Difference of Speed over Ground (SOG) and Speed through Water (STW) | FleetMon's Vessel Tracking Help Desk (2024)

The vessel's speed is either measured concerning water or ground.

Speed over Ground (SOG) is the vessel's speed in one hour concerning the land or any other fixed object such as buoys.

Speed through Water (STW) is the vessel's speed in one hour concerning the water or anything floating on water.

Scenario 1:

There is no wind and no current. The vessel is showing a speed of 10 knots. It is near to the land, and there is a boat near the land which is not moving. In one hour, the vessel will cover 10 nautical miles (nm) between the land and the floating boat. This is because there is no wind or current, and the floating boat will maintain its position. Speed over Ground (SOG) and Speed through Water (STW) is the same, 10 knots.

Difference of Speed over Ground (SOG) and Speed through Water (STW) | FleetMon's Vessel Tracking Help Desk (1)

Scenario 2:

All conditions are the same. But now there are 2 knots current from ahead. The vessel starts moving at a speed of 10 knots. In this case, the vessel will only cover 8 nautical miles in one hour because of adverse currents. So when measured from the land, the ship has only moved 8 nautical miles, and the SOG will be 8 knots.

Because of 2 knots, ahead of the current, the boat that moved 2 nm away from the ship, the distance covered by the vessel concerning the floating boat will be 10 nm. So the STW will be 10 knots.

Difference of Speed over Ground (SOG) and Speed through Water (STW) | FleetMon's Vessel Tracking Help Desk (2)

Scenario 3:

All other conditions are the same. But now there are 2 knots current from astern. The vessel starts moving at the speed of 10 knots. In this case, the vessel will cover 12 nm in one hour because of the favorable current. When measured from the land vessel has moved 12 nm. So SOG will be 12 knots. Because of the 2 knot current, the boat would move 2 nm in the vessel's direction. The distance covered by the vessel concerning the floating boat will still be 10 nm. So the STW will still be 10 knots.

Difference of Speed over Ground (SOG) and Speed through Water (STW) | FleetMon's Vessel Tracking Help Desk (3)

Difference of Speed over Ground (SOG) and Speed through Water (STW) | FleetMon's Vessel Tracking Help Desk (2024)

FAQs

Difference of Speed over Ground (SOG) and Speed through Water (STW) | FleetMon's Vessel Tracking Help Desk? ›

Speed over Ground (SOG) is the vessel's speed in one hour concerning the land or any other fixed object such as buoys. Speed through Water (STW) is the vessel's speed in one hour concerning the water or anything floating on water.

What is difference between speed over ground and speed through water? ›

Speed Over the Ground (SOG) is the speed of the vessel relative to the surface of the earth. Speed Through Water (STW) is the speed of the vessel relative to the water. It is possible for the STW to be zero while the SOG is 5 knots, for example if the boat was drifting in a 5 knot current.

Is speed over ground or speed through water for collision avoidance? ›

Speed over water is only required to be used for collision avoidance and not necessarily for navigation. By using speed over ground, a navigator is more aware of the situation than otherwise. For example, if the ship is drifting towards a danger, navigator will know it better if he has speed over ground in radar.

Is radar a STW or SOG? ›

In general, STW is used for radar collision avoidance to provide a more accurate indication of the target's aspect and SOG is used for navigation.

What does SOG mean on a boat? ›

SOG. Speed Over Ground. This differs from boat speed- so for example if your boat is stationary in the water, it may still be moving in relation to the land due to current and wind etc.

What is sog and cog? ›

SOG = Speed over Ground - includes current forecast. COG = Course over Ground to the next waypoint.

What is STW in maritime terms? ›

Highlights. • Ship Speed Through Water (STW) is estimated from in-service measurements on the propeller shaft.

What is the difference between CTW and cog? ›

Water track or Course Through Water (CTW) is the direction of the yacht through the water derived from combining heading and leeway. Water track = HDG ± leeway . Course Over Ground (COG) is the path of the boat over the ground.

Which effect does speed through the water have on a vessel which is underway in shallow water? ›

The squat effect is the hydrodynamic phenomenon by which a vessel moving through shallow water creates an area of reduced pressure that causes the ship to increase its draft and thereby be closer to the seabed than would otherwise be expected.

How do you measure speed over water? ›

Since it was originally measured as the number of knots per unit time, speed over water traditionally uses the unit of “knots” to indicate speed. One knot (kt) = 1 nautical mile per hour = 1.15 mph = 1.85 kph.

What is the difference between ground stabilized and sea stabilized radar? ›

Where true target trails is selected, a sea stabilised display will indicate all targets' motion through the water. A ground stabilised display will indicate all targets' motion over the ground.

Why is STW used for collision avoidance? ›

It is shown that speed through the water is the appropriate reference for avoiding collision on the high seas since it will produce a correct measure of the target-aspect information that is essential in determining legal collision avoidance manoeuvres.

What is the best ground radar in the world? ›

AN/TPS-59. Developed for the U.S. Marine Corps to provide a mobile long-range surveillance radar capability. It is recognized as the world's most capable long-range ground-based radar for tactical ballistic missile defense with proven performance during live fire tests.

How do you calculate SOG in sailing? ›

To find the speed over the ground (SOG) we go back to the diagram and measure the distance from the start point to the point where the water track meets the ground track. If this distance is 5.5M and we have constructed the diagram for one hour, the vessels SOG is 5.5Kn.

Why is it called SOG? ›

SOG was named in honor of a covert US Special Ops unit that fought in Vietnam. That unit was known as Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG). Its existence once denied by the US Government, it wasn't until long after the war that the SOG story could even be told.

What is the course over ground on a GPS? ›

Course Over Ground is the actual direction of progress of a vessel, between two points, concerning the earth's surface. The vessel's "heading" may differ from the Course Over Ground (COG) due to the effects of wind, tide, and currents.

What is the speed over ground in AIS? ›

Speed over ground – 0.1 knot resolution from 0 to 102 knots. Position accuracy. Longitude – to 1/10000 minute and Latitude – to 1/10000 minute.

What is the difference between course over ground and course made good? ›

Course Made Good (CMG) - Is the course actually steered which includes the effect of current set (direction) & drift (speed), wind and leeway and helmsman errrors. Note we distinguish COG (course over ground) from cmg (course made good), as one being present dynamic value, and the other being past.

What is the full form of STW? ›

Standard Treatment Workflows (STWs)

What does ETR stand for in Marine? ›

Electro-technical Rating (ETR)

What does STW mean in contract? ›

Short-time Work Scheme (STW): The key objective of STW schemes is to provide support to companies to retain their employees in times of economic difficulties.

What is the difference between CTW and TW? ›

Remember that carat is a measure of weight, not size. CTTW stands for carat (CT) and total weight (TW). In a piece of jewelry that has more than one diamond, it's the weight of all the diamonds, added together.

What does 1.00 CTW mean? ›

You may see halo earrings that say "1 CTW", which means that all of the diamonds, both center and halo, in both of the earrings, add up to 1.00 Carat Total Weight.

What does cog mean in sea? ›

COG, Course Over Ground, indicates the direction of the boat's heading relative to the land. Over ground means "in relation to the earth", see also the term SOG. Therefore, COG means the true direction free from the effects of sea currents.

Is speed faster in shallow water? ›

The wave speed in shallow-water waves is related to water depth, rather than wave period as it is for deep water waves. The shallower the water, the slower is the wave speed.

What is the speed of the vessel relative to the water? ›

Speed through water is the speed of the ship with respect to the water such as anything floating on water. A ship with her engine stopped in water with 2 knots currents will have zero speed through water but will have 2 knots speed over ground.

What is the formula for theoretical speed of a ship? ›

Theoretical displacement hull speed is calculated by the formula: velocity in knots = 1.35 x the square root of the waterline length in feet.

What is the speed measurement on a vessel? ›

knot, in navigation, measure of speed at sea, equal to one nautical mile per hour (approximately 1.15 statute miles per hour). Thus, a ship moving at 20 knots is traveling as fast as a land vehicle at about 23 mph (37 km/hr).

What do you call a device that measure the speed of a ship through water? ›

log, also called maritime log, instrument for measuring the speed of a ship through water. The first practical log, developed about 1600, consisted of a pie-shaped log chip with a lead weight on its curved edge that caused it to float upright and resist towing.

What is the difference between Xband and S-band radar? ›

Differences Between S- and X-band Radar

S-band is on 2-4 GHz. X-band is 8-12 GHz. Another difference is physical size. X-band radar elements are typically spaced closer together than S-band.

What is sea stabilized and ground stabilized mode in radar? ›

To be sea-stabilized, your radar needs two key inputs: speed through the water, usually taken from your boat's paddlewheel log, and boat heading, usually taken from a fluxgate or satellite compass. By contrast, if your radar uses GPS speed over ground and course over ground, it's ground-stabilized.

What are the two types of marine radar? ›

There are 2 types of radars used on ships: X-band and S-band radars.

How will you differentiate the sea and ground stabilization? ›

Ground stabilisation means that the display is referenced to the seabed by GNSS or through a twin-axis Doppler log. For sea stabilisation the display is referenced to the sea current that own ship is experiencing, typically based on SDME measurements.

Which radar for collision avoidance? ›

Generally, due to operating frequency X band radar provides a clearer viewing screen and is used for target detection and collision avoidance. Whereas S-band radar gives better picture because it's radio waves can penetrate through fog particles and rain.

What speed should a ship be doing to comply with Colregs? ›

An average speed of within 0.5 knots (±0.257 meter/second) is normally acceptable, weather and safe navigation permitting.

How far down can ground penetrating radar go? ›

How Deep Can GPR Penetrate? The depth of GPR depends on the application. For concrete scanning, the radar used can penetrate depths of 18-24”. For private utility locating needs on grass, soil, asphalt, or concrete, the type of antenna used can penetrate up to 8'.

What is better than ground penetrating radar? ›

Electromagnetic tracing (EM) is used to locate underground utility lines that hold a current. EM locators are known to perform well in a wide variety of soil types and conditions and are faster as well as more affordable than ground-penetrating radar (GPR) locators.

Which radar is best for storm chasers? ›

We recommend sticking with Level 3 radar when on the road chasing.

What is the difference between speed through water and SOG? ›

Speed over Ground (SOG) is the vessel's speed in one hour concerning the land or any other fixed object such as buoys. Speed through Water (STW) is the vessel's speed in one hour concerning the water or anything floating on water.

What is the formula for speed of boat in still water? ›

Boat's speed in still water = ½ (Downstream Speed + Upstream Speed) Downstream = (u+v)Km/hr.

Does tide affect speed through water? ›

It is important to realise that the speed through the water will always be different to the speed over the ground if there is a tidal stream. This is easy to imagine if the tide is travelling directly with or against the boat, but not so simple when it is travelling at right angles to it.

What is the correct way to calculate speed? ›

That is speed = distance ÷ time. Or to put it another way distance divided by speed will give you the time. Provided you know two of the inputs you can work out the third. For example if a car travels for 2 hours and covers 120 miles we can work out speed as 120 ÷ 2 = 60 miles per hour.

How to calculate the speed of an object just before it hits the ground? ›

Choose how long the object is falling. In this example, we will use the time of 8 seconds. Calculate the final free fall speed (just before hitting the ground) with the formula: v = v₀ + gt = 0 + 9.80665 × 8 = 78.45 m/s.

What does SOG stand for SOG? ›

Providing Tactical Operations. The Special Operations Group (SOG) is comprised of 10 officers who are specially trained in tactical operations.

Is SOG still active? ›

Many of the military members of MAC-V SOG joined the CIA after their military service. The legacy of MAC-V SOG continues within SAC's Special Operations Group.

What were the main type of operations carried out by SOG? ›

The two primary missions of MACV-SOG were direct action and reconnaissance. Hatchet teams were MACV SOG's primary raid force. They would conduct direct action missions and ambushes along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Additionally, they could act as a quick reaction force for reconnaissance teams who were compromised.

Why does speed feel faster on water? ›

It probably seems so much faster because water is significantly more dense than the air we breath, which is a fluid. With this in mind, the force required to push every water molecule out of your way as your swim is significantly more than air.

What is speed on water called? ›

The term “knot”, in reference to currents, is defined as one nautical mile per hour and is used to measure speed. A nautical mile is slightly more than a standard mile. 1 nautical mile = 1.15 miles = 1.85 kilometers. 1 knot = 1.15 miles per hour = 1.85 kilometers per hour.

How is speed over water measured? ›

Since it was originally measured as the number of knots per unit time, speed over water traditionally uses the unit of “knots” to indicate speed. One knot (kt) = 1 nautical mile per hour = 1.15 mph = 1.85 kph.

Does speed travel faster in water? ›

Water temperature and pressure determine how far sound travels in the ocean. While sound moves at a much faster speed in the water than in air , the distance that sound waves travel is primarily dependent upon ocean temperature and pressure.

Are you faster underwater or on the surface? ›

First, swimmers who stay underwater for the full 15 metres will have faster starts, turns and overall race times. This effect is particularly strong in backstroke events, and when swimmers make the most of the final turn in a race (when swimmers usually surface quicker because they are growing tired).

Why do things move slower in water? ›

When objects move through a fluid, such as air or water, the fluid exerts a frictional force on the moving object. The frictional force from a fluid is called a drag force. Friction drag force causes objects to slow down as they move through a fluid, such as air or water.

How many feet difference is 1 nautical mile and 1 statute mile? ›

Nautical Miles

To put it another way, at 6,076 feet a nautical mile is longer than a statute mile, which has only 5,280 feet.

What are the three types of speed? ›

There are four types of speed and they are:
  • Uniform speed.
  • Variable speed.
  • Average speed.
  • Instantaneous speed.
Nov 10, 2020

How fast is slow speed on the water? ›

Slow Speed, Outside Channel – Maximum Speed Zone

They indicate that you should be traveling slowly, but highlight a specific speed (typically 25, 30, or 35 mph). However, unlike speed limits on the road that drivers tend to exceed with regularity, it's important you adhere to the posted speed limits.

What does cog mean in Marine? ›

Course Over Ground is the actual direction of progress of a vessel, between two points, concerning the earth's surface. The vessel's "heading" may differ from the Course Over Ground (COG) due to the effects of wind, tide, and currents.

Why do ships use knots instead of mph? ›

In modern times, a knot is a unit of speed that ties directly into the global latitude and longitude coordinate system. Therefore, in the aviation and nautical worlds, knots are oftentimes used in place of MPH and KPH since they are easier to navigate with.

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