Magnetic True North North Var + N m t Bearing （磁真北北Var + N m t轴承）.pdfVIP

Home page www.skysailtraining.co.uk COMPASS ERRORS – Variation and Deviation Variation Variation is due to the differing positions of the Geographic North Pole and the Magnetic North Pole. The compass points to the Magnetic Pole, but all bearings on a chart relate to True North. Around UK coasts Variation is around 4° West to 7° West. In other parts of the world it can reach more than 50° (East or West). Magnetic True North North N Var + m t In this case the Magnetic Bearing m is greater than W E the True Bearing t. (West Variation) S Because the Magnetic North Pole moves the variation changes from year to year. The compass rose on the chart gives the annual change, around 7’ East per year. Although all bearings and lines on a chart will be True directions, the bearings you obtain from a hand bearing compass are Magnetic. Similarly the bearing for a course to sail will be a Magnetic course. We therefore have to convert our True bearings into Magnetic and vice versa. A simple way to remember the conversion is that whenever the Variation is West, the Magnetic bearing will be greater than True (see diagram above), ie you have to add West Variation to the True bearing. If Variation is East, you subtract. “Variation West, Magnetic Best” “Variation East, Magnetic Least” Deviation Boats themselves can also affect compasses due to their construction, steel engines, keel, ferro-magnetism, electromagnetism, (loudspeakers, mobile phones, hand held