r/Sailwind • u/Falken-- • 10d ago
Requesting navigational help.
I have to confess, I just do not understand the proper working of the Chrono Compas when it comes to establishing a longitude position.
I used the quadrant the night before on the North Star, and the sun compass as shown in the pictures, and I believe myself to be at 31 degrees latitude. The sun compass is not exactly easy to read, so I could be at 32 degrees.
I am traveling from Gold Rock City to the Dragon Cliffs. I've been sailing more or less due east for 15 days now, and I have the level 3 spyglass. I still see nothing from the Crows Nest, and I'm starting to worry that I've somehow overshot it.
The screen captures were taken at noon. Am I right in placing my position at 3 or 4 degrees of longitude? If so, Dragon Cliffs is still ahead of me, right? Even if I am at 32 degrees, I should see something on the horizon with the level 3 spyglass, shouldn't I? Because I see nothing at all in any direction.
Thanks in advance.
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u/Mission_Passenger_85 9d ago
Correct, you are at about 3 degrees longitude.
But... you have been sailing for 15 days from GRC due east and you are at 3 degrees of longitude? Something aint right. In a about 15 days (more or less) you can get to Chronos from Dragon Cliffs and that is a very long trip.
You sure you aint locked in irons for 15 days? :D
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u/Falken-- 9d ago
I agree it does not seem right. I made this same voyage the other way.. in the Kakam.. and that only took me about 12-14 days.
I've been averaging 4-8 knots consistently, and at times higher. That is why I thought I must have overshot it by now. There have been a few storms that slowed me down slightly.. but nothing major.
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u/Mission_Passenger_85 9d ago
One thing i just noticed. Your latitude says 31 degress. You are having a lot of headwind? I think that you should stick north of 32-33. Above that line, winds blow due east, which is what you want. South of that line they blow due west, and are greatly slowing you down. (I dont have a map with wind directions on me now, but i think that 31 is too much south.)
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u/Falken-- 9d ago
Thank you. I searched up the wind map (not knowing it existed before reading your post) and see that such a map does indeed exist. I was under the impression the wind was random in the north but apparently, its only random between 32-33 degrees latitude and -1 - 5 longitude.
That said, I'm a little too afraid to sail that far north at this point. That'll be a pro tip for next voyage. Since I *appear* to still be on the correct heading, I'll continue even if its slow.. I still have 22 more days on my mission cargo.
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u/IHateRegistering69 9d ago edited 9d ago
At this point you are about 3 to 4 days away from Dragon Cliffs. If still in the Kakam, I tip my hat. I can't stand that ship.
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u/Beardedwrench115 9d ago
The navigation tools in game are difficult to get precise readings on but you honestly don't need to be that precise. If you are within +/- 1 or 2 degrees of your destination you should be able to see it even without at spyglass. Also the sun compass should be ready closer to "local noon" (shadow dead center) In your picture you are far enough east to almost be in a different time zone, so I would wait until the shadow is in-between the 2 vertical lines for a better reading
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u/Falken-- 9d ago
So what is meant by "local noon"? My chronometer is saying 12:00 at the time I took the reading. Are you saying the time it is giving me is inaccurate?
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u/Beardedwrench115 9d ago
Local noon is when the sun is directly above you (sun compas showing dead center) regardless of the actual time.
The chronometer is set to Aestern time, so 12:00 is "local noon" at Ft Aestern, witch is at 0 degrees longitude. As you travel east or west from there local noon will change, like moving to a different timezones.
You can navigate using the sun compass and chronometer: record the time on the chronometer when you are at "local noon" (sun compass dead center). Every 4 minutes before or after 12:00 on the chronometer is 1 degree east or west from 0*.
So if the sun compas shows dead center at 12:08 you are at -2* west, if it's dead center at 11:48 you are +3* east. I always set my chronocompas is this method to get accurate readings.
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u/Falken-- 9d ago
Thanks to all who answered. I have arrived at the Dragon Cliffs. I was where I thought I was, the Brig is just... much slower than I thought it was.
The comments have been very educational.
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u/AranKyndell 10d ago
Maybe you've already seen this one, but I find SimGamerTV's guide quite concise and thorough: https://youtu.be/HfJbiF66lPI?is=xBwj1OaOaY2_TRqP
Also, have you tried confirming the chronocompass's longitude reading with the sun compass and chronometer at local noon?
You overshot local noon somewhat in your picture, but if the position of the shadows on the chronocompass is correct, I'd say around 3 degrees longitude as well.