Marine 3/C Practice Test 2026 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success!

Bearing is the direction from your vessel to a target, expressed as an angle clockwise from north. This tells you where to look or steer relative to north, independent of your ship’s own orientation or speed. It differs from heading, which is the direction the bow is pointing, and from course over ground, which is the actual path you traverse over the earth. It’s also distinct from speed through the water. For example, if a buoy lies to your northeast, the bearing to it would be around 045 degrees. Bearings can be given as true (from true north) or magnetic (from magnetic north), depending on the reference used.