The earth and the celestial sphere:

• Definition of observer’s zenith and position of a heavenly body in terms of latitude,
• longitude, GHA and declination.
• Right angle relationships, latitude and co-lat, declination and polar distance.
• Relationship between GHA, longitude and LHA.
• Tabulation of declination in nautical almanac.
• Rate of increase of hour angle with time.

The PZX triangle:

• The tabulated components of the triangle, LHA, co-lat and polar distance.
• The calculable components, zenith distance and azimuth.
• Relationship between zenith distance and altitude.
• Introduction to the tabular method of solution in the Air Navigation Tables and the basic
sight form.
• The use of calculators for the solution of the PZX triangle.

The sextant:

• Practical guide to the use and care of a sextant at sea.
• Conversion of sextant altitude to true altitude.
• Application of dip, index error and refraction.
• Correction of side error, perpendicularity, index error and collimation error.

Measurement of time:

• Forecasting time of meridian altitude.
• Reduction of meridian altitude sights.

Sun, star and other sights :

• Reduction and plotting of sun sights using.
• Air Navigation Tables.
• Awareness of the use of calculators for sight reduction.
• The plotting of sun-run-sun meridian altitude.
• Awareness of the reduction and plotting of sights obtained from stars, moon and planets.

Compass checking:

• Use of amplitude and azimuth tables systems and/or calculator.

Satellite Navigation Systems:

• Principles and limitations of use of all systems.

Great circle sailing:

• Comparison of rhumb lines and great circles.
• Vertices and composite tracks.
• The computation of a series of rhumb lines approximating to a great circle by use of
• gnomonic and Mercator projections.

Meteorology:

• General pressure distribution and prevailing winds over the oceans of the world.
• Tropical revolving storms, seasonal occurrence and forecasting by observation.

Passage planning:

• Publications available to assist with planning of long passages (routing charts, ocean
• passages of the world and other publications).
• Preparation for ocean passage including survival equipment, victualling, water and fuel management, chafe protection, spares and maintenance.

Passage planning:

• Publications available to assist with planning of long passages (routing charts, ocean passages of the world and other publications).
• Preparation for ocean passage including survival equipment, victualling, water and fuel management, chafe protection, spares and maintenance.

Passage making:

• Navigational routine and Keeping watch.
• Crew management.

Communications:

• Satellite and terrestrial systems.
• Weather information.