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Originally Posted by Tom
Those of you who use a wheel like that: what are your experiences regarding accuracy and ease of use? My intuition would be that a wheel is easier to use than plotting solutions on map, atleast once you get the hang of it. As for accuracy, when plotting on map it easy to refine the solution when you get more observations. How do you do this with the wheel (which, if I understand it correctly, gives the solution based on two observations only)?
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I was thinking about building the wheel but gave it up for now. I was doing some serious plotting but now nearly I don't draw more than a single line - a general course if I need to follow. It all started when I removed my position from the map (as to use celestial navigation). Suddenly I have found myself calculating in my head bearing, speed, course etc. I started to see things differently, started to fell relative courses etc. Another thing is that to be realistic you need to make some observations like timed hydro readings, manual range through your scope etc. The more you spend on the see the more it's obvious and very quickly you just know what to do, how to react. This gives a very nice feeling of being a true, trained and experienced captain who has everything in his head!!