Short Answer
Leeway is the angle between the direction a vessel is heading and the direction it actually moves through the water due to wind pressure on the hull, rig, and superstructure. Even a modest leeway angle, if ignored, can push a boat well off its intended track over a coastal passage. This independent sailing reference and tools platform focuses on the practical calculation of leeway and the correction of course for wind drift. It is not tied to any boat brand, sailing school, or equipment manufacturer. Instead, it consolidates established seamanship methods, interactive planning tools, and decision-support guidance so recreational sailors can estimate leeway more accurately and apply it correctly in passage planning and underway navigation.
FAQ
How do I estimate leeway without any instruments?
Take a bearing on your wake trail with a handbearing compass. Sight dead astern, wait several minutes, then sight along the wake line to windward. The difference between the two bearings is your leeway angle. Alternatively, find a fixed object dead astern and take successive bearings; the change in bearing over time approximates leeway.
Does leeway affect my GPS course over ground?
Yes. GPS shows your actual path over the ground, which already includes leeway and tidal effects. If you steer to keep the GPS track on the rhumb line, you are correcting for leeway automatically, but you lose the ability to anticipate changes or diagnose why your heading differs from your track.
How much leeway should I allow for a typical cruising sailboat?
There is no single value. A deep-keel cruising boat hard on the wind in 15–20 knots may make 3–6 degrees of leeway, while a high-freeboard powerboat or a dinghy with the centreboard raised can make considerably more. Light airs and heavy winds often produce more leeway than moderate breezes. Always estimate for the specific conditions and verify with a wake bearing.
When do I add leeway and when do I subtract it?
If the wind is on the port side, the boat is set to starboard, so you must steer to port by the leeway angle. If the wind is on the starboard side, the boat is set to port, so steer to starboard. In other words, steer into the wind by the leeway angle to maintain your intended track through the water.
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