1= 35° 40' N Long2= 122° 40' W
Long1= 141° 00' E D’lo= 263° 40’ W ( if more than 180°, minus -360°
= -360° and name accd’g to Long1)
L2= 37° 48' N
D’lo= 096° 20’ E
Long2= 122° 40' W
Latv= 45° 00’ N
Solve for Longitude where the track meet (LongV1)
Given: Cos P1= Tan L1 / Tan Latv
L1= 35° 40' N = Tan 35° 40' / Tan 45° 00’
Long1= 141° 00' E = 0.717691089
= Shift Cos 0.717691089
L2= 37° 48' N
P1 = 44° 08.1’E ( Name Accd’g to D’lo)
Long2= 122° 40' W
Latv= 45° 00’ N Long1= 141° 00.0'E
D’lo= 096° 20’ E P1 = 44° 08.1’E (Same name add, diff. minus)
LongV1= 185° 08.1' ( If more than, minus 360 and
= -360 name contrary to Long1)
LongV1= 174° 51.9’W
Solve for Longitude when leaving the track (LongV2)
Given: Cos P2= Tan L2 / Tan Latv
L1= 35° 40' N = Tan 37° 48' / Tan 45° 00’
Long1= 141° 00' E = 0.775679511
L2= 37° 48' N = Shift Cos 0.775679511
Long2= 122° 40' W P2 = 39° 08.0’W ( Name contrary to D’lo)
Latv= 45° 00’ N
D’lo= 096° 20’ E Long2= 122° 40.0' W
P1 = 44° 08.1’E P2 = 39° 08.0’ W (Same name add, diff. minus)
LongV1= 174° 51.9’W LongV2= 161° 48.0'W
Solve for Initial Course
Given: Sin I.C.= Cos Latv / Cos L1
L1= 35° 40' N
= Cos 45° 00’ / Cos 35° 40'
Long1= 141° 00' E
= 0.870367882
L2= 37° 48' N
Long2= 122° 40' W
= Shift Sin 0.870367882
Latv= 45° 00’ N I.C. = 60.5° ( Accd’g to L1 & D’lo)
D’lo= 096° 20’ E I.C. = N 60.5°E or 060.5°T
P1 = 44° 08.1’E
LongV1= 174° 51.9’W
P2 = 39° 08.0’ W
LongV2= 161° 48.0'W
 Solve for Final Course
Given:
L1= 35° 40' N Sin F.C.= Cos Latv / Cos L2
Long1= 141° 00' E = Cos 45° 00’ / Cos 37° 48'
L2= 37° 48' N = 0.89489628
Long2= 122° 40' W = Shift Sin 0.89489628
Latv= 45° 00’ N F.C. = 63.5° ( Accd’g to contrary L2 & same as D’lo)
D’lo= 096° 20’ E F.C. = S 63.5°E or 116.5°T
P1 = 44° 08.1’E
LongV1= 174° 51.9’W
P2 = 39° 08.0’ W
LongV2= 161° 48.0'W
I.C. = N 60.5°E or 060.5°T
 Solve for Dist from A to V1 (AV1)
Given:
L1= 35° 40' N Cos AV1= Sin L1 / Sin Latv
Long1= 141° 00' E = Sin 35° 40' / Sin 45° 00’
L2= 37° 48' N
= 0.824583609
Long2= 122° 40' W
Latv= 45° 00’ N
= Shift Cos 0.824583609
D’lo= 096° 20’ E AV1 = 34° 27.2’
P1 = 44° 08.1’E = x 60’
LongV1= 174° 51.9’W AV1 = 2,067.2 NM
P2 = 39° 08.0’ W
LongV2= 161° 48.0'W
I.C. = N 60.5°E or 060.5°T
F.C. = S 63.5°E or 116.5°T
 Solve for Dist from B to V2 (BV2)
Given:
L1= 35° 40' N Cos BV2= Sin L2 / Sin Latv
Long1= 141° 00' E = Sin 37° 48' / Sin 45° 00’
L2= 37° 48' N
= 0.866781468
Long2= 122° 40' W
Latv= 45° 00’ N
= Shift Cos 0.866781468
D’lo= 096° 20’ E BV2 = 29° 54.8’
P1 = 44° 08.1’E = x 60’
LongV1= 174° 51.9’W BV2 = 1,794.8 NM
P2 = 39° 08.0’ W
LongV2= 161° 48.0'W
I.C. = N 60.5°E or 060.5°T
F.C. = S 63.5°E or 116.5°T
AV1 = 2,067.2 NM
 Solve for P3
Given:
L1= 35° 40' N
Long1= 141° 00' E
P3= D’lo - (P1 + P2)
L2= 37° 48' N = 96° 20’ - ( 44° 08.1’ + 39° 08.0’ )
Long2= 122° 40' W = 96° 20’ - 83° 16.1’
P3 = 13° 03.9’
Latv= 45° 00’ N
D’lo= 096° 20’ E
P1 = 44° 08.1’E
LongV1= 174° 51.9’W
P2 = 39° 08.0’ W
LongV2= 161° 48.0'W
I.C. = N 60.5°E or 060.5°T
F.C. = S 63.5°E or 116.5°T
AV1 = 2,067.2 NM
BV2 = 1,794.8 NM
 Solve for distance V1 to V2 (V1V2)
Given:
L1= 35° 40' N
Long1= 141° 00' E
V1V2= P3 x 60’ x Cos Latv
L2= 37° 48' N = 13° 03.9’ x 60’ x Cos 45° 00’
Long2= 122° 40' W V1V2 = 554.3 NM
Latv= 45° 00’ N
D’lo= 096° 20’ E
P1 = 44° 08.1’E
LongV1= 174° 51.9’W
P2 = 39° 08.0’ W
LongV2= 161° 48.0'W
I.C. = N 60.5°E or 060.5°T
F.C. = S 63.5°E or 116.5°T
AV1 = 2,067.2 NM
BV2 = 1,794.8 NM
P3 = 13° 03.9’
 Solve for Total Composite Distance
Given:
L1= 35° 40' N
Long1= 141° 00' E
Total Comp.Dist = AV1 + BV2 + V1V2
L2= 37° 48' N = 2,067.2 + 1,794.8 + 554.3
Long2= 122° 40' W Total Comp.Dist = 4,416.3 NM
Latv= 45° 00’ N
D’lo= 096° 20’ E
P1 = 44° 08.1’E
LongV1= 174° 51.9’W
P2 = 39° 08.0’ W
LongV2= 161° 48.0'W
I.C. = N 60.5°E or 060.5°T
F.C. = S 63.5°E or 116.5°T
AV1 = 2,067.2 NM
BV2 = 1,794.8 NM
P3 = 13° 03.9’
V1V2 = 554.3 NM
Answer
a. D’lo = 096° 20’ E
b. Longitude where the track meet. (LongV1) = 174° 51.9’W
c. Longitude when leaving the track. (LongV2)= 161° 48.0'W
d. Initial Course.= N 60.5°E or 060.5°T
e. Final Course. = S 63.5°E or 116.5°T
f. Total Composite distance.= 4,416.3 NM