Definition
The triangle results from small random and systematic errors in bearing-taking, plotting or timing. A tight cocked hat with sides under about 0.2 nautical miles suggests a reliable fix, and the position is normally taken at the centre. Prudence requires taking the corner nearest danger when the triangle is large or when a shoal lies close by. A consistently large cocked hat usually points to a systematic cause such as an unapplied deviation or misidentified landmark rather than random error.
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