Which term refers to the bearing of the other vessel from our own vessel's heading?

• A. True bearing from north
• B. Relative bearing
• C. Magnetic bearing
• D. True course

Answer: (B)

Understanding relative bearing. It is the angle to the other vessel measured from your own vessel’s heading, not from north. In practice, you look along your heading and measure how far off to the side the target is. If the target is straight ahead, the relative bearing is 0 degrees; directly to your right is 90 degrees; directly behind is 180 degrees; to your left is 270 degrees.

This differs from true bearing, which is measured from true north, and magnetic bearing, which is measured from magnetic north. True course is the direction your vessel is traveling, not the bearing to another vessel. To find the relative bearing to a target, you can subtract your own heading from the true bearing to the target and normalize the result to 0–360 degrees.