Orienteering Nomenclature: What’s It Called When…

[Atif Khan]

There’s a word for it but I just can’t remember now and the Internet is no use: when you set your compass bearing a little off center of your destination in order to yaw towards it as you approach. What is that called? For instance, I want to make it to a distant campsite that I know sits at the end of a road; I bear a few degrees to the right so that if I overshoot the campsite, I know the road will be on my left.

[Alex Wallace]

I think you’re referring to “aiming off.”

[Atif Khan]

And the winner is…Alex Wallace.

Thanks Alex.

[Alex Wallace]

You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help. I know how frustrating it can be when you can’t recall a specific word.

As for the term “aiming off,” I find that I refer to it in the field as “overshoot.” Like, “Let’s overshoot to the west a bit so we run into the river and just follow that back.”

[Todd T]

I’ve always called it deliberate offset.

[Jeff McWilliams]

We’ve always used aiming off in our map and compass workshops that we offer to our outdoors club members.

[Jerry Adams]

I’ve always called it “old age”.  Pretty soon I won’t remember any words : )

I’ve used that concept before but never had a word for it.

Or, if I get to a trail and don’t which way to go, sometimes I’ll go a short distance what I think is the wrong way just to eliminate that possibility

[Todd T]

…if I get to a trail and don’t which way to go, sometimes I’ll go a short distance what I think is the wrong way just to eliminate that possibility

So it’s not just me!

P.S.  So far I’ve never been wrong about it being the wrong way. :-)

[Author]

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