Free Tool

Course to Steer Calculator

Course to make good + current set and drift → the heading to steer and your speed over ground.

ILLUSTRATIVE TELEMETRY · NOT LIVE DATALAT 51.9244°NLON 4.4777°ESOG 12.4 KNHDG 087°TWS 18 KT NWSWELL 2.1 MSIG −38 DBNO LIVE AIS FEEDECDIS NOT CONNECTEDUTC --:--:--ILLUSTRATIVE TELEMETRY · NOT LIVE DATALAT 51.9244°NLON 4.4777°ESOG 12.4 KNHDG 087°TWS 18 KT NWSWELL 2.1 MSIG −38 DBNO LIVE AIS FEEDECDIS NOT CONNECTEDILLUSTRATIVE TELEMETRY · NOT LIVE DATALAT 51.9244°NLON 4.4777°ESOG 12.4 KNHDG 087°TWS 18 KT NWSWELL 2.1 MSIG −38 DBNO LIVE AIS FEEDECDIS NOT CONNECTEDUTC --:--:--ILLUSTRATIVE TELEMETRY · NOT LIVE DATALAT 51.9244°NLON 4.4777°ESOG 12.4 KNHDG 087°TWS 18 KT NWSWELL 2.1 MSIG −38 DBNO LIVE AIS FEEDECDIS NOT CONNECTED

Course to make good (°T)Vessel speed through water (kn)Current set — direction toward (°T)Current drift (kn)

96.1°Tcourse to steer

11.00 knspeed over ground

6.1°correction for current

Vector-triangle solution: vessel heading + current set/drift = track made good. The classic chart-table calculation — same as plotting the tide vector on paper.

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Method

The vector triangle officers plot on charts.

Vessel + current

Your heading and speed through water plus the current's set and drift combine into the track made good.

Solved analytically

Same construction as the plotted tide triangle — computed exactly, including the impossible case when drift exceeds speed.

Apply leeway too

Add wind leeway to the current vector in practice — this tool covers the set/drift element.

Get in touch

Distance and ETA next.

Chain ports and speeds into a full voyage timeline.

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