2 Comments

As usual the writer refers to ‘ dead reckoning’ as a method of working out a position from one’s course and speed from a last known position, allowing for the effects of currents and leeway.

Thie correct term is ‘deduced reckoning’ usually shortened to ‘ded. reckoning’.

There is obviously nothing dead about this technique at all. When I was at sea, as a navigator, in the British merchant navy, use of the term ‘dead reckoning’ was considered to be born out of ignorance.

Expand full comment

Thanks for sharing your experience. Mine differ, but no harm in that. I've always taken the "dead" in dead reckoning not to refer to "not living", but rather dead as in "straight", e.g. "dead ahead", and it is the term I was taught, so it was the term I used. Whatever one calls it, it is a valuable skill, less used now that GPS is upon us. :)

Expand full comment