With each change in direction or speed they had to take notice, even if it was by 10 degrees to the South it mattered. Though it was hard to keep track of the speed the Traverse Board was simple to use.
The Traverse Board was really straightforward to use so even people with a lower education could use it easily. You log in a Traverse Board by attaching string into holes, every half hour of his watch the navigator inserted a wooden nail into the hole which marks that the ship has already passed that point. There are eight pieces of rope with pegs attached at the bottom of the Traverse Board to keep track of the speed during each half-hour(Mariner’s Museum 14) .The navigator would know when to log because a bell would ring to remind him that it was