Velocity made good to weather

c14_Jim

Sailing on Shelter Bay
Ever wonder what the best angle to the wind is when you are tacking directly into the wind? I took my gps and a clipboard out and tried to figure it out. That only worked partly well because the wind was too strong for me to sail and write at the same time (solo). But combined with some reading my data made it look like about 37 degrees off the wind gets you the most velocity made good to weather. To head higher gets you more toward the objective, but at a slower speed. Heading down increases speed, but at the loss of pointing toward the eye of the wind. By the way, for you mathematicians; The Cosine of the angle off the wind times the speed of the boat through the water (assumes no leeway or current) gives you the Vmg into the wind. i'll try to upload a diagram I did that shows that.
 
I love good math but suck at it. The best VMG chart is when you're on the water getting smoked by the sailors that ignore the vmg chart because they're better than it and you.

It is an impressive chart , congrats.:)
 

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