After performing a maneuver (other than straight) that bumps, I find myself looking at the template and picking the spot that it looks like I would have hit and then just trying to guess where the ship is facing.

Is there a better way to determine the final position and facing after a bump?

Strictly speaking you are supposed to center the template between both the front and rear nubs and in contact with the other ship.

In practice, that isn't always possible and you just kinda have to do your best.

I usually put the maneuver template down, place the ship where it would have ended up had it been able to complete the maneuver (or hold it above the spot) then move it back along the template until I find a spot I can place it, keeping correct orientation

?.. keeping correct orientation

His question is "how do you determine the correct orientation?"

Each player picks up the ship. Then, the player with the longest arms, throws her ship at the other ship. When the two land in a broken heap, that is their new position.

?.. keeping correct orientation

His question is "how do you determine the correct orientation?"

I suppose either keep the template between the nubs, or just eyeball it using the template an an aide

The best way is to fly casual, and find a method you can use to resolve it quickly while making spaceship sounds (and the appropriate braking sounds when they make contact).

My favorite quick way is to use a different speed maneuver and slide the miniature up to the bump. For example, if I'm going 4 straight and bump, I'll set the 5 straight next to the ship and slide it in. A bank that bumps, I'll either use 1 smaller on the inside edge or 1 larger on the outside edge and slide it into the bump. A similar approach with turns can be taken too.

None of my methods are scientific. If an opponent disagrees, I'll do it the boring, correct, slow way. But seriously, just fly casual and have fun.

do your best to keep the front nubs and back nubs lined up with the template as you slide the base over the template.

For large base ships, when the template disappears below the base when doing this, I've seen people take a straight template and "connect" it to the end of the template that disappeared under the base. Use that "extension" to line it up with the nubs.

Or just wing it, which is what i usually do lol.

Put straigth patterns at the end of the used pattern to extend it. Then make the base pegs to fit.

Yesterday I had a large ship doing a 1-turn and bumped another large base in complicate fashion.

I determined the new position by picking up the base, moving it straight backwards on to the end of the template until the peg was centered on the end, then kept the peg centered on the middle line of the template, moving it in reverse on the template and turning the ship at the same time until it no longer overlapped the other base. If I reach the beginning end of the template, I would move the peg straight off the end until the base no longer overlaps the other.

That's the new position, as I understand it.