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> 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)

> 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"

> 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).

> 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.

> 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.

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

South East.

> 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?

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.



--
        Mike Wescott
        Wescott_Mike@EMC.COM

   

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