Depends on the context. When maneuvering, you are watching obstacles and can see how much you need to turn to avoid them. So you give rudder orders. Your actua

Depends on the context. When maneuvering, you are watching obstacles and can see how much you need to turn to avoid them. So you give rudder orders. Your actual heading is only a secondary concern. When navigating, you simply order the desired heading (for minutes, hours, or days). Then you focus on other things while the helmsman sweats the details.