NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Leeway
From: Peter Fogg
Date: 2001 Dec 05, 4:36 PM
From: Peter Fogg
Date: 2001 Dec 05, 4:36 PM
'I gave myself a headache once trying to account for leeway on a trip, and gave up.' This is just a rough rule of thumb. Look at the wake your boat is leaving behind. If the leeway is significant you will see it stream out not dead astern, but at an angle of, say, 10 degrees. I have heard of people putting marks on their pushpit indicating 5, 10, etc degrees so they can factor it in to their calculations. My experience is that the effect is generally mild EXCEPT for when you are carrying too much sail for the conditions and are consequently being excessively heeled. The keel can no longer work efectively and then you do make lots of leeway. Another reason for reefing early. Peter Fogg