NavList:

   

Reply

On 21 Jun 2001, at 9:57, Michael Wescott wrote:

> > Our last position FIX was (10d 30.0'N 78d 30.0'W) at 10:16:28UT @
> > 04/06/2001. We are bound for Cristobal, Panama(09d 23.0'N 79d 55.0'W). Our
> > Estimated Time of Arrival(ETA) at Cristobal is 16:34:28ZT @ 04/06/2001.
>
>
> > 1)  What day of the week of our arrival?
> > --  ------------------------------------
>
> Monday (4 Jun 2001)

OK

> > On VHF we call the Panama Canal Transit Authority on Channel 16 for
> > instructions. We are required to fly the Panamainian Courtesy Flag from the
> > Starboard spreader and the quarantine flag from the port spreader.
>
> > 2)  What color is the quarantine flag?
> > --  ----------------------------------
>
> Yellow or "Q"

Right

> > We anchor overnight, since the Panama Canal Authority requires 24 hours
> > notice. We are anchored in an area known as the "Flats" until we can
> > approach for inspection.
>
> > After our approach approval and customs clearance on the next day we begin
> > the process of making the preparations for transiting the Panama Canal. The
> > mooring fee is $00.50 per foot to each greater foot per night.
>
> > 3)  What is the mooring fee for Silicon Sea per night?
> > --  --------------------------------------------------
>
> $24.50 (based on a 49' LOA).

OK. They actually charge the next foot greater, I'm told.

> > We are required to have 4 dock lines 125 feet long with a three foot eye on
> > one end. And strong attach points.
>
> > 4)  Can we make these lines from a 500 foot roll of 3/4' line?
> > --  ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Nope. Aside from the fact I always mess up the first eye, cut it off
> and throw it away, a 3' eye adds at least 4' to 5' so each line would
> require about 130' of rope.

Right

> > The actual canal transit takes about 12 hours to complete. However,
> > completing the Admeasure, getting Cruising Permits, clearing Customs and
> > Immigration inspections can take 3 to 14 days for a small boat. It will take
> > Silicon Sea until June 14 to complete the transit she is on the Pacific side
> > of the Panama Canal.
>
> What's the toll these days? I'd heard somewhere that they were going
> to increase it for yachts.

As of my last check, the transit fee for boats 50' and under is $500.00 plus
a buffer fee of $700.00 that is returned after the completion of the transit,
if you don't damage the canal. Plus the charges for the various inspections.

> > 5) In what direction does the Panama Canal run from the Atlantic Side to
> >    the Pacific side?
> > -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> South East.

Right

> > While moored and waiting to complete the required inspections before
> > transit. The Skipper worked the following two celestial problems.
>
> > DR position(09d 24.6'N  79d 56.7'W) on 11/06/2001.
>
> >   No. 1  UT/GMT         Body        Hs
>
> >          23:41:30       Arcturus    51d 58.7'
> >          23:42:10       Procyon     29d 24.3'
> >          23:43:05       Spica       57d 44.3'
>
> > 6)  What is the FIX position for SR No. 1?
> > --  --------------------------------------
>
> The LOP's form a nice triangle with the DR position in the center and
> about 1.0 nmi from each LOP.
>
> Did you mean for the IC to be -2.5' rather than the -1.5 given?

Yes. I forgot to change it in the problem Note.
>
> Fix: 9d 24.6'N  79d 56.7'W
>
> > These are the same sights as listed in Q6. But this time all numbers are to
> > be ROUNDED to the nearest whole number. If you are using a calculator or
> > Computer program round any numbers that are accessible, ie. Lat, Lon, Hs,
> > GHA and Dec, to work the sight reduction and plot both FIXes. DO NOT ROUND
> > TIME.
>
> >          UT/GMT         Body        Hs
>
> >          23:41:30       Arcturus    51d 59.0'
> >          23:42:10       Procyon     29d 24.0'
> >          23:43:05       Spica       57d 44.0'
> `
> > 7)  What is the FIX position for SR No. 2?
> > --  --------------------------------------
>
> This set of LOP's gives a slightly larger triangle. The fix shifts
> north and east.
>
> Fix 9d 26'N 79d 56'W
>
> > Now compare the two FIXes.
>
> The fixes are close together, about a 1.5 miles apart. The biggest
> difference is in the LOP's for Arcturus. Rounding errors accumulated
> to another mile, whereas the differences in the LOP's for the other
> sights was due almost entirely to the change in DR.
>
> On the whole the second fix was easier to calculate and lost little
> in the way of accuracy. The calculations that contributed most to
> the difference was the rounding of Ha.

My point. For sailboats traveling at the speeds we do. it it a waste of
effort and time to do SR to greater than the nearest minute.
>
>
> --
>         Mike Wescott
>         Wescott_Mike@EMC.COM



Dan Hogan
dhhogan@verionmail.com

   

Reply