Chart Navigation & Plotting · Fixes — Cocked Hat
When three lines of position do not meet at a point but form a small triangle, that triangle is called a:
- ARunning fix
- BDanger circle
- CCocked hat, indicating some error in the bearings✓ Correct
- DSet triangle
Explanation
A cocked hat results from small errors in the observed bearings. The fix is normally taken at the center, or, near danger, at the corner nearest the hazard for safety. A large cocked hat warns of a gross error.
Authority: Bowditch (Pub. No. 9), fixes
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