Loxodrome Sailing


The following form calculates the location of the destination (L1) given a location of departure (L0), a travelled Distance (D) and Course (C0) for the loxodrome to be sailed. Since loxodrome sailing implies a track of constant course, the Course C0 is the same from departure to destination.
The picture on the left below will show the situation and explain the abbreviations and terms used.

Location (L0)   Distance and Course
Latitude  N/S  dd-mm.m   Distance (D)   Nm
Longitude  E/W ddd-mm.m   Course (C0)   °
 
 
    Destination (L1)
sail045f_A.gif   Latitude  °    
  Longitude  °








D: Great-Circle Distance from L0 to L1
C0, C1: Course angles under which the loxodrome track intersects with the local Meridian in L0 and L1.

The Angles C0 and C1 are measured clockwise from the northern branch of the local Meridian (true North) in L0 and L1 respectively and towards the (shortest) great-circle segment connecting L0 and L1. This way the resulting angles represent true courses. This true course (C0) is the constant courses to be sailed to travel from L0 to L1.

The loxodrome track gives the path between L0 and L1 with a constant course, but it is not the shortest path between two locations. The Destination problem can also be solved for a Great-Circle track.