Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » General Discussion » Great Circle Route

Forgive me if this subject is covered elsewhere, but does the game take into account that the shortest route over longer distances is a Great Circle? Or do the game maps not account for this?
If you notice on the Game display screen to the left, there are five icons for you to use, The bottom most yellow dividers will allow you to plot the shortest distance GC by clicking where you want to measure. It will look curved on the Mercator projection.

However when steering your boat you either choose a Constant compass heading or Constant angle to the wind, so following a GC route requires an active skipper on board.
None so blind
Thanks for your help. Perhaps I should have worded my Q differently: Is the distance to go shown by the game calculated along the great circle, or does it assume a flat ocean? I infer from your answer however that it must be the great circle distance. Thanks again.
The Rhumb Line shown in the Game and the DTG are less reliable as to accuracy relative to your best route & actual distance needed to cover it. That takes some experience to gauge and should be considered a rough approximation but as the race evolves it does improve.

I would only Trust the DTG if you are the sort of person who waits for your fuel gauge to get to the 'E' before you look for a gas station.
None so blind
Doesn't "E" mean "enough"?
You're Right :)

& 'F' stands for Fumes
None so blind
You're Right :)

& 'F' stands for Fumes
Oh? I thought it meant something else! Like in "Oh f... - forgot to fill!"

BTW, I have tried uploading an avatar, how long does it take to appear by my posts?

--- Last Edited by SeaMiGo at 2010-07-02 20:10:01 ---
There is an explaination regarding the calculation of your DTG by Eddi C. Dost here.
The Avatar should appear as soon as you choose it, if done properly.

So try again.
None so blind

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Magical Mediterranean 2026 - Benghazi to Korcula

We return to Antiquity’s Middle Sea for a seventh celebration of all things Mediterranean - fickle winds, history and olive oil. This time we will sail from ancient Benghazi, whence once grain shipped continuously to feed Rome’s urban masses, to the medieval Venetian thalassocracy’s port of Korcula, birthplace of Marco Polo; 700nm in classy Club Swan 50s!
Race #1978
INFO by brainaid.de
Club Swan 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: MED - SYC
Race starts: Jul 27th 15:00 Registration Open!

▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Red Eye 2026 - Georgian Bay

Welcome to the sensational scenic Georgian Bay of northern Lake Huron, the first area of the Great Lakes to be visited by Europeans in 1615, so former SOLer A2R informed us when he designed this geometrically tortuous course of 317nm criss-cross through its island maze. Originally known as Lake Manitoulin, in 1822 the bay was renamed after King George IV after his succession to the throne. This time we’ll take the very flashy Fareast 31R, which hopefully should keep you wide awake!
Race #2051
INFOby brainaid.de
Fareast 31R PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: RED - SYC
Race starts: Jul 26th 08:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Tall Ships 2026 - Stavanger to Aalborg


Welcome to the fourth of four virtual Tall Ships Races in European waters which are concurrently being organized in-real-life by Sail Training International . This fourth race is from Stavanger in Norway into the Skaggerak to a finish off Denmark’s Aalborg and perhaps an Aquavit to toast the adventure afterwards – a final circa 250nm in Sailonline’s classic Clipper 240.
NOTE: Starts and Finishes in tall ships racing are always offshore to avoid conflict with shipping and shipping lanes; online and real-life may not match exactly.
Race #1995
INFO by brainaid.de
Clipper 240 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: TSI - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Jul 25th 16:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Chinook Salmon - Canada to Andreanovs


A year after spawning in the upper reaches of the rivers of British Columbia, Chinook Salmon develop the age-old urge, so familiar to SOLers, to go to sea, heading for different parts of the northern Pacific Ocean. This race catches up with a particular school with an instinctive memory for the Andreanov Islands far west on the Aleutian Islands chain, as they depart the Salian Sea between Vancouver Island and the San Juans. It’s 2200nm and we’re taking the 60ft Trimaran, in the hope we can keep up!
Race #2048
INFOby brainaid.de
60ft Trimaran PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: MIG - SYC
Race starts: Jul 21st 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Juventud TIMED Race 2026

Welcome to Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth), Cuba’s second largest island after mainland Cuba. Known as a haven for pirates, the island was the inspiration for novels “Treasure Island” and “Peter Pan”. The circa 120nm course runs clockwise around the island.
This is a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have two weeks to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #2049
INFOby brainaid.de
The boat for this race is the sporty Mini 6.5p Foil PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ3 - TRCH - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
1 August at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Jul 19th 12:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Alaska to Easter Island 2026

Welcome to yet another all-new series. The initial leg of the RNW (Round the New World), Alaska to Easter Island, also part of our Ocean Championship. The first race of OCQ3 2026. This race will be sailed in our revised 'version 2' Imoca 60 Foil. Race #2042
INFO by brainaid.de
Imoca 60 Foil v2 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ3 - RNW - OCCH - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
August 1 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jul 06th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member cdhinman
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member ms0689
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member ita10267
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member sassy63

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client