marine navigation

[b.ch...@btinternet.com]

Can anybody help me to confirm the calculation method to find the
distance to the horizon? I have a claculation of 2.08 (sqrt(h)), obtained
from a reference book in the distant past, where h is hte height of the
viewer. thsi calcuationdoes not appear to tie up with the maths when
calculating using the radius of the earth etc.

Any help would be appreciated.

Brian C

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[Jim and Dee Woodward]

Bowditch gives
Distance To The Horizon = K*sqrt(H)
for H as height of eye in feet
K = 1.144 for DTTH in nautical miles
K = 1.317 for DTTH in statute miles

"... based on the mean radius of the earth according to the Clarke
Spheroid of 1866."

If you're interested in such things, I heartily recommend you purchase a
copy of Bowditch, The American Practical Navigator, DMA publication 9,
as it has all the math and all the tables for any navigational
calculation you might want to do, among many other interesting things.

Jim
--

In New Zealand, having fun and waiting
for the end of the cyclone season.
Then sailing west, home to Boston.

[EKobman]

Trailer Boats Magazine just had an article on this very subject.

Pete