More than how many degrees is considered restrictive for a deviation table?

• A. 3 degrees
• B. 7 degrees
• C. 5 degrees
• D. 10 degrees

Answer: (C)

The idea here is that compass deviation is the error between where the compass points and the true direction, caused by the ship’s own magnetic fields. A deviation table tells you how many degrees to correct a compass reading to get a true bearing. Five degrees is used as the practical cutoff: when a deviation is more than five degrees, the error is large enough to be considered restrictive, meaning the compass can no longer be relied on alone for precise navigation and additional checks or corrections are needed. That’s why more than five degrees is the threshold for a deviation table to be deemed restrictive.