The lubber line is in line with the boat's centerline and indicates the boat's ______.

• A. Speed
• B. Heading
• C. Depth
• D. Draft

Answer: (B)

The lubber line is a reference line on the compass card that runs along the boat’s centerline, and it indicates the boat’s heading—the direction the bow is pointed. It’s the readout you use to know which way you’re pointing, not how fast you’re moving, how deep the water is, or how much draft the hull has. Speed, depth, and draft come from other instruments or measurements, whereas the lubber line provides the orientation of the vessel’s forward direction. When you set or read a course, you align the lubber line with your intended heading on the compass.