Use this sailing calculation for planning or education when the vessel, units, reference directions, environmental conditions, and assumptions are explicitly known.

Lift (°)

Required number in °.

Distance sailed (m)

Required number in m.

The cited overview of Sailing supplies background for the terminology and domain context used by this tool.^[1]

Estimate the lateral gain from a persistent wind shift over the distance sailed, with positive lifts gaining and headers losing. Inputs are interpreted exactly in the displayed units and the calculation returns the following fields without presentation rounding.

Lateral gain (m)

Returned number in m.

• Vessel design and loading, sea state, wind, current, tide datum, weather, chart accuracy, equipment, crew, and safety margins can make real conditions differ from a simplified result.
• Use finite inputs in the displayed units, preserve source measurements and assumptions, and independently verify consequential decisions.

Cross-check current charts, tide and weather services, instrument data, vessel manuals, and applicable navigation rules, and retain a conservative alternative plan.

• Favored Tack From Shift

  Determine the favored tack from a signed wind shift where a positive shift lifts the starboard tack and a negative shift lifts the port tack.

• Current Gain Loss Calculator

  Calculate the distance gained or lost to the current along the course, with a favorable set positive and an adverse set negative.

• Gybe Distance Calculator

  Compute the distance sailed during a gybe to cover a given lateral offset.