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Flat Earth Discussion Boards => Flat Earth Q&A => Topic started by: BoatswainsMate on July 13, 2012, 12:33:16 PM

Title: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 13, 2012, 12:33:16 PM


Ok, so I have a question. I have been thinking about what Jroa has been telling me and I really don't get it. I have no back ground in physics in fact I have no college at all just my training in navigation, seamanship, and coxswain so if this is about physics don't freak about and say I am dumb or something. My years of training in navigation have taught me many things about Earth and most of it I don't understand I just know that IF I do X and do the math then Y happens and so on (more complicated just keeping it simple).

Here is a picture I made excuse the amazing boat drawing skills that you all wish you had.

(http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/andrew_thompson2/blahblahflippidy.png)


Now in figure 1. That is a boat traveling at a 270 true course, you can tell that boat is traveling west because it is heading in that direction, following the Earths curve and of course not exactly in a straight line path (rhumb line, great circle so on depending on what the vessel is doing exactly) that vessel will meet a piece of land at some point staying at 270. You can see that the vessel is really going in that direction, not making course changes and not turning.

now in figure 2. that is what the vessel would be doing on a flat Earth. The vessel is apparently traveling at 270 true. The funny thing is that the vessel is going to travel in a circle. How can that vessel be doing 270 true heading west, yet doing a circle? On a spherical Earth the vessel can of course do 270 true heading west following the curve and not be doing an actual circle (minus the one it is doing following earths curve)

take a basketball and put one of the lines parellel to the deck and imagine you are on that black line walking it going west. You will be traveling west (in a broad circle, but that is because the ball is round!) Now take that ball pop it and lay it as flat as possible. Imagine you are on that same line walking west. You are now walking west, then north, then East, then south, and eventually coming back to where you started. So can you say that you were traveling at 270 the whole time around that flat ball?

So that is my problem, I know that I can travel at 270 and head west the whole time and end up back where I started due to the Earth being a sphere. On a flat Earth I would do an exact circle starting at 270, but then having to go 360 degrees slowly turning. It just makes no sense. I have tried uploading the flat Earth map on my Voyager program and chart a course at 270 and it takes the track leg's off of the map itself. you cannot do 270 on a flat earth... unless someone makes a flat Earth chart I do not see how you can plot a course anywhere on a flat Earth.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: ThinkingMan on July 13, 2012, 01:33:16 PM
Don't you already know the answer you're going to get? "well in both models, you're traveling in a circle, wouldn't it be easy to get confused between which one was real?" or maybe "well the magnetic pole will make you think you're traveling in a straight line". Probably something clever like that. Let's watch and see O.O
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 13, 2012, 01:47:34 PM
Don't you already know the answer you're going to get? "well in both models, you're traveling in a circle, wouldn't it be easy to get confused between which one was real?" or maybe "well the magnetic pole will make you think you're traveling in a straight line". Probably something clever like that. Let's watch and see O.O

I really wish I can explain this better. I hope people understand what I am trying to say. According to flat Earth theory you move in a circle, the problem is that on a flat pice of land moving in a circle means you are slowly turning in a circle and a magnetic compass along with your ships gyro would show this. On a sphere you can move in a circle while maintaining a set direction, such as west. Your ships gyro will stay at 270 as you move along the Earths curve. Your ships magnetic compass would change, but in a predictable way and should always show 270 or around 270 after factoring in variation and deviation.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: ThinkingMan on July 13, 2012, 02:02:39 PM
Well... the compass wouldn't change if the magnetic pole is somehow still magically at the... center? But a gyro wouldn't work properly on a flat earth.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 13, 2012, 02:07:24 PM
I'm not sure how a gyro would need to be calibrated to work on a flat Earth. I guess it just would not work since you would not really need it to be a gyro, just a flat thing that can measure your exact heading.

The thing about the gyro and why it is so important is that it keeps you on your true heading factoring in the curve of the Earth (hence why it needs to be a gyro and calibrated accordingly) So I guess in the end you are 100% correct it would not work on a flat Earth.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: ThinkingMan on July 13, 2012, 02:09:25 PM
They use gyros on space craft as well. It requires gravity to work properly as well, does it not?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 13, 2012, 06:01:23 PM
Don't you already know the answer you're going to get? "well in both models, you're traveling in a circle, wouldn't it be easy to get confused between which one was real?" or maybe "well the magnetic pole will make you think you're traveling in a straight line". Probably something clever like that. Let's watch and see O.O

I really wish I can explain this better. I hope people understand what I am trying to say. According to flat Earth theory you move in a circle, the problem is that on a flat pice of land moving in a circle means you are slowly turning in a circle and a magnetic compass along with your ships gyro would show this. On a sphere you can move in a circle while maintaining a set direction, such as west. Your ships gyro will stay at 270 as you move along the Earths curve. Your ships magnetic compass would change, but in a predictable way and should always show 270 or around 270 after factoring in variation and deviation.

On a sphere, except at the equator, when traveling due west or east you are turning in a circle too.  It's true in FET and RET.  Due west and due east on a round Earth are not straight lines (again, except at the equator).

Note that I think I understand your question but I'm kinda tired so if I'm wrong I apologize.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 13, 2012, 06:38:08 PM
would your boat detect such a slight turn on a flat earth? its a very small small change. much like the fact that the earth appears flat.

i feel this will be the same as the discussion on gravity where both parties can not prove either way.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 13, 2012, 08:37:42 PM
@Thinkingman,
Yes gyro's require gravity to work as intended. I think that UA might cover that as well (note that I do not believe in UA, but it mimics gravity) maybe someone with some knowledge in that stuff can answer if UA would have an adverse affect on a gyro.

@Roundy
You are correct, if I was to do a 090 true heading at say 89.00.00 N I would be doing a more prominent circle. The problem is that I am still on a sphere and would stay at a easterly heading, round and round and round as I go because I am not standing on on top of the world so to speak (I mean not traveling as if I am starring at the sphere, but I am on the sphere walking around it). At 89.00.00 N on a flat Earth I would be doing a circle on a flat horizontal piece ofl and and constantly turning as to not head off to the mythical ice wall.

(http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/andrew_thompson2/roundEarthvsFlatEarth1.jpg)

So wich one is correct on the Flat Earth figure. Is it 1. or 2. ??  the 2. is a 270 west heading that would take you straight to the ice wall. The 1. one is the circular path that is suposed to happen on a flat Earth when heading in a direction. The problem still stands that on a sphere I can and am able to continue on a set heading and travel in the circle around Earth without having to go in any other direction. On the Flat Earth if I use the 2. then I hit and ice wall. If I use 1. then I am now locked in a circle like walking around the room I am in and have to change my heading to maintain the path I wish to travel.

If we are talking about heading in a circle at such a degree of longitude say... 89.99.99 then I can probably say I would notice the change in heading since you are now on the top of a sphere much like walking around the top of a hill. The problem is that you would feel that at all times on a flat Earth since there is no spherical piece in wich you can travel on. You are always horizontal to the land going round and round. I hope I am explaining the problem in my head well enough for people ot understand my questions.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 13, 2012, 08:49:30 PM
in both models if you were traveling round the north pole you would be traveling in a circle. like roundy said, only at the equator are you traveling in the strait line.

it is said that if you walk in a strait line with no objects of reference you would actually walk in a big circle because one leg is stronger than the other. you wouldnt notice this circle. so if you follow a course with a compass on a flat earth do yuo think you would really notice the circle?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 13, 2012, 11:10:23 PM
in both models if you were traveling round the north pole you would be traveling in a circle. like roundy said, only at the equator are you traveling in the strait line.

it is said that if you walk in a strait line with no objects of reference you would actually walk in a big circle because one leg is stronger than the other. you wouldnt notice this circle. so if you follow a course with a compass on a flat earth do yuo think you would really notice the circle?

Think about viewing a boat on a flat Earth from above. You know that the boat going to be at a heading of 090 true making way East at a longitude of 70.00.00N Do you think that you will see the vessel travel in that general direction (east) or do you think that the vessel will start to make a circle? If the vessel is then making a circle around a flat Earth do you think that you would see the vessel still moving in a easterly direction?

Now do the same thing on a sphere. Imagine you viewing a vessel making way easterly at 090 true starting at longitude 70.00.00N. That vessel is going to make a circle yes? as you watch that vessel travel around the sphere do you think that the vessel is having to change heading to complete the circle around the sphere? Now do you think that putting the vessel at any other longitude other then 85.00.00N/s + would change anything?

What I am trying to understand and possibly show and get some feedback on is the position of objects on a sphere vs a flat plane. I do understand that the circle around a sphere is not exactly straight due to the curve of Earth (rhumb line, giant circle is what we use in navigation, but not always as it makes simple track lines pretty complex and gives me a headache!)

On a flat plane you are always standing parellel to the deck so traveling in a circle is going to require multiple headings. On a sphere you are standing parellel to a sphere so as you travel in one direction you can make a circle around it without changing your heading. So my conclusion is that the notion of heading either east or west and never changing heading and inherently making a circle around the flat Earth can not be possible. Your ships gyro would detect your movement away from that heading. You cannot travel from california to japan going due west on a flat Earth... You have to change heading.

gosh I really am sorry if I am overcomplicating this concept or portraying my thoughts in an awkward/hard to understand way. I feel like this is more simple then what I am thinking, but that damned light bulb in my head seems to be flickering, but not staying on.

Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Pongo on July 14, 2012, 12:04:23 AM
I understand what you are saying Boatswain, it's truly an interesting conundrum to contemplate. I will dedicate some time to thinking about this.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Ski on July 14, 2012, 12:17:49 AM
On a sphere you are standing parellel to a sphere so as you travel in one direction you can make a circle around it without changing your heading.

Stand twenty feet south of the north pole. Head west. How long are you still headed west if you walk in a straight line? Now thirty feet. How long? Now 60 feet. Extrapolate. "West" is not a straight line. One cannot head "west" without changing one's heading on a sphere or flat earth.

Quote
So my conclusion is that the notion of heading either east or west and never changing heading and inherently making a circle around the flat Earth can not be possible.
Well, you're right. But neither would it be possible on a globe saving at the equator.


Quote
You cannot travel from california to japan going due west on a flat Earth... You have to change heading.
As you would on a globe.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 12:43:43 AM
On a sphere you are standing parellel to a sphere so as you travel in one direction you can make a circle around it without changing your heading.

Stand twenty feet south of the north pole. Head west. How long are you still headed west if you walk in a straight line? Now thirty feet. How long? Now 60 feet. Extrapolate. "West" is not a straight line. One cannot head "west" without changing one's heading on a sphere or flat earth.

Such a short distance it would not matter. Think bigger. Short distances are tricky. walking west from the north pole you would begin to move in a giant circle curve eventually coming to a direct west when you reach near the 0 degree mark I would think.

Quote
So my conclusion is that the notion of heading either east or west and never changing heading and inherently making a circle around the flat Earth can not be possible.
Well, you're right. But neither would it be possible on a globe saving at the equator.

It is possible on a globe, I do did it on almost every patrol on the pacific. I guarantee you I can make a series of legs ranging from 280 then gradually coming to somewhere around 235 and I can get across the pacific. I am not saying that it is impossible to go west on the Flat Earth, just that doing so would make you hit the ice-wall/edge/whatever is there. My problem is that the circle that you supposedly make on the flat Earth is not possible, to me.


Quote
You cannot travel from california to japan going due west on a flat Earth... You have to change heading.
As you would on a globe.[/quote]
False. I really wish I had a scanner... I have so many charts that have been used by my previous ships to travel across the pacific and end in Japan using headings ranging from 210-300. All of wich are westerly headings. Sure a little north/west or south/west, but I know a straight line is not going to work. If it did work hell my job would be so easy.. one leg 258 true from San Fran to Mito... done hahaaha (258 is a rough estimate)

with all that said, I really do not want to argue straight lines. I know exact straight lines are not possible. I want to know why On a flat Earth following any longitud mark it shows you traveling in a circle... while apparently maintaining a heading and not changing that heading to change general direction (north,south,east,west) impossible.

well ski, I think I sounded a little confusing. The damn Carlo got to me... those jugs are so tempting. By heading I really ment to say general direction (north, south, east, west) And once again I am sorry if I am just not asking the right way or explaining my problem horribly.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 01:02:41 AM
I understand what you are saying Boatswain, it's truly an interesting conundrum to contemplate. I will dedicate some time to thinking about this.

Thanks Pongo, this is really racking my brain.

I double posted, I'm sorry.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 14, 2012, 06:17:13 AM
in both models if you were traveling round the north pole you would be traveling in a circle. like roundy said, only at the equator are you traveling in the strait line.

it is said that if you walk in a strait line with no objects of reference you would actually walk in a big circle because one leg is stronger than the other. you wouldnt notice this circle. so if you follow a course with a compass on a flat earth do yuo think you would really notice the circle?

Think about viewing a boat on a flat Earth from above. You know that the boat going to be at a heading of 090 true making way East at a longitude of 70.00.00N Do you think that you will see the vessel travel in that general direction (east) or do you think that the vessel will start to make a circle? If the vessel is then making a circle around a flat Earth do you think that you would see the vessel still moving in a easterly direction?

Now do the same thing on a sphere. Imagine you viewing a vessel making way easterly at 090 true starting at longitude 70.00.00N. That vessel is going to make a circle yes? as you watch that vessel travel around the sphere do you think that the vessel is having to change heading to complete the circle around the sphere? Now do you think that putting the vessel at any other longitude other then 85.00.00N/s + would change anything?

What I am trying to understand and possibly show and get some feedback on is the position of objects on a sphere vs a flat plane. I do understand that the circle around a sphere is not exactly straight due to the curve of Earth (rhumb line, giant circle is what we use in navigation, but not always as it makes simple track lines pretty complex and gives me a headache!)

On a flat plane you are always standing parellel to the deck so traveling in a circle is going to require multiple headings. On a sphere you are standing parellel to a sphere so as you travel in one direction you can make a circle around it without changing your heading. So my conclusion is that the notion of heading either east or west and never changing heading and inherently making a circle around the flat Earth can not be possible. Your ships gyro would detect your movement away from that heading. You cannot travel from california to japan going due west on a flat Earth... You have to change heading.

gosh I really am sorry if I am overcomplicating this concept or portraying my thoughts in an awkward/hard to understand way. I feel like this is more simple then what I am thinking, but that damned light bulb in my head seems to be flickering, but not staying on.

this made more sense to me and i just woke up! i still find it hard to imagine that you would detect such a circle. its so large you just wouldnt notice anything. i doubt you gyro would be made sensitive enough to detect it either.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 08:16:28 AM
Im happy that made a little more sense Squevil! So on a sphere your gyro does detect a slight arc like motion so we correct for deviation. Every ship has a deviation table that is updated periodically to help us know our true heading. I wish I could find a course change log to show you, but basically the areas to fill out on it are Time, Ships position, speed, current deviation, variation, true heading, and magnetic heading. So on board we do account for the curve we travel on to correct our heading to maintain a course we want.

now what is seriously boggling my mind is that on a sphere the path we travel is not exactly a prominent curve as we circle around the Earth. On a flat Earth the circle that you would do is considerably greater because you are not on a sphere anymore you are on a flat plane. It is walking around a sphere vs walking in a circle around a flat plane. The two shapes cause different affects.

You walk around a sphere to make the circle. You cannot do that same on a flat plane. A flat plane circle is just like walking in a circle on any flat area, you walk north, then east, south, and west to create the 360 degree rotation. You have to move in that way to make a circle on a flat plane, I do not know of any other way aside from going under the flat plane then back up it to make the circle you would do comparatively to a sphere. That is my dilemma. It is simply how you are positioned on a sphere compared to a flat plane.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 08:23:28 AM
You walk around a sphere to make the circle. You cannot do that same on a flat plane. A flat plane circle is just like walking in a circle on any flat area, you walk north, then east, south, and west to create the 360 degree rotation. You have to move in that way to make a circle on a flat plane, I do not know of any other way aside from going under the flat plane then back up it to make the circle you would do comparatively to a sphere. That is my dilemma.

No.  On a flat Earth go due east and you are walking in a circle.  There's no walking north then east then south then west.  The path is curved but it's still one direction.  Go in one direction, travel in a circle, end up back where you started.  Exactly the same as in RE.  There's no change in heading.  Unless I'm missing something you still seem to be having trouble grasping this?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: EmperorZhark on July 14, 2012, 08:47:12 AM
You walk around a sphere to make the circle. You cannot do that same on a flat plane. A flat plane circle is just like walking in a circle on any flat area, you walk north, then east, south, and west to create the 360 degree rotation. You have to move in that way to make a circle on a flat plane, I do not know of any other way aside from going under the flat plane then back up it to make the circle you would do comparatively to a sphere. That is my dilemma.

No.  On a flat Earth go due east and you are walking in a circle.  There's no walking north then east then south then west.  The path is curved but it's still one direction.  Go in one direction, travel in a circle, end up back where you started.  Exactly the same as in RE.  There's no change in heading.  Unless I'm missing something you still seem to be having trouble grasping this?

It has to be demonstrated that on a flat Earth if you head constantly East for instance you are doing a circle. It contradicts all modern instruments.

And saying "Exactly the same as in RE" is a complete misunderstanding of a cpndescending guy saying "Unless I'm missing something you still seem to be having trouble grasping this?"


And saying
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 08:48:13 AM
You walk around a sphere to make the circle. You cannot do that same on a flat plane. A flat plane circle is just like walking in a circle on any flat area, you walk north, then east, south, and west to create the 360 degree rotation. You have to move in that way to make a circle on a flat plane, I do not know of any other way aside from going under the flat plane then back up it to make the circle you would do comparatively to a sphere. That is my dilemma.

No.  On a flat Earth go due east and you are walking in a circle.  There's no walking north then east then south then west.  The path is curved but it's still one direction.  Go in one direction, travel in a circle, end up back where you started.  Exactly the same as in RE.  There's no change in heading.  Unless I'm missing something you still seem to be having trouble grasping this?

Well there might be some physics involved that I do not understand. Why, if I walk East, on a flat plane do I go in a circle? What is causing me to move in a circular path on a flat plane? I understand why on a sphere if I head East I can go in a circle around the sphere, but I am not going around the flat plane I am heading in a easterly direction. On a sphere you do not move in a straight line because the sphere is curved and you have to account for the affects oh the sphere on you in wich you travel in a arc like or great circle path. So you will always be heading east, but of course not exactly East wich is why ships need a deviation and variation table along with their gyro to maintain the direction that want to travel in.

It is basically the whole, how I view what an objects does on a sphere vs a flat plane. If you are looking down on a flat plane and you know that an object is moving in a easterly direction, why would I ever see it move in a circle? If you are watching that object that is suposed to be heading east go in a circle then why on Earth would you still think it is heading east? would you not believe that the object moving in that circle is heading a little south, then west, and then north to complete that circle on the flat plane? On a sphere watching an object move east you can watch it move around the sphere still heading east and come out from the back side of the sphere and complete 360 degrees around the sphere. The object would not head north or south or any other direction, but east.

So what is causing that vessel on a flat plane to travel in a circle without changing it's general direction from east?

I have countless times traveled across the pacific heading west, I can guarantee you that the vessel I was navigating did not go due north or due south to get across the pacific. Every instrument I have at my disposal has showed me that we headed in a westerly direction the whole patrol. When I say westerly direction I do mean we went south west and north west at times, but still westerly. I understand you do not travel in straight lines, I am not arguing that you do, but making a circle on a flat plane while only heading in one general direction is giving me a headache. It just does not add up, the affects of a sphere rotating on it's axis are completely different that that of a flat plane accelerating. Where is the curve on the flat plane that would cause either a rhumb line or great circle affect? Sure looking down on a sphere an object is traveling in a circle, the problem is that on a sphere you are able to head in a general direction while still doing that circle, on a flat plane heading in one general direction how in the world would you travel in a circle?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 14, 2012, 09:04:42 AM
you guys have got this wrong. the fes has a strong point here. i said at the start that you cant prove it either way.
now remember the point about only walking 20 feet from the pole and you walk in a circle? well you said in a greater distance its different. well its not, the only difference is that the circle is sooo big you wouldnt notice it. now we have established that you will turn on a round earth now understand that if a ship sailed from liverpool to new york it wouldnt even notice the curve.

now here is a thought experiment;
take a ship with sensitive enough equipment to detect this curve. measure it at 20 degrees north and then at 20 degrees south over a length of say 200 miles. if both curves match you have a round earth. however if the southern curve is flatter then so is the earth (flat that is).
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 09:19:42 AM
Well there might be some physics involved that I do not understand. Why, if I walk East, on a flat plane do I go in a circle? What is causing me to move in a circular path on a flat plane?

It's because of how we define "east" and "west".  They are always oriented to the north pole, which is in the center in FE and at the top in RE.  If you orient yourself east using a compass you are orienting yourself at a 90 degree angle in reference to the north pole.  If you were to travel in a perfectly straight line from that point, you would not be traveling due east, you'd be veering toward the south.  If you picture the Earth as a disk, with the north pole in the center and the south at the edges, this should be pretty easy to see.  Keep going due east, on the other hand, and you travel the arc of a circle, just like in RE.

Also I think squevil is right on the money with his point.  In FE the curve just keeps getting flatter and flatter the further south you start your journey due east.  In RE it straightens out when you reach the equator, and then the curve starts getting more pronounced as your starting point goes more and more to the south.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 09:30:53 AM
Well there might be some physics involved that I do not understand. Why, if I walk East, on a flat plane do I go in a circle? What is causing me to move in a circular path on a flat plane?

It's because of how we define "east" and "west".  They are always oriented to the north pole, which is in the center in FE and at the top in RE.  If you orient yourself east using a compass you are orienting yourself at a 90 degree angle in reference to the north pole.  If you were to travel in a perfectly straight line from that point, you would not be traveling due east, you'd be veering toward the south.  If you picture the Earth as a disk, with the north pole in the center and the south at the edges, this should be pretty easy to see.  Keep going due east, on the other hand, and you travel the arc of a circle, just like in RE.

Also I think squevil is right on the money with his point.  In FE the curve just keeps getting flatter and flatter the further south you start your journey due east.  In RE it straightens out when you reach the equator, and then the curve starts getting more pronounced as your starting point goes more and more to the south.

if there was a line that marked the path on a sphere the boat would follow it without going starboard or port etc, on a circle it would curve away from you, boats would follow this and feel this curving as a slight force, toward either starboard or port (very slight, but it is testable), on one side of the boat, this would not happen on a sphere.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 09:39:32 AM
Well there might be some physics involved that I do not understand. Why, if I walk East, on a flat plane do I go in a circle? What is causing me to move in a circular path on a flat plane?

It's because of how we define "east" and "west".  They are always oriented to the north pole, which is in the center in FE and at the top in RE.  If you orient yourself east using a compass you are orienting yourself at a 90 degree angle in reference to the north pole.  If you were to travel in a perfectly straight line from that point, you would not be traveling due east, you'd be veering toward the south.  If you picture the Earth as a disk, with the north pole in the center and the south at the edges, this should be pretty easy to see.  Keep going due east, on the other hand, and you travel the arc of a circle, just like in RE.

Also I think squevil is right on the money with his point.  In FE the curve just keeps getting flatter and flatter the further south you start your journey due east.  In RE it straightens out when you reach the equator, and then the curve starts getting more pronounced as your starting point goes more and more to the south.

if there was a line that marked the path on a sphere the boat would follow it without going starboard or port etc

This is where you're mistaken.  The only place a boat travels in a due east or west direction and travels in a straight line is at the equator.  Everywhere else, there'd be that slight curving to port or starboard.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 09:43:06 AM
Well there might be some physics involved that I do not understand. Why, if I walk East, on a flat plane do I go in a circle? What is causing me to move in a circular path on a flat plane?

It's because of how we define "east" and "west".  They are always oriented to the north pole, which is in the center in FE and at the top in RE.  If you orient yourself east using a compass you are orienting yourself at a 90 degree angle in reference to the north pole.  If you were to travel in a perfectly straight line from that point, you would not be traveling due east, you'd be veering toward the south.  If you picture the Earth as a disk, with the north pole in the center and the south at the edges, this should be pretty easy to see.  Keep going due east, on the other hand, and you travel the arc of a circle, just like in RE.

Also I think squevil is right on the money with his point.  In FE the curve just keeps getting flatter and flatter the further south you start your journey due east.  In RE it straightens out when you reach the equator, and then the curve starts getting more pronounced as your starting point goes more and more to the south.

if there was a line that marked the path on a sphere the boat would follow it without going starboard or port etc

This is where you're mistaken.  The only place a boat travels in a due east or west direction and travels in a straight line is at the equator.  Everywhere else, there'd be that slight curving to port or starboard.

the ark I am talking about is one that bisects a sphere (usually called a great circle), you can have bisections anywhere on a spehere (not just at the equator); what you are talking about is not a great circle, but a circle that runs parralell to a great circle (in this case the equator).
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 09:44:35 AM
Well there might be some physics involved that I do not understand. Why, if I walk East, on a flat plane do I go in a circle? What is causing me to move in a circular path on a flat plane?

It's because of how we define "east" and "west".  They are always oriented to the north pole, which is in the center in FE and at the top in RE.  If you orient yourself east using a compass you are orienting yourself at a 90 degree angle in reference to the north pole.  If you were to travel in a perfectly straight line from that point, you would not be traveling due east, you'd be veering toward the south.  If you picture the Earth as a disk, with the north pole in the center and the south at the edges, this should be pretty easy to see.  Keep going due east, on the other hand, and you travel the arc of a circle, just like in RE.

Also I think squevil is right on the money with his point.  In FE the curve just keeps getting flatter and flatter the further south you start your journey due east.  In RE it straightens out when you reach the equator, and then the curve starts getting more pronounced as your starting point goes more and more to the south.

if there was a line that marked the path on a sphere the boat would follow it without going starboard or port etc

This is where you're mistaken.  The only place a boat travels in a due east or west direction and travels in a straight line is at the equator.  Everywhere else, there'd be that slight curving to port or starboard.

the ark I am talking about is one that bisects a circle (usually called a great circle), you can have bisections anywhere (not just at the equator); what you are talking about is not a great circle, but a circle that runs parralell to a great circle (in this case the equator).

The only great circle that follows a due east or west path in RE is the equator.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 09:49:09 AM
Immaterial, any bisection of a sphere travelled, that is measured with a compass, would be compensated for. it can still be tested.

This would be evern more obvious on a aeroplane.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 09:56:23 AM
Immaterial

No it's not.  This entire thread we have been discussing due east and west courses.  Your response was explicitly to an example of following such a course.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: hoppy on July 14, 2012, 10:04:30 AM
I think if you are sailing near the equator, your course would need 8" per mile of correction to keep due east or west. That would be using Rowbotham's chart in enag.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 10:06:21 AM
Immaterial

No it's not.  This entire thread we have been discussing due east and west courses.  Your response was explicitly to an example of following such a course.



I came from an oblique angle, so what? my argument still holds. A circle only has one great circle: its circumference. we can test whether there is only one great circle on earth by choosing an arbitrary direction and then choosing one that runs perpendicular to this, (whihc will inevitably intersect the other one) if a plan sets off on one and then the other, if on both runs it ends up back where it started: the earth is not flat, this talk about compassess muddies what is actually going on.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 10:10:27 AM
Immaterial

No it's not.  This entire thread we have been discussing due east and west courses.  Your response was explicitly to an example of following such a course.



I came from an oblique angle, so what? my argument still holds. A circle only has one great circle: its circumference. we can test whether there is only one great circle on earth by choosing an arbitrary great circle and then choosing one that runs perpendicular to this, if a plan sets off on one and then the other, if on both runs it ends up back where it started: the earth is not flat, this talk about compassess muddies what is actually going on.

What is actually going on is that we are discussing whether traveling due east or west would cause the traveler to curve on a round Earth.  Welcome to the thread.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 10:17:47 AM
(http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/andrew_thompson2/Flatwestheading.jpg)

If I start to travel on that circular path. Tell me how and why my gyro would not detect that I am turning? Do you see my problem. Moving in that circular path on a flat plane goes against what a gyro is used for and how it works. My gyro would show that I am changing course, but according to FE my gyro should not show that I am changing course. MY magnetic compass might show that North is still in the same direction and that I am heading west, but my gyro is not going to show that. The gyro will sense the turn because I am on a flat plane and cause my true heading to not be 270 anymore. The gyro is not sensitive to the magnetic north it is basing my direction off of more or less exact north such as the north star. If you look at your gyro repeater on the bridge wing we have a sight glass that we use to see the stars while viewing our gyro's reading. That is the easiest way to obtain gyro error (using the north star since it is always at 000 north) my magnetic compass is independent off the gyro, factoring in magnetic deviation and variation should cause my true heading to match my magnetic heading. On a flat plane following that path my true heading would not match.

On a sphere this is completely possible because the circle that I am traveling in is not exactly horizontal to magnetic north. I am not traveling parellel to magnetic north and therefore the curve I am traveling on a sphere with causes my gyro and magnetic compass to match after factoring in deviation and variation. This is why deviation and variation change according to where you are on the sphere. As you move to greater longitudes your position on the sphere changes causing your curved path you are traveling on the change, 0 deviation at the equator and moving according to your longitude. After factoring in that deviation your magnetic heading should match your true heading. Your true heading is going to differ from your magnetic heading because the Earth as a sphere is not exactly straight up and down. The north star is not going to be exactly over magnetic north, that is why you have two compasses (magnetic, and true) your gyro cannot work properly on a flat plane where magnetic north is exactly true north, that just makes no navigational sense. Why would I need a gyro at all then?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 10:18:12 AM
Immaterial

No it's not.  This entire thread we have been discussing due east and west courses.  Your response was explicitly to an example of following such a course.



I came from an oblique angle, so what? my argument still holds. A circle only has one great circle: its circumference. we can test whether there is only one great circle on earth by choosing an arbitrary great circle and then choosing one that runs perpendicular to this, if a plan sets off on one and then the other, if on both runs it ends up back where it started: the earth is not flat, this talk about compassess muddies what is actually going on.

What is actually going on is that we are discussing whether traveling due east or west would cause the traveler to curve on a round Earth.  Welcome to the thread.

bur, you are clearly not listening. a plane or boat on a flat earth would always curve, but on a round earth if you go on the path of a greatcircle (there are infintiy of these), you won't, it does not matter that the equater is the only one that runs from one compass point to another, like I said compass discussion = moot
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 10:24:11 AM
(http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/andrew_thompson2/Flatwestheading.jpg)

If I start to travel on that circular path. Tell me how and why my gyro would not detect that I am turning? Do you see my problem. Moving in that circular path on a flat plane goes against what a gyro is used for and how it works. My gyro would show that I am changing course, but according to FE my gyro should not show that I am changing course. MY magnetic compass might show that North is still in the same direction and that I am heading west, but my gyro is not going to show that. The gyro will sense the turn because I am on a flat plane and cause my true heading to not be 270 anymore. The gyro is not sensitive to the magnetic north it is basing my direction off of more or less exact north such as the north star. If you look at your gyro repeater on the bridge wing we have a sight glass that we use to see the stars while viewing our gyro's reading. That is the easiest way to obtain gyro error (using the north star since it is always at 000 north) my magnetic compass is independent off the gyro, factoring in magnetic deviation and variation should cause my true heading to match my magnetic heading. On a flat plane following that path my true heading would not match.

On a sphere this is completely possible because the circle that I am traveling in is not exactly horizontal to magnetic north. I am not traveling parellel to magnetic north and therefore the curve I am traveling on a sphere with causes my gyro and magnetic compass to match after factoring in deviation and variation.

You are missing the point.  The same thing would happen on a round Earth.  You're traveling a curved path one way or the other.  If a gyro should detect a curve, and it doesn't on a RE, it is failing as an instrument.

Immaterial

No it's not.  This entire thread we have been discussing due east and west courses.  Your response was explicitly to an example of following such a course.



I came from an oblique angle, so what? my argument still holds. A circle only has one great circle: its circumference. we can test whether there is only one great circle on earth by choosing an arbitrary great circle and then choosing one that runs perpendicular to this, if a plan sets off on one and then the other, if on both runs it ends up back where it started: the earth is not flat, this talk about compassess muddies what is actually going on.

What is actually going on is that we are discussing whether traveling due east or west would cause the traveler to curve on a round Earth.  Welcome to the thread.

bur, you are clearly not listening. a plane or boat on a flat earth would always curve, but on a round earth if you go on the path of a greatcircle (there are infintiy of these), you won't, it does not matter that the equater is the only one that runs from one compass point to another, like I said compass discussion = moot


This is a different argument from the one presented in the OP.  I'm trying to help the guy who works on a boat understand that a boat will always curve when traveling due east or west on a round Earth, everywhere but at the equator itself.  You are the one muddying the conversation by talking about infinite great circles.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 10:27:46 AM
(http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/andrew_thompson2/Flatwestheading.jpg)

If I start to travel on that circular path. Tell me how and why my gyro would not detect that I am turning? Do you see my problem. Moving in that circular path on a flat plane goes against what a gyro is used for and how it works. My gyro would show that I am changing course, but according to FE my gyro should not show that I am changing course. MY magnetic compass might show that North is still in the same direction and that I am heading west, but my gyro is not going to show that. The gyro will sense the turn because I am on a flat plane and cause my true heading to not be 270 anymore. The gyro is not sensitive to the magnetic north it is basing my direction off of more or less exact north such as the north star. If you look at your gyro repeater on the bridge wing we have a sight glass that we use to see the stars while viewing our gyro's reading. That is the easiest way to obtain gyro error (using the north star since it is always at 000 north) my magnetic compass is independent off the gyro, factoring in magnetic deviation and variation should cause my true heading to match my magnetic heading. On a flat plane following that path my true heading would not match.

On a sphere this is completely possible because the circle that I am traveling in is not exactly horizontal to magnetic north. I am not traveling parellel to magnetic north and therefore the curve I am traveling on a sphere with causes my gyro and magnetic compass to match after factoring in deviation and variation.

You are missing the point.  The same thing would happen on a round Earth.  You're traveling a curved path one way or the other.  If a gyro should detect a curve, and it doesn't on a RE, it is failing as an instrument.

Immaterial

No it's not.  This entire thread we have been discussing due east and west courses.  Your response was explicitly to an example of following such a course.



I came from an oblique angle, so what? my argument still holds. A circle only has one great circle: its circumference. we can test whether there is only one great circle on earth by choosing an arbitrary great circle and then choosing one that runs perpendicular to this, if a plan sets off on one and then the other, if on both runs it ends up back where it started: the earth is not flat, this talk about compassess muddies what is actually going on.

What is actually going on is that we are discussing whether traveling due east or west would cause the traveler to curve on a round Earth.  Welcome to the thread.

bur, you are clearly not listening. a plane or boat on a flat earth would always curve, but on a round earth if you go on the path of a greatcircle (there are infintiy of these), you won't, it does not matter that the equater is the only one that runs from one compass point to another, like I said compass discussion = moot


This is a different argument from the one presented in the OP.  I'm trying to help the guy who works on a boat understand that a boat will always curve when traveling due east or west on a round Earth, everywhere but at the equator itself.  You are the one muddying the conversation by talking about infinite great circles.

ok I officially duck out, because without varification, through the above test. everything else is academic. but carry on.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 10:31:24 AM
(http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/andrew_thompson2/Flatwestheading.jpg)

If I start to travel on that circular path. Tell me how and why my gyro would not detect that I am turning? Do you see my problem. Moving in that circular path on a flat plane goes against what a gyro is used for and how it works. My gyro would show that I am changing course, but according to FE my gyro should not show that I am changing course. MY magnetic compass might show that North is still in the same direction and that I am heading west, but my gyro is not going to show that. The gyro will sense the turn because I am on a flat plane and cause my true heading to not be 270 anymore. The gyro is not sensitive to the magnetic north it is basing my direction off of more or less exact north such as the north star. If you look at your gyro repeater on the bridge wing we have a sight glass that we use to see the stars while viewing our gyro's reading. That is the easiest way to obtain gyro error (using the north star since it is always at 000 north) my magnetic compass is independent off the gyro, factoring in magnetic deviation and variation should cause my true heading to match my magnetic heading. On a flat plane following that path my true heading would not match.

On a sphere this is completely possible because the circle that I am traveling in is not exactly horizontal to magnetic north. I am not traveling parellel to magnetic north and therefore the curve I am traveling on a sphere with causes my gyro and magnetic compass to match after factoring in deviation and variation.

You are missing the point.  The same thing would happen on a round Earth.  You're traveling a curved path one way or the other.  If a gyro should detect a curve, and it doesn't on a RE, it is failing as an instrument.

Immaterial

No it's not.  This entire thread we have been discussing due east and west courses.  Your response was explicitly to an example of following such a course.



I came from an oblique angle, so what? my argument still holds. A circle only has one great circle: its circumference. we can test whether there is only one great circle on earth by choosing an arbitrary great circle and then choosing one that runs perpendicular to this, if a plan sets off on one and then the other, if on both runs it ends up back where it started: the earth is not flat, this talk about compassess muddies what is actually going on.

What is actually going on is that we are discussing whether traveling due east or west would cause the traveler to curve on a round Earth.  Welcome to the thread.

bur, you are clearly not listening. a plane or boat on a flat earth would always curve, but on a round earth if you go on the path of a greatcircle (there are infintiy of these), you won't, it does not matter that the equater is the only one that runs from one compass point to another, like I said compass discussion = moot


This is a different argument from the one presented in the OP.  I'm trying to help the guy who works on a boat understand that a boat will always curve when traveling due east or west on a round Earth, everywhere but at the equator itself.  You are the one muddying the conversation by talking about infinite great circles.

It will curve, if not it would intersect with the equator at some point. so I agree with you, your truthiness. and therefore would not be running due east or west.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 10:43:10 AM
Wrong burt, sorry. in reality my gyro would sense that turn. You cannot change true or magnetic north to your liking. Basically the turn you would do on a flat Earth does not match the curve you follow around a spherical one.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 10:48:44 AM
Wrong burt, sorry. in reality my gyro would sense that turn. You cannot change true or magnetic north to your liking. Basically the turn you would do on a flat Earth does not match the curve you follow around a spherical one.

it would have to be a very sensitive gyroscope. you are using the same argument that a flat earther does for the non-curvature of the earth when you delineate an imaginary line on say a picture of an ocean running parrelell to the horizon (it does look flat, because the earth is huge) the curve is very subtle.

the closer you get to the north pole the more obvious it becomes.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 10:49:52 AM
Wrong burt, sorry. in reality my gyro would sense that turn. You cannot change true or magnetic north to your liking. Basically the turn you would do on a flat Earth does not match the curve you follow around a spherical one.

Again, if your gyro would sense that turn, and it doesn't, then it is not functioning properly.  That turn exists whether the Earth is round or flat.

I apologize for my failure in helping you understand here.  I just don't see any way to make the point more lucid.  :(
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 10:57:02 AM
Wrong burt, sorry. in reality my gyro would sense that turn. You cannot change true or magnetic north to your liking. Basically the turn you would do on a flat Earth does not match the curve you follow around a spherical one.

Again, if your gyro would sense that turn, and it doesn't, then it is not functioning properly.  That turn exists whether the Earth is round or flat.

I apologize for my failure in helping you understand here.  I just don't see any way to make the point more lucid.  :(

I'll try:

Imagine at the equater there is no curve, now imagine a path parrelell to the equator half way between the equater and the north pole the circle gets smaller. say now you are are a mile away from the north pole, still running parrallell to the equator, you would have to turn to navigate around the north pole to get back where started

now say you are standing righ next to an actual pole right where the north pole is, you would have to turn to go around it. simple. there is a curve.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 14, 2012, 11:10:04 AM
Wrong burt, sorry. in reality my gyro would sense that turn. You cannot change true or magnetic north to your liking. Basically the turn you would do on a flat Earth does not match the curve you follow around a spherical one.
are you arguing whether the curve matches, or whether there is one; the curving on a  round earth would be a lot less than one on a flat earth. or so I assume.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 12:13:00 PM
Wrong burt, sorry. in reality my gyro would sense that turn. You cannot change true or magnetic north to your liking. Basically the turn you would do on a flat Earth does not match the curve you follow around a spherical one.
are you arguing whether the curve matches, or whether there is one; the curving on a  round earth would be a lot less than one on a flat earth. or so I assume.

The curve you do on a sphere is of course going to be different then one you would make on a flat Earth. They are two completely different shapes and have two completely different navigational properties. Let me try to explain how navigators view True headings, magnetic headings, and the Earth.

True headings are independent of Earth in a way. I am not saying that we can judge north, south, east, and west in space, but true north is based on celestial objects that do not change with the Earth. Magnetic north is always changing, the rotation of the Earth on it's tilted axis. We use true headings so that we can maintain our track line easier. I do not know what you think you know, but if we have a track line that is at 086 true we will follow that track line at 086 true, we will not go in any other direction. If I need to sail from San francisco to Mito I know that I need to travel west. Mito is around a 250 true from San Fran, I can now make a series of leg's in that general direction ranging from 280-220, is it not possible to just go straight to Mito because the Earth is of course a sphere, I will curve in an arc like fashion as I travel around it. In no way will I make a circle just an arc. and A pretty small arc at that. If you try to do the same thing on a flat Earth map your semi circle that you have to make is flippen crazy. You basically are keeping your prop at right standard for the duration of the voyage. Also take a look at the circle you would do on a flat Earth, now look at the curve you make on a sphere.. they are flip flopped. You would not do and upside down arc to get across the north pacific, you would do that if you were on the south pacific!

I know that because on a flat plane you cannot make a circle without turning. It is geometrically impossible to make a circle on a flat object without turning. On a sphere, however, it is completely possible to travel in an arc without needing to turn, it is simply the shape of a sphere that allows this to happen. Can you say that on a flat plane you can make a semi circle or a full circle without turning? you can walk in one direction and create a circle? Do you understand how silly that sounds. Now ask yourself if walking around a sphere you can make a circle yes? If you walk around a portion of that sphere you more or less walk in an arc yes? not quite creating a circle, but you would if you walk in the same general direction without changing it dramatically (that would skew your circle and cause it to change paths on a sphere) If you are on a flat plane and you walk in a circle you are always changing your direction dramatically. If you decided to just keep walking as straight as you can possible make yourself walk you would now break that circle.

Now if you had a gyro in your hand calibrated to true north and you followed true north on a flat plan, why would you create a circle by stay at 000 true? on a sphere it makes perfect sense, you are going around an object, on a flat earth what are you going around to make that circle? the center of the flat plane? that is laughable because you have to turn to create that circle. True north is not some magical thing that defies the laws of geometry.

So just to clarify, to you Burt, no matter what these people say to you, take it from a navigator. If I tell you that if I am traveling to Mito Japan and on a westerly course of 250 true I am always going to be able to maintain 250 true, my magnetic compass should always come out to be 250 true after variation and deviation. I will not make a circle to get there, I will travel in a small arc only because I am on a sphere. If I were traveling on a flat Earth even though magnetic north is at the center making a semi circle as prominent as they show is not possible. The circle that you travel around a sphere is different from the circle you would travel on a flat plane. 

If magnetic north/true north at the center of the flat plane no matter what you do, you have to turn. Even if your magnetic compass is showing that you are still going 270, you have to turn! that is such a conundrum it is not even funny. How do you explain turning without changing heading? impossible. On a tilted sphere going 270 you will travel in an arc (or curve whatever you want to call it that would eventually cause a circle) because 270 true is not 270 magnetic on Earth. the earth itself cuases you to create the arc,curve whatever great circle. so what the hell would cause you to do a circle on a flat plane without turning? Do you see what I am saying here burt? how is that possible to turn on a flat plane without changing heading... what is that flat plane doing? is it wobbling? tilting? rotating? flipping? what in the world is going on with that flat plane?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 12:29:01 PM
Wrong burt, sorry. in reality my gyro would sense that turn. You cannot change true or magnetic north to your liking. Basically the turn you would do on a flat Earth does not match the curve you follow around a spherical one.
are you arguing whether the curve matches, or whether there is one; the curving on a  round earth would be a lot less than one on a flat earth. or so I assume.

The curve you do on a sphere is of course going to be different then one you would make on a flat Earth. They are two completely different shapes and have two completely different navigational properties. Let me try to explain how navigators view True headings, magnetic headings, and the Earth.

True headings are independent of Earth in a way. I am not saying that we can judge north, south, east, and west in space, but true north is based on celestial objects that do not change with the Earth. Magnetic north is always changing, the rotation of the Earth on it's tilted axis. We use true headings so that we can maintain our track line easier. I do not know what you think you know, but if we have a track line that is at 086 true we will follow that track line at 086 true, we will not go in any other direction. If I need to sail from San francisco to Mito I know that I need to travel west. Mito is around a 250 true from San Fran, I can now make a series of leg's in that general direction ranging from 280-220, is it not possible to just go straight to Mito because the Earth is of course a sphere, I will curve in an arc like fashion as I travel around it. In no way will I make a circle just an arc. and A pretty small arc at that. If you try to do the same thing on a flat Earth map your semi circle that you have to make is flippen crazy. You basically are keeping your prop at right standard for the duration of the voyage.

I know that because on a flat plane you cannot make a circle without turning. It is geometrically impossible to make a circle on a flat object without turning. On a sphere, however, it is completely possible to travel in an arc without needing to turn, it is simply the shape of a sphere that allows this to happen. Can you say that on a flat plane you can make a semi circle or a full circle without turning? you can walk in one direction and create a circle? Do you understand how silly that sounds. Now ask yourself if walking around a sphere you can make a circle yes? If you walk around a portion of that sphere you more or less walk in an arc yes? not quite creating a circle, but you would if you walk in the same general direction without changing it dramatically (that would skew your circle and cause it to change paths on a sphere) If you are on a flat plane and you walk in a circle you are always changing your direction dramatically. If you decided to just keep walking as straight as you can possible make yourself walk you would now break that circle.

Now if you had a gyro in your hand calibrated to true north and you followed true north on a flat plan, why would you create a circle by stay at 000 true? on a sphere it makes perfect sense, you are going around an object, on a flat earth what are you going around to make that circle? the center of the flat plane? that is laughable because you have to turn to create that circle. True north is not some magical thing that defies the laws of geometry.

So just to clarify, to you Burt, no matter what these people say to you, take it from a navigator. If I tell you that if I am traveling to Mito Japan and on a westerly course of 250 true I am always going to be able to maintain 250 true, my magnetic compass should always come out to be 250 true after variation and deviation. I will not make a circle to get there, I will travel in a small arc only because I am on a sphere. If I were traveling on a flat Earth even though magnetic north is at the center making a semi circle as prominent as they show is not possible. The circle that you travel around a sphere is different from the circle you would travel on a flat plane. 

If magnetic north/true north at the center of the flat plane no matter what you do, you have to turn. Even if your magnetic compass is showing that you are still going 270, you have to turn! that is such a conundrum it is not even funny. How do you explain turning without changing heading? impossible. On a tilted sphere going 270 you will travel in an arc (or curve whatever you want to call it that would eventually cause a circle) because 270 true is not 270 magnetic on Earth. the earth itself cuases you to create the arc,curve whatever great circle. so what the hell would cause you to do a circle on a flat plane without turning? Do you see what I am saying here burt? how is that possible to turn on a flat plane without changing heading... what is that flat plane doing? is it wobbling? tilting? rotating? flipping? what in the world is going on with that flat plane?

Even using the north pole as your guide means you are orienting yourself to the center.  Magnetic or celestial north, it makes no difference.  This has nothing to do with navigating east or west using ground-based guides vs celestial guides.  It makes no difference.  It's a matter of geometry.  If you travel due east or due west on a sphere, anywhere but right on the equator, you are not traveling in a straight line.  You are traveling in a curve.  Your craft is subtly turning left or right the whole time.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 01:11:40 PM
Wrong burt, sorry. in reality my gyro would sense that turn. You cannot change true or magnetic north to your liking. Basically the turn you would do on a flat Earth does not match the curve you follow around a spherical one.
are you arguing whether the curve matches, or whether there is one; the curving on a  round earth would be a lot less than one on a flat earth. or so I assume.

The curve you do on a sphere is of course going to be different then one you would make on a flat Earth. They are two completely different shapes and have two completely different navigational properties. Let me try to explain how navigators view True headings, magnetic headings, and the Earth.

True headings are independent of Earth in a way. I am not saying that we can judge north, south, east, and west in space, but true north is based on celestial objects that do not change with the Earth. Magnetic north is always changing, the rotation of the Earth on it's tilted axis. We use true headings so that we can maintain our track line easier. I do not know what you think you know, but if we have a track line that is at 086 true we will follow that track line at 086 true, we will not go in any other direction. If I need to sail from San francisco to Mito I know that I need to travel west. Mito is around a 250 true from San Fran, I can now make a series of leg's in that general direction ranging from 280-220, is it not possible to just go straight to Mito because the Earth is of course a sphere, I will curve in an arc like fashion as I travel around it. In no way will I make a circle just an arc. and A pretty small arc at that. If you try to do the same thing on a flat Earth map your semi circle that you have to make is flippen crazy. You basically are keeping your prop at right standard for the duration of the voyage.

I know that because on a flat plane you cannot make a circle without turning. It is geometrically impossible to make a circle on a flat object without turning. On a sphere, however, it is completely possible to travel in an arc without needing to turn, it is simply the shape of a sphere that allows this to happen. Can you say that on a flat plane you can make a semi circle or a full circle without turning? you can walk in one direction and create a circle? Do you understand how silly that sounds. Now ask yourself if walking around a sphere you can make a circle yes? If you walk around a portion of that sphere you more or less walk in an arc yes? not quite creating a circle, but you would if you walk in the same general direction without changing it dramatically (that would skew your circle and cause it to change paths on a sphere) If you are on a flat plane and you walk in a circle you are always changing your direction dramatically. If you decided to just keep walking as straight as you can possible make yourself walk you would now break that circle.

Now if you had a gyro in your hand calibrated to true north and you followed true north on a flat plan, why would you create a circle by stay at 000 true? on a sphere it makes perfect sense, you are going around an object, on a flat earth what are you going around to make that circle? the center of the flat plane? that is laughable because you have to turn to create that circle. True north is not some magical thing that defies the laws of geometry.

So just to clarify, to you Burt, no matter what these people say to you, take it from a navigator. If I tell you that if I am traveling to Mito Japan and on a westerly course of 250 true I am always going to be able to maintain 250 true, my magnetic compass should always come out to be 250 true after variation and deviation. I will not make a circle to get there, I will travel in a small arc only because I am on a sphere. If I were traveling on a flat Earth even though magnetic north is at the center making a semi circle as prominent as they show is not possible. The circle that you travel around a sphere is different from the circle you would travel on a flat plane. 

If magnetic north/true north at the center of the flat plane no matter what you do, you have to turn. Even if your magnetic compass is showing that you are still going 270, you have to turn! that is such a conundrum it is not even funny. How do you explain turning without changing heading? impossible. On a tilted sphere going 270 you will travel in an arc (or curve whatever you want to call it that would eventually cause a circle) because 270 true is not 270 magnetic on Earth. the earth itself cuases you to create the arc,curve whatever great circle. so what the hell would cause you to do a circle on a flat plane without turning? Do you see what I am saying here burt? how is that possible to turn on a flat plane without changing heading... what is that flat plane doing? is it wobbling? tilting? rotating? flipping? what in the world is going on with that flat plane?

Even using the north pole as your guide means you are orienting yourself to the center.  Magnetic or celestial north, it makes no difference.  This has nothing to do with navigating east or west using ground-based guides vs celestial guides.  It makes no difference.  It's a matter of geometry.  If you travel due east or due west on a sphere, anywhere but right on the equator, you are not traveling in a straight line.  You are traveling in a curve.  Your craft is subtly turning left or right the whole time.

I am in no way arguing that you do not travel on a curve while on a sphere where are you getting that from???? In fact I put it pretty clearly in my writing about the curving path we travel on while on a sphere.

now tell me why we travel in a circle on a flat plane!
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 14, 2012, 01:13:53 PM
now tell me why we travel in a circle on a flat plane!

For essentially the same reason.  North is oriented at the center of the disk and east and west are at right angles to it.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 02:20:40 PM
now tell me why we travel in a circle on a flat plane!

For essentially the same reason.  North is oriented at the center of the disk and east and west are at right angles to it.

How can it be the same reason? We are talking about a sphere vs a flat plane.

Round Earth- The Magnetic north is situated on the top part of a sphere that is tilted on it's axis rotating. The Earth rotates along its axis as a vessel is traveling around the sphere in any direction, thus not traveling in a straight line anywhere, but an arc due to the shape and tilted axis's of the Earth. A circle is made as the vessel travel around the sphere.

Key words from that are around the sphere

Flat Earth- Magnetic north is in the center of a flat plane. A vessel traveling on that flat plane apparently would also do a circle around the magnetic north that is located in the center. Devoid of any type of course changes the circle will be completed.

how in the flippen world does the vessel traveling around a flat plane create that circle without changing direction at all? you are on a flat plane There is nothing causing that vessel to move in a circle without a change in direction! just forget about headings for a second. Just think path's of travel. To do a circle on a desk,floor, or any flat object you change your path of travel to complete that circle. Now on a sphere you can walk around the sphere without generally changing your path of travel and complete the circle around the sphere.

There is the difference! on a sphere you travel around it creating a circle. On a flat plane you do not have the luxury of walking around it unless you walk over the edge under the plane then back to the top of it where you started. Doing the circle you suggest without changing direction is impossible. you are on a flat plane.. no roundness, just flatness. Stick a giant pole in the middle of that flat plane so that you can see it from thousands of miles away. Now mark where you started, walk around that pole. When you get back to where you started you just made a circle, you constantly turned so that you are able to complete 360 degrees around that pole. you did not have the luxury of being able to be on a sphere and mark your starting point, then walk directly away from that pole and eventually see it pop up over the horizon as you come from the back side of the sphere to where you started. On the flat plane as you walked around that pole you can keep it in view the whole time, maybe you did not notice that you walked in a circle constantly turning, but you did because you came back to your starting point, hence completing a 360 degree circle around that pole... you had to turn or els that circle would not be completed. you have to turn to complete that type of circle. Once again you cannot complete the type of circle you make on a sphere because on a flat plane you do not have that luxury.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 14, 2012, 04:05:32 PM
you guys have got this wrong. the fes has a strong point here. i said at the start that you cant prove it either way.
now remember the point about only walking 20 feet from the pole and you walk in a circle? well you said in a greater distance its different. well its not, the only difference is that the circle is sooo big you wouldnt notice it. now we have established that you will turn on a round earth now understand that if a ship sailed from liverpool to new york it wouldnt even notice the curve.

now here is a thought experiment;
take a ship with sensitive enough equipment to detect this curve. measure it at 20 degrees north and then at 20 degrees south over a length of say 200 miles. if both curves match you have a round earth. however if the southern curve is flatter then so is the earth (flat that is).

boaty do you not agree with this? both curve, yes slightly differently because the sphere as essentially 2 arks. however from a navigational point of view (or not as the point im trying to make) they both curve equally in the northern hemisphere. only by doing the thought experiment will you actually gather the data you will need to prove either theory. try to remember the circle 20 yards from the north pole, that will help you understand what im trying to say. 
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 04:39:13 PM
you guys have got this wrong. the fes has a strong point here. i said at the start that you cant prove it either way.
now remember the point about only walking 20 feet from the pole and you walk in a circle? well you said in a greater distance its different. well its not, the only difference is that the circle is sooo big you wouldnt notice it. now we have established that you will turn on a round earth now understand that if a ship sailed from liverpool to new york it wouldnt even notice the curve.

now here is a thought experiment;
take a ship with sensitive enough equipment to detect this curve. measure it at 20 degrees north and then at 20 degrees south over a length of say 200 miles. if both curves match you have a round earth. however if the southern curve is flatter then so is the earth (flat that is).

boaty do you not agree with this? both curve, yes slightly differently because the sphere as essentially 2 arks. however from a navigational point of view (or not as the point im trying to make) they both curve equally in the northern hemisphere. only by doing the thought experiment will you actually gather the data you will need to prove either theory. try to remember the circle 20 yards from the north pole, that will help you understand what im trying to say.

Squevil, the curves won't match.  Ill explain why later, bust with my daughter right now.

hey Squevil, I got a few minutes so I will try this out. first off the curve you make on a flat Earth is opposite of what you actually make on a round Earth (the arc is opposite). The arc you make on a flat Earth has to be more prominent because the distances between land masses on a FE map are a little off compared to a round earth chart.

Sorry, Jedi is crying Ill try to explain more later.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 14, 2012, 06:00:19 PM
i know you want to finish what you were saying but you are assuming what the flat earth map is. theoretically the arks surely are the same angles?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 14, 2012, 06:01:19 PM
this would be so much easier to talk about with a real ball and hand gestures :P preferably at the local inn over a shandy
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 07:59:25 PM
this would be so much easier to talk about with a real ball and hand gestures :P preferably at the local inn over a shandy

OMG!!!

I know right, being able to express my thoughts through word of mouth and visual hand gesters would make this so much easier.

Still, on a flat plane why would you move in a circle without changing heading?

I might have to not reply for a while.. I am three rum and pineapple juice's down and geting drunker by the minute. I promise I will respond to any rebuttals to my idea that flat Earth cannot have the same navigational standards as a sphere. Just give me some time,. I am having some fun drinnking.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 14, 2012, 08:05:26 PM
do you follow a compass heading? because that will remain the same. as i havnt sailed the seven seas i maybe misunderstanding you.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 14, 2012, 08:19:53 PM
do you follow a compass heading? because that will remain the same. as i havnt sailed the seven seas i maybe misunderstanding you.

Don't use magnetic headings as a primary means of direction, there is a difference between true and magnetic. Although some might not agree, there is a very distinct difference between the two.

Sorry, my daughter is being funny. Ill have more time tonight after Jedi gores to sleep.

Hey, ok so Don't think about headings anymore Squevil. I most likely confused everyone when I was using headings and stuff so just think about what kind of a path you travel on a sphere compared to a flat plane and why. Now think about the two different types of circles you are making. On a sphere you are able to go around it (please stop with the "oh if you are at 20 feet from the north pole" I don't care because I am talking about the sphere in general not one part of it) Now on a flat plane you cannot go around it. So you are forced to make a flat circle (if you need an example just put something in the middle of your desk call it the north pole and do 270 around it magnetic, but dont think about the heading think about the shape you make) Now as you make that circle you are turning, I don't care what heading you are doing, you are still making a turn. Now explain to me how it is possible to turn that much without knowing it or a gyro realizing it. You turn in a different way on a sphere simply because it is a sphere you are going around it in a arc, rhumb line, or great circle take your pick.

The point is Squevil, you are doing a gradual arc around a sphere completing a circle as you travel around the object. On a flat plane you cannot go around the object so the circle you are doing is flat and you would have to turn! so how are you making a circle on a flat plane without turning!
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 15, 2012, 09:48:59 AM
(http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/andrew_thompson2/Thedifferentcircles.jpg)

Do you see that the two circles you are doing are different. On the sphere you can stay in a general direction while circling the sphere around the point.

On the flat plane you circles that point by turning to create the circle. Regardless of what your heading shows you have to turn to make that circle. If not then what affect is causing that person to not turn while making that circle around the point.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 15, 2012, 10:48:39 AM
I give up.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 15, 2012, 11:06:15 AM
Sorry Roundy, im I am not grasping something that is pretty clear then that is my fault. I will try to think more about this.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 15, 2012, 12:32:49 PM
they are the same boaty only on a globe it appears different but its actually the same. you cant just dismiss the 20 foot circle round the pole because it is exactly what you are doing but on a  larger scale.
get a compass and draw a circle on a  flat plane. now do the same on a  ball. both travel exactly as described and both travel  in a circle. the only difference is that on a globe you make 2 arks at the same time and the item traveling is essentially leaning at an angle from the pole.
the only only time you can travel in a strait line on a  globe is if you bisect it. unless the path you take cuts the sphere exactly in half you will always need to ark the path you take. also you could if you are at a right angle to the pole but because you never are (unless you are bisecting it). i can draw a diagram to explain this better but im just about to pop out so ill do it later for you. but for now try and imagine a tennis ball;

you cut the ball 3 quarters of the way up (or half way between the equator and the pole). in order to cut a strait line you must cut it at a right angle. however imagine you are stood in the same spot, you are actually stood at a 45 degree angle from the pole. now cut the ball at a 45 degree angle. you will have to bisect the ball to cut it in a strait line. like i said its easier to demonstrate it with a drawing.

however the flat earth will not ark if you travel NW to SW and you should be moving in a strait line. but on a globe there would be an ark, but as far as i know no instrument is going to detect this so its just another thought experiment.


so remember bisecting a sphere is a strait line, however if you are not traveling at a 90 degree angle you are traveling in a circle.
at least thats my understanding
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 15, 2012, 01:36:33 PM
STOP TRYING TO TELL ME HOW WE MOVE ON A SPHERE I KNOW WE DO NOT MOVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE!  >o< >o< >o< >o< >o< >o< >o<

Good now that we have that out of the way.

Hey Squevil, I understand how a sphere works and how you travel on it. You are always a angle because the sphere is not flat. That is a part of my dilemma. Because you are standing on an angle and because you do not travel in a straight line unless at the equator you make a circle around the globe in a rhumb line or great circle fashion.

Now once again, explain how that works on a flat Earth. Explain how on a flat Earth you can do a circle without changing direction. I thought my picutre I made is pretty clear. The circle you do on a flat Earth is distinctly causing you to turn to make the trip around the object.

Walk around your computer chair. Did you turn during that circle you just made? you are standing on a flat surface right? you walked around that computer chair that is also on a flat surface right?  So apply that to a flat Earth where your boat is traveling in a circle around the north pole. What is causing you to do that circle without turning. Please do not tell me it is the same as a round Earth... a sphere is a sphere is a sphere and the way you travel on it cannot be applied to a flat surface.

you are not standing at an angle on a flat plane, you are not traveling around a flat plane because you would have to go under that flat plane, you are not doing a great circle path because there is nothing causing that affect on you, So how in the world are you making that circle around the north pole on a flat plane without turning?

Do not flippen say anything about traveling in a curve on a sphere, I know that we do I keep saying how we travel in a great circle or rhumb line so do not, do not, do not, do not, do not, do not, do not one more time DO NOT tell me how we travel on a sphere. I am talking about a circle on a FLAT SURFACE. Not a sphere. Two different shapes.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 15, 2012, 01:45:13 PM
Are you talking about traveling in a great circle in this thread, or not?  Because the pictures you've drawn don't always show you traveling in a great circle.

I'm kind of confused what exactly it is you're talking about at any given point.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 15, 2012, 01:51:27 PM
A related point I just thought of:

If you follow the lines of latitude anywhere but the equator on a round earth, you still have to turn a bit, yes?  But in the southern hemisphere, you'd have to turn the opposite direction as on the usual flat earth map.

I'm sure nobody's noticed, though, because everyone but the genius FEers here are mindless sheep.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 15, 2012, 02:26:01 PM
Are you talking about traveling in a great circle in this thread, or not?  Because the pictures you've drawn don't always show you traveling in a great circle.

I'm kind of confused what exactly it is you're talking about at any given point.

Ok here is what I am trying to say in this thread.

1. We travel in a circle around a sphere in a great circle path.
2. The reasoning behind it is due to Earth being a sphere and how this particular sphere is set up (titled and so on, you know)
3. We can make the circle around Earth without needing to turn ourselves the shape of Earth does that for us because just like Squevil put way better then I can, we are at an angle on the sphere minus at the equator.

Now here is what I am trying to figure out

1. In FE the Earth is a flat plane.
2. On a flat plane we do not stand at an angle.
3. The circle you make on a flat plane is not the same as you would make on a sphere.
4. To make a circle around a point on a flat plane you have to turn.
5. How can you make a circle on this flat plane without turning. What affect is causing this to happen?
6. The circle that you make on a flat Earth map to get from California to Japan is upside down compared to the great circle path you would follow on spherical Earth because you are traveling in the northern hemisphere.

I hope that helps out a little Cat.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 15, 2012, 02:28:21 PM
Yes, that does help a lot.  I think people were getting confused because if you're not following a great circle your gyroscope should still show some turning, and that's what they kept harping on about.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 15, 2012, 02:35:40 PM
Ah ok. I was getting frustrated because all people where responding with was how we travel on a sphere. So I think in my frustration I rambled on without thinking straight.

Hopefully I can get a good answer now.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Roundy the Truthinessist on July 15, 2012, 02:57:28 PM
Are you talking about traveling in a great circle in this thread, or not?  Because the pictures you've drawn don't always show you traveling in a great circle.

I'm kind of confused what exactly it is you're talking about at any given point.

Ok here is what I am trying to say in this thread.

1. We travel in a circle around a sphere in a great circle path.
2. The reasoning behind it is due to Earth being a sphere and how this particular sphere is set up (titled and so on, you know)
3. We can make the circle around Earth without needing to turn ourselves the shape of Earth does that for us because just like Squevil put way better then I can, we are at an angle on the sphere minus at the equator.

Okay, I am talking about the RE model here.

First, remember that the only great circle that runs east and west is the equator.  Go due east at (for example) the Tropic of Capricorn and it's not a great circle route.  Only routes that bisect the sphere (cut it in two equal parts, so to speak) are great circles.  Except for the equator there is no great circle route that goes east-west.

The fact that the Earth is tilted has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that we turn when traveling east or west.  Or that we travel in great circles.  I frankly don't understand where you get that from.  Traveling is done on great circle routes because that is the shortest distance between two points on a sphere, whether upright, tilted, on its side, or whatever.  I'm not sure it really has anything to do with the discussion but if you could elaborate on your reasoning here it would be greatly appreciated.

Finally, about the shape of the Earth turning us for ourselves; it seems to me that you totally misunderstand the point squevil is trying to make to you.  Try to imagine, as he says, a due east path twenty feet from the true north pole.  You are going to travel in a noticeable circle.  Is it your contention that the Earth will somehow be pushing you in the direction of a circle for you?

If I do in fact misunderstand what you're saying, please bear with me and explain to me where I'm wrong.  I won't put past the possibility that you're expressing a valid concern and I just don't understand what it is.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 15, 2012, 03:11:58 PM
Gotcha, I am just going to not bring up the sphere thing anymore. I am describing it horribly and everything you guys are saying I know, but I am not expressing it in the best way. So for now let us focus on my concerns.


1. In FE the Earth is a flat plane.
2. On a flat plane we do not stand at an angle.
3. The circle you make on a flat plane is not the same as you would make on a sphere.
4. To make a circle around a point on a flat plane you have to turn.
5. How can you make a circle on this flat plane without turning. What affect is causing this to happen?
6. The circle that you make on a flat Earth map to get from California to Japan is upside down compared to the great circle path you would follow on spherical Earth because you are traveling in the northern hemisphere.

Now those are what I am really confused about. The one thing I would want an answer to more so then the rest is the great circle we follow on a sphere, how is that applied to a flat plane. IT seems to me the shortest distance on a flat plane is a straight line. Why do we travel in a circle on a flat plane? and if so how is that we do not turn to mak that circle?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 15, 2012, 03:52:47 PM
Gotcha, I am just going to not bring up the sphere thing anymore. I am describing it horribly and everything you guys are saying I know, but I am not expressing it in the best way. So for now let us focus on my concerns.


1. In FE the Earth is a flat plane.
2. On a flat plane we do not stand at an angle.
3. The circle you make on a flat plane is not the same as you would make on a sphere.
4. To make a circle around a point on a flat plane you have to turn.
5. How can you make a circle on this flat plane without turning. What affect is causing this to happen?
6. The circle that you make on a flat Earth map to get from California to Japan is upside down compared to the great circle path you would follow on spherical Earth because you are traveling in the northern hemisphere.

Now those are what I am really confused about. The one thing I would want an answer to more so then the rest is the great circle we follow on a sphere, how is that applied to a flat plane. IT seems to me the shortest distance on a flat plane is a straight line. Why do we travel in a circle on a flat plane? and if so how is that we do not turn to mak that circle?

this a response to question 4.



you would have to turn on a pshere, unless your path was a great circle.

if you drew a line in front of you for the path (if you are traversing it on a boat) of  a greatcircle (in this case the equator) it would curve towards the horizon, but as you get closer to either pole, (on a path running parallell to a the equator) the line would curve away  from you, toward either starboad or port, more and more in proportion to the closeness of either pole; a boat would have to compensate for this by turning, otherwise its motion would describe that of a greatcircle, and you would go off path.


P.S I am not a Flat Earther, just a conscientius objector.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 15, 2012, 03:57:55 PM
Hey Burt, having a rough time understanding exactly what that is reference to. Is what you say how we would do a circle on a flat plane?

I understand what you are saying, just need some clarification on if it answers any of my questions and if so wich one?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 15, 2012, 03:59:08 PM
Hey Burt, having a rough time understanding exactly what that is reference to. Is what you say how we would do a circle on a flat plane?

I understand what you are saying, just need some clarification on if it answers any of my questions and if so wich one?

sorry read it again, I re-edited it.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 15, 2012, 04:17:19 PM
Ok, I am going to write a few things now. Bare with me burt as this is kind of how I analyze things.

So, I draw a line in front of me for the path of a great circle.

It curves towards the horizon at the equator (because at the equator you are standing at a right angel correct?)

If I move up in longitude it now curves Towards that pole because I am at an angel on the sphere.

To maintain a true heading I must turn to correct my course or I will now be following the great circle path.

Now I have a couple questions, Burt.

1. If I do not want to do a circle around a sphere I will need to turn or els I will follow the path of a great circle around the sphere, but I am talking about how circles  work on a sphere compared to a flat plane. how would what your wrote apply on a flat plan, Burt?

2. Why would a great circle path be applied to a flat plane?
3. Is the reason we travel in a circle the way we do on a sphere because of the angle we are positioned at on the sphere? And if so How can that be applied to a flat plane?

Now if we cannot apply great circle path's and our angels to a flat plane then why do we travel in circles on a flat plane without turning?

If I need to clarify anything please feel free to let me know.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 15, 2012, 04:33:38 PM
Ok, I am going to write a few things now. Bare with me burt as this is kind of how I analyze things.

So, I draw a line in front of me for the path of a great circle.

It curves towards the horizon at the equator (because at the equator you are standing at a right angel correct?)

If I move up in longitude it now curves Towards that pole because I am at an angel on the sphere.

To maintain a true heading I must turn to correct my course or I will now be following the great circle path.

Now I have a couple questions, Burt.

1. If I do not want to do a circle around a sphere I will need to turn or els I will follow the path of a great circle around the sphere, but I am talking about how circles  work on a sphere compared to a flat plane. how would what your wrote apply on a flat plan, Burt?

2. Why would a great circle path be applied to a flat plane?
3. Is the reason we travel in a circle the way we do on a sphere because of the angle we are positioned at on the sphere? And if so How can that be applied to a flat plane?

Now if we cannot apply great circle path's and our angels to a flat plane then why do we travel in circles on a flat plane without turning?

If I need to clarify anything please feel free to let me know.


1. the circumeference of a circle would get smaller on a flat plane if you got close to the north pole (this is the same as on a sphere)

2. This still has to be answered by Flat Earther's. my guess is that it does not. because the only greatcircle on a flat earth is the circumference.

3. yes, but the experience of actually getting in a boat and measuring the turning/angle would not be able to differentiate between whether it was flat or spherical, this also applies to an aeroplane. this is probably where the flat earhers get most of their argument.

Now if we cannot apply great circle path's and our angels to a flat plane then why do we travel in circles on a flat plane without turning?

If I need to clarify anything please feel free to let me know.

I think you are misunderstanding; was it not you that said you would not turn on a sphere? and not flat earthers claiming you would not turn on a flat plane?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 15, 2012, 07:24:19 PM
you turn on a flat plane because you are following a compass. east or west will take you in a circle.

right lets say the earth is flat and thats its 100% truly flat. take this information to any shipping company and show them how much they can save on fuel by traveling in strait lines and adjusting for a flat earth map and rake in the millions.
if popular belief is wrong and the earth is flat, people could save millions by following strait lines and calculating a better route.
4 pages later and i finally see what you are saying, sorry. it wasnt until you mentioned traveling in a strait line on a flat map did i truly understand your point.

but as gps is wrong in a flat world and the only good reliable navigation tool is a compass people will still be wasting time traveling in arks on a flat map.

your mission if you choose to accept it is to now persuade your captain to follow a flat earth map and travel in a strait line and see what happens! if it is possible to do then it would be a good way to prove either theory correct.

for further lurking you should find the thread that discussed under sea power lines. you may enjoy reading that.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 16, 2012, 03:53:54 AM
Oh nice, im glad you figured it out Squevil!

So I have one more question then since you get what I am saying.

Now I might have to just ask my chief one day about this because it might sound different to people that do not see this on a daily basis. So bare with me and if you need to know anything about charts just ask.

If I make a track leg on a chart going from say San Diego, CA to Hilo, Hawaii. The direction would be about 200 true, distance about 2200 NM (might be off I do not have the chart in front of me)

Now that calculation is using a flat chart. Thinking only in flatness not curves. Never on the bridge of a ship will you hear anything about doing arcs or circles or curving. You will see and hear talk of track legs and their true headings/distances, time to turn, and of course speed. All legs are based off of straight lines between two points. Never are you going to hear or be asked about a curve we are traveling on because we take a true heading, draw the line, mark it, and take off following that line (track line!)

So in short, We do use lines to measure and navigate by, without ever thinking of or about, curving. The shortest distance between San Diego and Hilo is if I draw a straight line between the two points, not if I draw a gradual arc.


Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 16, 2012, 05:08:34 AM
tbh you lost me at "if i make.."  you know it could be that we do travel in strait lines but because people believe that they are traveling on a globe they plot what the think is right. like you said nobody actually notices the curve you make when traveling so perhaps the simple answer is you dont!
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: ThinkingMan on July 16, 2012, 06:04:49 AM
This has been going for four pages, I have something very short to say, so I'm not going to read all four pages. BoatswainsMate, the gyro used on ships for navigation relies on gravity and the Coriolis Effect to work properly. The Coriolis effect is caused by something rotating. If you were around the outside edge (let's call it the equator for clarity) of this object, and you are heading west, the gyro will read 270, east it will read 90. That is all.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Son of Orospu on July 16, 2012, 06:08:08 AM
Boatsy, on the bridge, they talk about straight lines because it is convenient.  In reality, you do not just point the ship in the right direction and let it go (I am not talking about some auto pilot or something here).  Wind, currents, and other factors have to be corrected for on the way.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 16, 2012, 07:36:32 AM
Wind and currents are corrected for by what is called, set and drift. We are constantly correcting for set and drift and the helmsman has to use greater rudder angles to stay at the heading we want.

So set and drift is not at all a factor in this Jroa, that is easy to correct. Hell I don;t even have to do the math anymore, my electronic chart does it for me  ;D

Now Thinkingman brings up a good point. My gyro is keeping me at the heading I want, that heading I want based on the gyro is using gravity and the coriolis   effect to correct what the gyro repeater is saying to the helmsman and me.

So now that Thinkingman (sorry thinkingman my post was a little misleading I already knew this just wanted to bait people into talking about it) explained how my gyro is working, how and why would my gyro do that on a flat plane?

Using straight lines on a flat plane is the shortest distance between two points, and the shortest way to get to where you want to go? So why would the Flat Earth map show that I am going to do a circle to get where I want to go. Makes no sense.

Now a short answer would be, because to get across an ocean to reach another piece of land you have to curve in a circular path. Now answer me this, would your gyro not notice that you are turning in this circle to get there?

I think it would, why would it not? My vessel is turning on a flat plane to reach another land mass.

I love it you all are so confused hahahahahaahaha

Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: ThinkingMan on July 16, 2012, 10:19:09 AM
The gyro that was designed for naval navigation (vibrating structure gyroscope, or the more expensive Coriolis Vibratory Gyroscope) would not work at all without the Coriolis effect. If there Earth were a disc-like plane, rotating, the coriolis effect would push us out towards it's edge, gyroscopes designed with a spheroid planet in mind would not work properly, and accelerometers would read lateral pull (towards the edge).

So your gyroscope would only detect the change in direction if there was a rotation. If there is none, the gyroscope is useless. Since the gyroscope does work, there must be rotation, and you must be on the side of something. It's the only thing that physically makes sense.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 16, 2012, 11:30:32 AM
we were confused because you were talking about circles all the time when what you were really getting at was traveling in strait lines. you made the thread far more confusing than it needed be.

as nobody has managed to make a flat earth map how are you able to say that ships do not travel in strait lines? you claim they travel in circles on a flat world yet there is no data to prove this anyway. all you have is round earth data.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 16, 2012, 12:16:00 PM
What is the stupid freaken affect that would cause my vessel to travel in an arc like fashion on a flat Earth without me knowing it?

1. I understand that because magnetic north is in the center your magnetic compass will not show you turning. 
2. I understand that on a flat plane the shortest distance between two places is a straight line. So a great circle path would not work on a flat plane (why do people account for a great circles then)
3. You say one word about how we travel on a sphere I will be forced to get my good marlin spike out and come find your cars tires.
4. I am talking about a flat plane.

If you still are so lost at what I am trying to get at, go create a track line between two points on a chart, then go compare those charts to a globe and then the flat Earth map in the wiki. Come back to me when you see what I see. I will even give you a hint, I am unable to use most of my calculations for travel.

I swear to god I wish there was another navigator on these forums.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: ThinkingMan on July 16, 2012, 12:31:54 PM
Well I'm not a navigator. I understand you. I was just explaining the finer points of your gyroscope.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 16, 2012, 12:35:15 PM
While I am not one of the ET's that works on the gyroscope, I do understand how it works, the "why" you helped me out on a bit. I agree that the gyro wont work properly on a flat Earth, but I am more concerned about the calculations and affects navigators are taught. They don;t match or work if the Earth is like the one in the wiki. Or flat period for that matter.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Pongo on July 16, 2012, 01:39:08 PM
I have preformed various experiments with a kick ball and micro machines and I cannot replicate a rhumb line without turning the micro machine.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 16, 2012, 01:50:01 PM
that sounds cool Pongo, May I know a couple of the things you di? I would like to try this myself, but with hot wheels!!!
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: markjo on July 16, 2012, 03:59:06 PM
I have preformed various experiments with a kick ball and micro machines and I cannot replicate a rhumb line without turning the micro machine.

That's because a rhumb line on a sphere (except at the equator) is actually a spiral.  A rhumb line is straight only on a Mercator (or similar) projection.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumb_line (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumb_line)
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 16, 2012, 04:13:04 PM
And that is why we navigators use mercator charts, they fullfil the two requirements to account for the distortions!

Just to quickly put, during watch I brang up this subject and my Bos'un along with a BM1 kind of agreed that if traveling on a flat Earth using a map such as the one I showed then from the wiki, you would not be able to follow normal modern navigational principles. The details I do not know, if you think about navigators in a sense of journeyman, expert, professional,master levels.

I would be a expert ( 8 years) and bos'un would be considered a master since he has 20+ years of navigation. BM1 would be borderline professional (he has about 14 years experience)

They both agree that
1. A ships gyro would detect a turn and go a little haywire because the ship is moving, the helmsman would have to turn, yet the heading would be the same as you move around the pole on a flat plane.
2. Placing a track line such as one you would follow on the flat earth map would have to be a arc and not a straight line, due to a Mercator chart being unusable.

Sorry I can not get a direct quote, but that is the just of what they explained to me.

Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 16, 2012, 09:53:50 PM
Q: "When traveling in a straight direction, you will always reach the same point on the globe from where you started. How can this happen if the world is flat?"
A: The Earth is in the shape of a disk, as seen below. When one circumnavigates it, one is actually moving in a great circle around the North Pole.

Wrong: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_circle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_circle)

Ta Da!

You cannot make a great circle on a flat disc. Sorry to burt the bubble.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Pongo on July 16, 2012, 10:12:57 PM
I have preformed various experiments with a kick ball and micro machines and I cannot replicate a rhumb line without turning the micro machine.

That's because a rhumb line on a sphere (except at the equator) is actually a spiral.  A rhumb line is straight only on a Mercator (or similar) projection.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumb_line (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumb_line)

As I understood it, the OP stated that he followed rhumb lines without turning. Did I misunderstand this point?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 16, 2012, 10:16:55 PM
You'll follow a great circle if you don't turn, not a rhumb line.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 16, 2012, 10:22:02 PM
"However the inconvenience of having to continuously change bearings while travelling a great circle route makes rhumb line navigation appealing in certain instances."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumb_line (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumb_line)
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Pongo on July 16, 2012, 10:27:23 PM
This is the paragraph that I thought said you were following a rhumb line and not turning:

"Now in figure 1. That is a boat traveling at a 270 true course, you can tell that boat is traveling west because it is heading in that direction, following the Earths curve and of course not exactly in a straight line path (rhumb line, great circle so on depending on what the vessel is doing exactly) that vessel will meet a piece of land at some point staying at 270. You can see that the vessel is really going in that direction, not making course changes and not turning."
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 16, 2012, 10:32:30 PM
Ok, I see well I really was not making much sense back then.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: burt on July 17, 2012, 05:34:28 AM
Ok, I see well I really was not making much sense back then.

So, now, can you extract for me how you are currently making sense, and how it relates to the OP?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: markjo on July 17, 2012, 06:25:42 AM
You'll follow a great circle if you don't turn, not a rhumb line.
Not necessarily.  Great circles, by definition, exactly bisect the RE. 
(http://geeks.netindonesia.net/blogs/zeddy/qibsat_mecca_6A52B0F2.jpg)
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 17, 2012, 07:40:41 AM
Ok, I see well I really was not making much sense back then.

So, now, can you extract for me how you are currently making sense, and how it relates to the OP?

Can you extract, for me, the last time you navigated a ship or attended training, and if so at wich training center/school.

Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 17, 2012, 11:27:06 AM
You'll follow a great circle if you don't turn, not a rhumb line.
Not necessarily.  Great circles, by definition, exactly bisect the RE. 
(http://geeks.netindonesia.net/blogs/zeddy/qibsat_mecca_6A52B0F2.jpg)

Mhmmm, which is accomplished by not turning, as you can verify with a ball and a toy car.  Obviously the earth isn't perfectly smooth or round, but you'll still generally follow a great circle path if you somehow never turn.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 17, 2012, 05:52:49 PM
You'll follow a great circle if you don't turn, not a rhumb line.
Not necessarily.  Great circles, by definition, exactly bisect the RE. 
(http://geeks.netindonesia.net/blogs/zeddy/qibsat_mecca_6A52B0F2.jpg)

Mhmmm, which is accomplished by not turning, as you can verify with a ball and a toy car.  Obviously the earth isn't perfectly smooth or round, but you'll still generally follow a great circle path if you somehow never turn.

have you done this? because you shouldnt be able to. in fact im sure you cant.

boaty maybe the conclusion is that sailors and pilots are getting it wrong if the earth is flat. they go the shortest path thinking the earth is a sphere when in actual fact if the earth was flat they would all be mistaken and are missing a trick.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 17, 2012, 06:13:40 PM
You'll follow a great circle if you don't turn, not a rhumb line.
Not necessarily.  Great circles, by definition, exactly bisect the RE. 
(http://geeks.netindonesia.net/blogs/zeddy/qibsat_mecca_6A52B0F2.jpg)

Mhmmm, which is accomplished by not turning, as you can verify with a ball and a toy car.  Obviously the earth isn't perfectly smooth or round, but you'll still generally follow a great circle path if you somehow never turn.

have you done this? because you shouldnt be able to. in fact im sure you cant.

I have, and I'm curious why you think it's impossible.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 17, 2012, 07:08:17 PM
read my previous posts in this thread
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 17, 2012, 07:12:25 PM
How about you summarize the relevant bits so we can have an actual discussion and find where you went wrong, either in understanding what I wrote or perhaps in some other area.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 17, 2012, 07:19:01 PM
unless the path you take cuts the sphere exactly in half you will always need to ark the path you take

It looks like you were agreeing with what I was just saying here. 

Are you responding to what I actually wrote or to something else right now?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 17, 2012, 09:19:18 PM
ok ill try and explain, even though all the information has been discussed in this thread and if you did wish to add to it you should of read it all first. anyway...

as stated if you walk around the pole 20 m away you will walk in a circle and have to turn. this turn is still there although very slight until you reach the equator. only when you bisect the sphere in exactly half will you be able to circumnavigate without turning.

if i am wrong then explain to me why you require to turn at 20 m from the pole but not at 1000 km.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 17, 2012, 09:37:09 PM
The equator is a great circle, the path 20 m from the north pole isn't.  I'm talking about following the path of a great circle, and in fact said that in my post, so I'm not sure what your objection is.

And thank you for implying that i haven't read the thread.  I have, and what you're writing now makes no sense as a rebuttal to what I was just writing about great circles.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Pongo on July 17, 2012, 10:41:09 PM
Ok, I see well I really was not making much sense back then.

I would like some clarification on your question before I can continue with this discussion. Perhaps a rephrasing of what you wanted answered?
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: BoatswainsMate on July 18, 2012, 05:11:38 AM
Ok, I see well I really was not making much sense back then.

I would like some clarification on your question before I can continue with this discussion. Perhaps a rephrasing of what you wanted answered?

On a flat disc/plane (referring to the map from the wiki), the reasons for marine navigational corrections, Mercator charts, great circle paths, True headings, and distances fall apart.

My initial questions, and the one that has been answered without regard to the differences between air and sea navigation, was that the path you would have to travel on to complete a track line would cause you to turn. Regardless of your magnetic heading being constant due to the position of magnetic north, your vessel would have to turn.

Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: ThinkingMan on July 18, 2012, 05:29:14 AM
ok ill try and explain, even though all the information has been discussed in this thread and if you did wish to add to it you should of read it all first. anyway...

as stated if you walk around the pole 20 m away you will walk in a circle and have to turn. this turn is still there although very slight until you reach the equator. only when you bisect the sphere in exactly half will you be able to circumnavigate without turning.

if i am wrong then explain to me why you require to turn at 20 m from the pole but not at 1000 km.

Circumnavigating is not walking in a circle 40m wide. Circumnavigating is going around the circumference (hence, circum) starting at point A, and ending at point A. Not a 40m wide circle by the north pole, or anywhere else.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 18, 2012, 07:31:09 AM
The equator is a great circle, the path 20 m from the north pole isn't.  I'm talking about following the path of a great circle, and in fact said that in my post, so I'm not sure what your objection is.

And thank you for implying that i haven't read the thread.  I have, and what you're writing now makes no sense as a rebuttal to what I was just writing about great circles.

oh is the diagram bisecting the earth in 2 halves? sorry my bad i didnt realize. i thought it was cutting it by a 3rd. you should of corrected me strait away instead of just arguing about it.   
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 18, 2012, 07:32:56 AM
ok ill try and explain, even though all the information has been discussed in this thread and if you did wish to add to it you should of read it all first. anyway...

as stated if you walk around the pole 20 m away you will walk in a circle and have to turn. this turn is still there although very slight until you reach the equator. only when you bisect the sphere in exactly half will you be able to circumnavigate without turning.

if i am wrong then explain to me why you require to turn at 20 m from the pole but not at 1000 km.

Circumnavigating is not walking in a circle 40m wide. Circumnavigating is going around the circumference (hence, circum) starting at point A, and ending at point A. Not a 40m wide circle by the north pole, or anywhere else.

unless you are bisecting the earth in 2 equal halves the example remains. i highly doubt anybody has EVER done that anyway.


edit; unless they are in orbit perhaps
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: ThinkingMan on July 18, 2012, 07:56:25 AM
Or an amateur flying around the world... But seriously. You are always going in a circle anyway. Either you're pitching down (around the equator) or you're turning left/right (90 degrees northern, 270 southern
, 90 degrees southern, 270 northern
).
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 18, 2012, 10:31:04 AM
oh is the diagram bisecting the earth in 2 halves? sorry my bad i didnt realize. i thought it was cutting it by a 3rd. you should of corrected me strait away instead of just arguing about it.

Lol, yes, I should have read your mind, figured out that this is where you were getting confused, and stopped you before you made a fool of yourself.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 18, 2012, 06:35:09 PM
if you read my previous posts you would of noticed that i already agreed with you. my bad i didnt quite grasp the diagram
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 18, 2012, 08:03:16 PM
I did notice, and even pointed that out.  Stop telling me to read your posts when you're the one who wasn't reading what I was writing  >:(
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: squevil on July 18, 2012, 09:23:14 PM
You'll follow a great circle if you don't turn, not a rhumb line.
Not necessarily.  Great circles, by definition, exactly bisect the RE. 
(http://geeks.netindonesia.net/blogs/zeddy/qibsat_mecca_6A52B0F2.jpg)

Mhmmm, which is accomplished by not turning, as you can verify with a ball and a toy car.  Obviously the earth isn't perfectly smooth or round, but you'll still generally follow a great circle path if you somehow never turn.

have you done this? because you shouldnt be able to. in fact im sure you cant.

I have, and I'm curious why you think it's impossible.

i dont think you did notice as this posts clearly shows. i was mistaken in the previous thread as i didnt realise what the diagram was saying. im not going to reply again if all you want to argue about is a misunderstanding.
Title: Re: Flat earth vs Round Earth directional navigation
Post by: Cat Earth Theory on July 18, 2012, 09:29:47 PM
It's not the misunderstanding itself that bothers me, it's that you misunderstood that I was talking about a great circle, when replying to a post that specifically was talking about great circles, and now you seem to be blaming me for not correcting it sooner.

Your reply was confusing, I asked you if you could explain, and instead of just explaining what you thought was going on, you instead decided to go the rude route and tell me to read your previous posts, which weren't relevant as any sort of rebuttal to what I was saying.

You messed up, that's fine, but it's not my job to analyze every post you've made in the thread to find where you might have possibly gone wrong and explain it to you.  You should be doing that.