Going Full Real™ :) (please check my process)

[Antiacus]

Originally Posted by onelifecrisis

lol, I get what you're saying Steve, but you misunderstood me... I wanted to know how accurately someone can guess range by visual estimate only IRL. Antiacus answered that one can guess to within 1000 yards without measuring tools, so I think the SH3 WO's abilities in this department are slightly superhuman but not terribly unrealistic. :hmm:

I should qualify that by saying that within 4000 the average is accurate to about 250. Within 6000, to about 500. Within 8000 to about 750. Within 12,000 to about 1k... Anything over that and you're looking at smoke stacks, masts etc.. and it becomes pretty tough, especially if you haven't positively identified what you're looking at.

On occasion the OOD on our ship would test the lookouts abilities against radar ranges, and those numbers pretty much reflect reality. Typically any kind of special sea detail, GQ, etc... has the best or one of the best lookouts assigned. On our boat there were about 25 to choose from though.