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Old 04-16-2016, 06:07 AM   #27
psneeld
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City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,149
The only curved line that is shorter than a straight line in navigation is a great circle route.

I doubt many here run that many great circle routes, if at all.

Unless one is talking cutting a corner, and then depending on the course change, you can plot way points close enough to the turn radius that the boats turn is essentially "cutting the corner"......thus really no less efficient than a hand judged turn accomplishing the same thing.

Now it may just be what the OP is having an issue with. If his chart doesn't zoom in enough for a small radius of way points rounding an island , that one way point that forms an acute angle is way out of the way and hand steering is sort of the answer whether by wheel or making the turn with the autopilot.

So petdoc4u, yes you need to zoom in closer with a different chart or live with the "cutting corners" by hand.
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