Aug 21 2008

MARPA SHMARPA

Published by at 18:45 under Sailing

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ELECTRONIC BEARING LINE
I’m developing a mild case of MARPA addiction. Every time I get near the coastwise traffic lanes, I tune up the radar and designate targets. Then I hawk the MARPA list, looking for impressively close CPAs (Closest Point of Approach).

It usually works quite well, but how about those times when the radar seems to have electronic flu and the CPA jumps from 3 miles to 300 feet and never settles down? Especially those times when you can see the traffic and it appears to be on a constant bearing?

Take a step back 25 years and select the EBL on your radar – the Electronic Bearing Line. Run that out to the target, and be precise in where you place it.

If the target stays on the line and the distance is decreasing, you’re going to trade paint if you don’t alter course or speed.

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One response so far

One Response to “MARPA SHMARPA”

  1. # Topheron 22 Aug 2008 at 07:24

    Nice – thanks for the tip. I didn’t know there was an EBL on the boats, the MARPA is so easy!

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