© Duane A. Cline 1999
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Navigation: The Hand Lead-Line The hand lead-line consisted of a lead weight (weighing from 16 to 20 lbs.), a long rope marked with cloth and leather strips
to indicate the various depths, and a hand-held reel upon which the rope was wound. The lead-line is the oldest navigational instrument and was used by the ancient Egyptians. It would have been used in rivers, harbors, bays and shallow coastal waters, where the water was not more than 120 feet in
depth. For the most part, it was used as ships were leaving port, or approaching a land mass to make certain that the ship
did not run aground. It is sometimes used in shallow waters even today, and sailors are required to learn how to use it. You will find a worksheet on the hand lead-line below. It has been designed to be used in several ways. In coloring
the worksheet, the pupils will be called upon to follow directions in order to get the markings identified by their proper
color. In order to answer the question at the bottom of the sheet, they will be called upon to do a multiplication problem. If
you wish to use this as a math page, you could ask the pupils to figure the foot equivalents for all of the fathom markings,
and to write their answers in the blank space next to each fathom number.
Last modified October 7, 1999
by
Webmaster Dave Lossos