Our\ncontemporary way of reading a compass is called the \u201cthree-figure\u201d method,\nreferring to the three numerals called out to the helmsperson by the navigator,\nas in \u201csteer three-two-zero.\u201d Early compass cards, however, were divided not\ninto 360 degrees but into 32 points, each one equivalent to 11 degrees, 15\nminutes, about the best the early ships could steer. Compass bearings were \u201cEast-Southeast\u201d\nor \u201cWest by North.\u201d Now you might think \u201cWest by North\u201d would translate to 315\ndegrees, halfway between west at 270 and north at 360. But that\u2019s \u201cNorthwest.\u201d\nInstead, \u201cWest by North\u201d is one point north of west or 281.25 degrees. The\nsequence from West to North in points is: W, W by N, WNW, NW by W, NW, NW by N,\nNNW, N by W, N. Film buffs may notice that Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s \u201cNorth by\nNorthwest\u201d is not on this list, because, as the master of mystery knew, there\nis no such direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Later, things got uglier when, as\nnavigational skills improved, points were divided into halves and quarters, yielding indecipherable\ndirections like \u201cEast by North \u00be North.\u201d Reciting these divisions was called\n\u201cboxing the compass,\u201d and I\u2019m relieved it was in most instances replaced by our\nmodern (actually ancient Babylonian) 360 degree system so I don\u2019t have to know\nit. On my good days, I can count to 360.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Relative bearings in points were,\nfor example, \u201ctwo points on the starboard bow,\u201d which translates to 022.5\ndegrees relative to the ship\u2019s heading. Four points adds up to 045 degrees,\nvoiced as \u201cbroad on the starboard bow;\u201d 090 is \u201cstarboard abeam;\u201d and 135 would\nbe \u201cbroad on the starboard quarter.\u201d A vestige of this practice can be found in\nthe transition between the arc of sidelights and stern light that occurs at\n22.5 degrees abaft the beam. Why not an even number? Because 22.5 degrees is two points<\/em> abaft the beam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So now you know just how to talk on\nthose \u201csail like a pirate\u201d days: \u201cAaaargh, matey, she\u2019s hull down, one point forward\nof the port beam. Steer Southeast by East, sir.\u201d Folks, just a little of this\nsort of thing will make a lasting impression on your shipmates. Trust me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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