Relative Bearing - informal poll

[OldFrog75]

Just curious how many would say 30, 60, or 90 degrees vs. 1, 2, or 3 o'clock when relaying a relative bearing.

Sailed and raced with a lot of different people and never heard one refer to degrees off the bow.

[LakeSuperior]

To my wife it is 1, 2, or 3 o'clock. To my sailing friends it is typically the other.

[Vasco]

I was taught to use points so I still do. For those unaware of this system a point is 11 1/4 degrees. 32 points to the compass, 360 degrees. Something 45 degrees on the starboard bow would be 4 points on the starboard bow.

As a boy I had to learn to box the compass in 1/4 points. Sailing ships steered by the points of the compass, and by 1/4 points. e.g. North a quarter east.

Navigation light are based on points. eg Sidelights go from dead ahead to 2 points abaft the beam. (112 1/2 deg).

[captain58sailin]

I was raised with the point system. However, I find that many people are not informed about this terminology, for the sake of clarity with crew, I use the clock face system for them. If I ever have long term crew aboard my private vessel, they will be taught the point method and understand how to apply it. Since I am old grump, I am not counting on having long term crew.

[ontherocks83]

I use the clock system so that it doesn't get to be confused with a compass bearing. Just like using port over left. It gets rid of the 90 deg compass or 90 deg from the bow.

[SkiprJohn]

This is a great question. I hadn't even thought about it for quite a time but it depends on who I'm sailing with. Some young sailors don't know instinctively where the hands of a clock are. They certainly wouldn't know relative degrees.
Because I'm old I studied boxing the compass but really used relative bearings much more and so if I know someone will understand me that's what I use.
What works for me best is dead ahead, off the starboard bow, stbd beam, stbd quarter, dead aft, port quarter, port beam, port bow in a clockwise rotation.
I'll put that on my list of something that should be discussed with your crew when you get ready to get underway.

[Paul Elliott]

We use the o'clock system. Personally I'm good with 45-degree increments between 0 and 90 (that gives me 0, 45, and 90 degrees, port and starboard). Beyond that I have to do math in my head. The clockface is easier and quicker.

If I'm tracking another vessel I use a hand-bearing compass and note the degrees, but I'm not going to use this method when I say "watch out for that boat over there!"

[Jammer Six]

I've never heard anyone use anything but the clock system.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

I've never heard anyone use anything but the clock system.

Then you've never been to sea, Billy.

[Khagan1227]

Wife hated math in school, we use the clock...

[Astrid]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Then you've never been to sea, Billy.

Nor watched any old classic movies. Each point of the compass had a name:

North
North by East
North North East
North East by North,
North East
North East by East
East North East
East by North
East, etc.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Astrid

Nor watched any old classic movies. Each point of the compass had a name:

North
North by East
North North East
North East by North,
North East
North East by East
East North East
East by North
East, etc.

Excellent. Now do it in quarter points.

[El Pinguino]

Points ..

But not frinstance '7' or '9 points to port'...
Two points on the port bow, a point frd of the stbd beam, 2 points aft of the port beam etc....

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

This is a great question. I hadn't even thought about it for quite a time but it depends on who I'm sailing with. Some young sailors don't know instinctively where the hands of a clock are. They certainly wouldn't know relative degrees.
Because I'm old I studied boxing the compass but really used relative bearings much more and so if I know someone will understand me that's what I use.
What works for me best is dead ahead, off the starboard bow, stbd beam, stbd quarter, dead aft, port quarter, port beam, port bow in a clockwise rotation.
I'll put that on my list of something that should be discussed with your crew when you get ready to get underway.

+1, especially the emphasised content.

However also use "Over there"; "No, further over - look harder"; "The other left side" when necessary at times

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Wotname

+1, especially the emphasised content.

However also use "Over there"; "No, further over - look harder"; "The other left side" when necessary at times

Yep. With green crew the "over thataway" method seemed to be the easiest. Also pointing was helpful.

Also, maybe I'm really wrong but I often just gave the magnetic bearing to whatever I was pointing out. Would take a bearing off the main compass and say something like "look about 280 degrees a couple of miles off do you see that sail?"