How are bearings typically taken on a vessel?

Bearings are typically taken on a vessel using a hand-held compass or a ship's compass because these instruments provide direct and immediate visual guidance on the direction of a target or navigational marker. A ship's compass is specifically designed for marine environments and is calibrated to provide accurate readings relative to true north or magnetic north, thus making it a reliable source for determining bearings.

Using a hand-held compass is also essential in situations where precise navigation is required, such as small craft operations or when the ship's compass might be unavailable or compromised. This method allows crew members to determine their position and the direction they need to head toward, which is crucial for safe navigation.

The other methods listed, while they can provide information about a vessel's position, do not directly focus on taking bearings in the same manner as a compass. For instance, visual estimation from the bridge lacks the precision required for navigation, especially in situations where accurate bearings are necessary. GPS can provide exact coordinates but typically does not offer direction in the same way a compass does. Triangulating positions from known locations involves complex calculations and may not yield immediate bearing readings, which are often essential in dynamic marine environments.