NAVIGATION

Traverse Tables
Traverse tables are designed mainly for solving Parallel Sailing and
Plane Sailing without major calculations. For plane sailing, the tables
are tabulated from right-angled triangles and cover a distance of up
to 600 miles, which is the limit for plane sailing.

In Norie’s Nautical Tables, the traverse tables are named from 0° to

45° at the top of the pages, and 45° to 90° at the bottom of the pages.
These figures of degrees are represented courses in Plane Sailing
and latitude in Parallel Sailing.

Parallel Sailing with As mentioned above, the figure of degree of each table is represented
Traverse Tables for latitude. The columns with the header D. Long. or D'Long., and
Dep., which are normally printed in italics, are used to find the
Departure from a given Different of Longitude (D. Long).

Procedure to use 1. Locate the table that has the whole number of degrees of the
Traverse Tables for latitude. If the latitude is greater than 45°, then it’s located at the
Parallel Sailing foot of the table and the column header should be read from the
bottom;

2. In the column headed in italics D. Long., locate the value of

D. Long.;

3. Extract the value of Departure in the column header Dep. against

the value of D. Long. This value of Departure is also the distance
in parallel sailing.

Example 1 A ship is steaming along latitude 47°, from longitude A: 175°25´E to

longitude B: 176°35´W. Find the distance.

Long.A 175° 25′ E

Long.B 176°35′ W
D. Long. 480′ (E)

1. Locate the table 47° which is the same as table 43°, but the
column header is read from the bottom of the table;

2. In the column headed D. Long., from the bottom of the table,
locate the value 480;

3. Extract the value against the value 480 of D. Long, which is also
located in the column that has the column header Dep., from the
bottom of the table. The departure is 327.4, so the distance is
327.4 miles.

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK

 NAVIGATION

Plane Sailing with For plane sailing, these figures of degrees are the courses expressed
Traverse Tables in appropriate quadrants as cardinal compass. For example, the table
named 35° is for the courses N35°E (035°T), S35°E (145°T), S35°W
(215°T), and N35°W (325°T). Three-figure notation (0°-360°) is also
indicated on the table; easterly courses are placed on the right, and
westerly courses on the left of the table. The three-figure notation
(θ°) course is converted into a quadrantal notation course (Ω°) as
follows:

1st Quadrant 2nd Quadrant 3rd Quadrant 4th Quadrant

(0° - 90°) (90° - 180°) (180° - 270°) (270° - 360°)
Ω° = θ° Ω° = 180° - θ° Ω° = 180° + θ° Ω° = 360° - θ°
N Ω° E S Ω°E S Ω° W N Ω° W

Example 2 1st quadrant 075=

° N75° E
2 quadrant 125=
nd
° S55° E
3rd quadrant 245=
° S65° W
4th quadrant 330=
° N30° W

The row with the heading Dist. D. Lat. Dep. in the table is represented
for Distance, Difference of Latitude, and Departure in plane sailing
triangle. If the course is between 0° to 45°, then the columns must
be used with the name Dist. D. Lat. Dep. on the top of the page; if the
course exceeds 45°, then the columns must be used from the bottom
of the table, where the quantities of D. Lat and Dep. are reversed. This
is the most common mistake made by navigators; to avoid it when
using the traverse table, the navigator should have a piece of paper
handy; when working with a course of more than 45°, the paper is
used to cover the column heading on the top; when working with a
course of less than 45°, the bottom column heading is covered.

Procedure to find 1. Change the course to quadrantal notation;

the difference of
latitude (D. Lat.) and 2. Locate the table that has the whole number of degrees of the
departure (Dep.) course;
from given course
and distance 3. In the column headed Dist., locate the value of the given distance.
If the value of the distance is not a whole number, then the
distance can be multiplied by 10 or 100 to remove the decimal
place and the new value used as the distance value;

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK

 NAVIGATION

4. 
Extract the D. Lat. and Departure values against the given
distance value. If the distance value was multiplied by 10 or
100 to remove the decimal place, then the values of D. Lat.
and Departure must be divided by 10 or 100 to get the correct
values. The Difference of Latitude and the Departure are named,
accordingly, the quadrantal course.

I f the course is not a whole number, repeat the procedure with the
table 1° higher, then interpolate two results to find the final answers.

Example 3 A ship made good with a course of 033°T over a distance of 250
miles. Find the Difference of Latitude and Departure:

1. Course is N33°E;

2. Locate the table 33°;

3. From the column headed Dist. on top of the table, locate the
value 250;

4. Extract the values of D. Lat. 209.7´(N) and Dep. 136.2´(E). The

Difference of Latitude is named N and departure is named E,
because the course is NE.

Example 4 A ship made good with a course of 265° T over a distance of 450
miles. Find the Difference of Latitude and Departure:

1. The course is in the 3rd quadrant, so the quadrantal course is S

85° W;

2. Locate the table 85°, which is at the bottom of the page 5°;

3. From the column headed Dist. at the bottom of the table, locate
the value 450;

4. Extract the values of D. Lat. 39.2´(S) and Dep. 448.3´(W). The

Difference of Latitude is named S and Departure is named W,
because the course is SW.

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK

 NAVIGATION

Example 5 A ship made good with a course of 330° T over a distance of 54.5
miles. Find the Difference of Latitude and Departure:

1. The course is in the 4th quadrant, so the quadrantal course is N

30° W;

2. Locate the table 30°;

3. The distance is 54.5 miles; multiply it by 10 to get the whole

number 545 miles. From the column Dist. at the top of the table,
locate the value 545;

4. 
Extract the values of D. Lat. 472´ and Dep. 272.5´. Divide
both values by 10 to get the correct D. Lat. 47.2´(N) and Dep.
27.25´(W). The Difference of Latitude is named N and Departure
is named W, because the course is NW.

Procedure to find 1. Note the difference between given D. Lat. and Dep.
the course and
distance from � Ifthe values of Dep. and D. Lat. are near one another, then
given Difference of the course is approaching 45°. Additionally, if Dep. is greater
Latitude (D. Lat.) than D. Lat., then the course is greater than 45°; if Dep. is
and Departure less than D. Lat., then the course is less than 45°.
(Dep.)
Dep. ≈ D.Lat. ↔ Course ≈ 45°
(1 ) Dep. ≥ D.Lat. ↔ Course ≥ 45°
( 2) Dep. ≤ D.Lat. ↔ Course ≤ 45°

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK

 NAVIGATION

� If the value of D. Lat. is nearly double the value of Dep., then
the course is approaching 26°. Additionally, if the value of
Dep. is greater than ½ the value of D. Lat., then the course is
greater than 26°; and if the value of Dep. is less than ½ the
value of D. Lat., then the course is less than 26°.

Dep. ≈ 1 2 D.Lat. ↔ Course ≈ 26°

(1 ) Dep. ≥ 1
2 D.Lat. ↔ Course ≥ 26°
( 2) Dep. ≤ 1
2 D.Lat. ↔ Course ≤ 26°

� If the value of Dep. is nearly double the value of D. Lat., then
the course is approaching 64°. Additionally, if the value of ½
of Dep. is greater than D. Lat., then the course is greater than
64°; and if ½ of Dep. is less than D. Lat., then the course is
less than 64°.

1
2 Dep. ≈ D.Lat. ↔ Course ≈ 64°
(1 ) 1
2 Dep. ≥ D.Lat. ↔ Course ≥ 64°
( 2) 1
2 Dep. ≤ D.Lat. ↔ Course ≤ 64°

Remember that the courses 26° and 64° are in the same table, but
that the quantities of the values D. Lat. and Dep. are reversed; it
depends how you read the column header on the top or the bottom
of the table.

2. Pick out the table you think near the course. Locate the value of
D. Lat. as closely as possible, then check the value of Dep. against
the value of D. Lat. Compare the extracted value of Dep. from the
table with the given one. Keep turning the page until you get
as near as possible. Remember that as the course increases, the
value of Dep. also increases. Extract the value of distance and
course; some interpolation is needed to get accurate distance
and course.

Example 6 The ship made good on a SW course with D. Lat. of 521.8´, Dep. of
277.5´. Find the course and distance:

1. Compare the value of D. Lat. and Dep.; the value of D. Lat. is

nearly double the value of Dep., so the course is close to 26°.
However, the value of Dep. is greater than ½ of D. Lat., so the
course must be greater than 26°.

2. Let’s start from the table 27°, and look down the D. Lat. column
to find the value closest to 521.8; it is 522.1, against the value
of Dep. of 266.0, which is still smaller than 277.5. Let’s turn to
the next table, which is 28°; we find the value of D. Lat. is 521.8,
against the exact value of Dep. of 277.5. Extract the value of the
distance, which is 591. So the course must be S28°W (208°T),
and the distance is 591 miles.

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK

 NAVIGATION

Procedure to find This operation is often used in plane sailing. By knowing the
Departure from Departure, we can convert it into D. Long. to find the position; or,
corresponding we can convert the D. Long. into Departure to find the course and
D. Long., and vice distance.
versa
1. Calculate the mean latitude or middle latitude; then locate the
table which has the whole number of degrees of the latitude.

2. Use the column with the header D. Long. Dep., which is printed
in italics. Look down the column to locate the nearest value of
Departure, and extract the value of D. Long., or vice versa. The
interpolation might be needed to get an accurate result.

If the latitude is not the whole number, then repeat the procedure
with the table 1° higher, then interpolate two results to get the final
answers.

Example 7 D. Long. is 457´ and mean latitude is 37°. Find the Departure:

1. Locate the table 37°.

2. From the column headed D. Long. in italics on the top of the table,
locate the value 457; extract the value on the column headed
Dep., printed in italics. The Departure is 365´.

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK

 NAVIGATION

Example 8 A ship departs from position A: 20°30´N 115°20´E bound for position
B: 06°30´N 108°40´E. Find the course and distance.

Lat.A 20°30′ N Long.A 115° 20′ E Lat.A 20°30′ N

Lat.B 13°30′ N Long.B 108° 40′ E 1
2 D. Lat. 3°30′ N
D. Lat. 420′(S) D. Long. 400′(W) Lat.m 17° 00′ N

Convert D. Long. into = 17°00′

Mean Lat.
Departure  ⇒ Dep. =382.5′
= 400′ 
D. Long.

Find course and The values of D. Lat and Dep. are close together, so the course is
distance approaching about 45°. But the value of departure is less than the
value of D. Lat, so the course is less than 45°.

In the table 43°:

=Dist. 574= =
D.Lat. 419.8 Dep. 391.5= If D.Lat. 420

=Dist. ?= =
D.Lat. 420.0 Dep. ? =then Dist. 574.3
=Dist. 575= =
D.Lat. 420.5 
Dep. 392.1= and Dep. 391.7

In the table 42°:

=Dist. 565= =
D. Lat. 419.9 Dep. 378.1= If D. Lat. 420

=Dist. ?= =
D. Lat. 420.0 Dep. ? =then Dist. 565.1
=Dist. 566= =
D. Lat. 420.6 
Dep. 378.7= and Dep. 378.2

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK

 NAVIGATION

Now we have:

Course =
43° Dist. =
574.3 Dep. =
391.7 If Dep. =
382.5

= ?
Course = ?
Dist. = 382.5 then Course
Dep. = 42.32°
Course =
42° Dist. = 378.2 and Dist. =
565.1 Dep. = 568.0

Course = 42.32° = S42°19′ W = 222°19′

Distance = 568miles

Example 9 A ship departs from position 20° 45΄ S 036° 55΄ E with a course 150°
T at speed 21 knots. Find the position of the vessel after 15 hours.

Course= 150° T= S30° E Distance = 21 × 15 = 315miles

In the table headed 30°:

Dist. =
315miles; D. Lat. =
272.8′(S); Dep. =
157.5′(E)

Find mean latitude Departure Latitude 20° 45.0′S

1 D. Lat.
2 36.4′
Mean Latitude 23°01.4′S

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK

 NAVIGATION

Convert Departure From the table 23°:

into D. Long.
Dep. =
157.4′ D. Long. =′
171  If Dep. =
157.5′

Dep. =
158.3′ D. Long. =′
172  then D. Long. =
171.1′

From the table 24°:

Dep. =
157.1′ D. Long. =′
172  If Dep. =
157.5′

Dep. =
158.0′ D. Long. =′
173  then D. Long. =
172.4′

Now we have:

Mean Lat. =23° D. Long. =171.1′ If Mean Lat. =23°01.4′


Mean Lat. =24° D. Long. =172.4′ then D. Long. = 171.1′(E)

Find the final position Departure Latitude 20° 45.0′S

D. Lat. 272.8′(S)
Final Latitude 25°17.8′S

Departure Longitude 036°55.0′ E

D.Long. 171.1′(E)
Final Longitude 39° 46.1′ E

Final position: 25°17.8′S 39° 46.1′ E

CAPT. KHAN THE SHIP OFFICER’S HANDBOOK