Topic 10 Types of Sailing - Mercator Sailing.

Mercator Sailing is a method of solving the various problems involving course, distance,
difference of latitude, difference of longitude, and departure by considering them in the relation
in which they are plotted on a Mercator chart.

A. MERCATOR SAILING
Mercator sailing provides a mathematical solution of the plot of a rhumb line track made
on a Mercator chart. It is similar to plane sailing, but uses meridional difference and
difference of longitude in place of difference of latitude and departure. A rhumb line
makes the same angle with all meridians it crosses and appears as a straight line on a
Mercator chart.

The following formulas used in Mercator Sailing are derived from the diagram:
1) To find True Course (T/Co):
Tan Co. Angle = DLo
DMP
To name Course Angle
Prefix N or S according to DLat
Suffix E or W according to DLo

2) To find Distance:
(After solving for Course Angle, solve for Distance by Plane Sailing Formula)
Distance = DLat
Cos Co. Angle
3) To find DLat and Dlo:
DLat = Distance x Cos Co. Angle
DLo = Tan Co. Angle x DMP
Rhumb line

A rhumb line crosses all meridians at the same angle.

Rhumb Line or Mercator track
A line on the surface of the earth that cuts all meridians at the same angle. It appears as
a curved line on the surface of a sphere. Only one such line may be drawn through any
two points. Although this is not the shortest distance, the direction is constant.

Formulas and Diagram for converting →

Course angle to True course. →