Impact assessment of external factors on the constant radius turn technique in the calculation of wheel over point

Wheel over point (WOP) calculation is essential to keep the ship in safe waters and to minimize deviation from the intended track. This research examines the impact of various external factors and depth on the Constant Radius Turn (CRT) technique’s accuracy. Even though this technique has been widely used on board ships, there is still a lack of awareness on the impact of variables such as wind, current, and under keel clearance which can seriously affect the turn and may lead to undesirable conditions like grounding or collision, or just unwanted additional expense due to increased cross-track distance (XTD). In this research, simulations have been carried out using the ship’s simulator to record XTD during the ship’s maneuvers in open and confined waters as well as under the impact of wind and current. The results have been compared and it was discovered that CRT is an excellent method for identifying WOP in open and coastal waters but under minimal impact of external factors otherwise, it can cause significant XTD, especially for the light vessels and those with high freeboard.