Traverse board

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Traverse boards were used by skilled navigators for 'dead reckoning' - estimating the ship's position when out of sight of land from its speed and position and the effects of wind and tide. This example was probably made in Germany in the 19th century.

The wooden traverse board is unsigned and undated. It has four rows of 19 holes in the rectangular part, while the circular part has 32 points of the compass, each with eight holes for pegs. The pegs are now lost.

The ship's course was recorded every half-hour using pegs placed in holes along the radiating compass directions, allowing the mean course at the end of the watch to be estimated. Pegs in the lower part of the board recorded the ship's speed.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-102-833-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1987.135
• Date: 19th century
  
• Material: Wood
  Traverse board, mariner's
  
• Dimensions: 370 mm x 190 mm x 25 mm
  
• What: Traverse board, mariner's
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Germany
  
• Event:
• Description: Mariner's traverse board of wood, unsigned, Germany, 19th century
  
• References:
  • For a description of the use of the traverse board, see Wynter, H. & Turner, A., Scientific Instruments. London: 1973, p 90 
• Translations:
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