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View Full Version : Can't use Kiel Canal (easily)


KeybdFlyer
11-11-09, 04:50 PM
I've done searches for "Kiel Canal Course", Kiel Canal Plotting", Kiel Canal Waypoints" and "Kiel Canal Inbound", but I can't find anything to cover this little glitch - though I may have given-up too early in scanning threads and missed it.

It's October 1939, Patrol 4 in a Type VIIB from Kiel (7th/13th Flotilla after the move from Konigsberg). Upon returning from the NE coast of England and having plotted waypoints to the Kiel Canal entrance point, I selected "Kiel Inbound" and was more than a bit surprised to see the many waypoints head off in a vaguely South Easterly direction across northern Germany! After deleting the waypoints one by one, I tried again - same result. Examining the plotted course for a few minutes, it seemed to be a mirror-image of what should have been plotted - flipped along a horizontal axis, so-to-speak. Not wishing to spend the time to plot my way through the canal manually, I tried to "teleport" back to base, but that only offered me the choice to dock at the port at the southern end of the canal (ends in buttel, lol, I forget the full name), and so I had to set-off on a trip around Denmark in order to get back to base.

Has this strange glitch been noted before anywhere? Has a fix been found if it has? Does anyone know what could have happened and how I can prevent it happening on the next patrol? Thanks in advance.

Falkirion
11-11-09, 06:11 PM
I've got a similar issue so I tend to avoid using the canal. Except my course goes further north, not that far outside the canal but enough to make the auto course annoying.

Besides if you stay north you'll sometime come across some good shipping.

Abd_von_Mumit
11-11-09, 07:05 PM
No need to delete them one by one - select any waypoint by left clicking it, then place a new waypoint and voila - all the waypoints that followed AFTER the waypoint you selected dissapear.

Won't help you with your problem, but maybe this will make your struggle less frustrating. :)

KeybdFlyer
11-11-09, 07:14 PM
LOL Oh yeah - totally forgot about that in my astonishment at a wrong way course. What an idiot! :har:

badwolf
11-11-09, 07:29 PM
This is how I do it, might help.

OUTBOUND
The first thing to do at start of mission is auto plot canal course.
Then zoom in to last waypoint and mark it.
I do this, even if I don't use the canal on outbound journey. May want to return that way.
Now remember not to use "erase all marks" in the mission, or you will lose it.

INBOUND
Plot your return course, your last plot should be on the mark. The previous waypoint to this should be due West.
If a maneuver is done just before these marks, then put in plots with lesser deviations to arrive at a 90 degree East direction.
On approach go to last waypoint and press "Canal Auto Plot" BEFORE last waypoint (Don't get too close to last waypoint, as unexpected directions will occur).

.................................................. ........... X..........................O...... X
..................................... ..X
. ......................... .X
.
.................... X
.
.
.
. ............ X
.
.
.
............. X


X = Last waypoint and mark. (where autoplot starts)
X = Due west from X.
O = Press "Canal Auto Plot" when here.

Abd_von_Mumit
11-11-09, 08:42 PM
Yeah! badwolf is right!

The Kile Kanal course will be plotted in the same direction your last manually plotted course was. So if the last part of your course is heading NE, Kiel course should work well. But if it heads for example SW, Kiel course will head same direction too. :salute:

Freiwillige
11-12-09, 12:44 AM
GWX? In GWX you have to do the plot from your start dock in kiel