PAPUA NEW GUINEA MARITIME COLLEGE

TOPIC 2: DEVIATION
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Learning Outcomes.

At the end of this topic the learners should be able to:

Define deviation and state how it is named

Calculate a compass heading and vise verse
Describe the effect of introducing a magnetic force in the vicinity of the compass needle.
State the direction and strength of the magnetic field represented by a vector.
Uses a vector diagram to find the resultant field from two given fields.
States that the compass needle will align itself with the resultant field.

Introduction.
There is nothing wrong with your compass. It is aligning the needle with the magnetic fields it
find itself in. it can be influenced by three factors:

1. The magnetic field of the Earth.

2. The magnetic filed generated on the ship
3. Non-magnetic reasons
These factors cause the compass needle to deviate away from the magnetic meridian. The
whole exercise is to remove the influence of factors 2 and 3, o that only the magnetic field of
the earth operates on the compass.

N3 004 011: Defines deviation and states how it is named.

Deviation: A ship is made of steel, acquires a certain magnetism and so inherently has an
effect on the magnetic compass. In other words, the compass needle on board does not lie on
the magnetic meridian but is deflected on one side or the other because of the ship’s
magnetism.

Although corrective magnets are inserted in the housing (also called binnacle) of the compass
to counteract this, the system is not perfect because the ship also loads steel cargo which
makes the error variable. Also, the error thus caused is found to vary as the ship points in
different directions (different headings). This error is called ‘deviation’ and is named East if the
compass needle is drawn to the right and West if the needle is drawn to the left.
Compass error is, simply, the combination of the errors of Variation and Deviation, and is
applied by the navigator to the compass reading to get the corrected compass reading.

Deviation: Deviation is defined as deflection right or left of the magnetic meridian caused by
the magnetic properties of the vessel.

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JT/2020 Topic 2. Deviation Mate 3/OOW
Adjusting the compass consist of arranging magnets and soft iron correctors near the compass
so that their effects are equal and opposite to the effects of magnetic material on the ship.

CAUSES OF DEVIATION - All vessels have numerous magnetic fields. Some of these fields
are permanently built into the structure of the vessel and some are caused by the type of cargo
carried, electronic instruments, electrical appliances, position of machinery and equipment, etc.

These magnetic fields can combine to cause the compass needle to point away, or deviate,
from magnetic north. The amount of deviation can vary considerably from heading to heading as
the
vessel’s magnetism is influenced by the earth’s own filed.

The vessel's soft iron magnetism changes with the orientation and location of the vessel and is
also known as induced magnetism. Hard iron magnetism remains constant, is built into the
vessel and is also known as permanent magnetism. Equipment, machinery, cargo, etc
can produce both permanant and induced magnetic fields.

The aim of the compass adjuster is to nullify the effect of the unwanted magnetic fields by
placing correctors (magnets and soft iron) adjacent to the compass. These create equal but
opposing magnetic fields, thus eliminating the deviating fields around the compass, enabling it
to align correctly. Each axis, vertical, longitudinal and athwartships is treated separately.

Magnetic Anomaly: Small area on chart here variation is different from the rest of the chart
caused by iron ore on seabed.
Magnetic Meridian: The direction of the compass when under the Earth’s magnetism ONLY. It
is the Great Circle or a straight line.
Magnetic Anomaly: Small area on chart here variation is different from the rest of the chart
caused by iron ore on seabed.
Magnetic Meridian: The direction of the compass when under the Earth’s magnetism ONLY. It
is the Great Circle or a straight line.

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JT/2020 Topic 2. Deviation Mate 3/OOW
N3 004 012 : Describes the effect of introducing a disturbing magnetic force into the vicinity of a
compass needle.

The needle of a compass is itself a magnet, and thus the north pole of the magnet always
points north, except when it is near a strong magnet. ... When you take the compass away
from the bar magnet, it again points north. So, it is when a magnet is produced close to the
vicinity of the compass needle its magnetic force will cause the compass needle to point away
from the North Magnetic direction.

N3 004 013: States that the direction and strength of a magnetic field may be represented by a
vector.

The magnetic field at any point in space is a vector quantity. This means there is a direction
associated with the field as well as a field strength. Consider the arrow below:

The strength of the magnetic field is strongest near the poles and weakest near the equator.
The Earth's magnetic field intensity is roughly between 25,000 - 65,000 nT. The parameters
describing the direction of the magnetic field are declination (D) and inclination (I). Magnetic
declination is the angle between magnetic north and geographic north. D and I are measured in
units of degrees, positive east for D and positive down for I. The intensity of the total field
(F) is described by the horizontal component (H), vertical component (Z), and the north (X) and
east (Y) components of the horizontal intensity. The intensity of the total field B can also be
described by the horizontal component BH , a vertical component BV, and the dip angle, φ, as
shown below.

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JT/2020 Topic 2. Deviation Mate 3/OOW
N3 004 014: Uses a vector diagram to find the resultant field from two given fields.

What is the horizontal and vertical component of Earth's magnetic field?

Vertical component of earth field pointed downwards.

Horizontal components are pointed towards North - East shows magnetic north.

The dip angle ‘x’ at a point is defined as the angle between the direction of the Earth’s magnetic
field ‘B’ and the horizontal at that point on the surface of the Earth.

Figure 18.9

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JT/2020 Topic 2. Deviation Mate 3/OOW
The earth’s magnetic field causes a dip needle (compass oriented in vertical plane) to align with
the lines of magnetic force. The dip angle decreases uniformly from 90 degrees at the magnetic
poles to 0 degrees at the equator.

Therefore:

BH is the horizontal component of earth magnetic field = B cos ⊖

BV is the vertical component of earth magnetic field

⊖ = tan -1 ( BV / BH )

if BV = BH

⊖ = tan -1(1) = 45°

dip angle is 45°.

N3 004 015 : States that the compass needle will align itself with the resultant field.

Inasmuch as a compass deviation is caused by the existence of a force at the compass which is
superimposed upon the normal earth’s directive force, H, a vector analysis is helpful in
determining deviations or the strength of deviating fields. For example. For example a ship as
shown in figure 305 on an East magnetic heading will subject its compass to a combination of
magnetic effects: namely the Earth’s Horizontal field H, and the deviating field, at right angle to
field H, The compass needle will align itself in the resultant field which is represented by
the vector sum of H and B as shown. A similar analysis on the ship in figure 305 will reveal that
the resulting directive force at the compass would be maximum on a north heading and
minimum on south heading, the deviation being zero on both conditions.
The magnitude of the deviation caused by the permanent B magnetic field will vary with different
values of H; hence, deviations resulting from permanent magnetic fields will vary with the
magnetic latitude of the ship.

North heading by East heading by South heading by West heading

Compass Compass Compass Compass

Figure 305. General force diagram

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JT/2020 Topic 2. Deviation Mate 3/OOW