Your vessel is proceeding down a channel, and you see a pair of range lights that are in line dead ahead. The chart indicates that the direction of this pair of lights is 229°T, and variation is 6°W. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 232° per standard magnetic compass, what is the deviation?

Question

Your vessel is proceeding down a channel, and you see a pair of range lights that are in line dead ahead. The chart indicates that the direction of this pair of lights is 229&deg;T, and variation is 6&deg;W. If the heading of your vessel at the time of the sighting is 232&deg; per standard magnetic compass, what is the deviation?

Accepted Answer

Option A: 3&deg;E. Range lights provide a True bearing of 229°. With a variation of 6° W, the magnetic bearing is 235°. Since the vessel's standard magnetic compass heading is 232°, the difference between the magnetic bearing and the compass heading reveals a deviation of 3° E to align the compass with the magnetic meridian.