AWA?

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Oct 2, 2006
1,517
Jboat J24 commack
Re: AWA ?

The true wind and apparent wind direction and speed change when the boat is moving

Apparent Wind is what is flowing over the sails in direction X
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,460
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Re: AWA ?

If you recall your algebra, think of it as the cumulative effect of the actual wind and the wind caused by the movement of the boat. Apparent wind is the most important in terms of point of sail.
 
Nov 6, 2006
10,102
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Re: AWA ?

same info as the top of mast wind arrow .. I find that very useful at night . Racers use that info to catalog which sail and how to trim ..
 
Nov 2, 2010
114
Precision 28 Ashland, Oregon
Re: AWA ?

1) Apparent Wind is the cumulative result of True Wind and Boat Speed Wind
2) Apparent Wind is always Forward of True Wind
3) You sail to the Apparent Wind
 

Quoddy

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Apr 1, 2009
241
Hunter 260 Maine
improved sailing by watching AWA ?

Thanks for all the info. More specifically, I guess what I’m asking is. How do I use the AWA degrees to get me to my destination sooner or help me with better trim?
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,460
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Thanks for all the info. More specifically, I guess what I’m asking is. How do I use the AWA degrees to get me to my destination sooner or help me with better trim?
Books have been written about that answer...

At it's simplest, forget true wind. It's almost unimportant to trim, heading or boat speed.

Look up VMG which will explain in depth how to optimize heading given various apparent wind directions to minimize the time/distance ratio.

Maybe others can expand on a better answer
 
Feb 26, 2004
23,054
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Thanks for all the info. More specifically, I guess what I’m asking is. How do I use the AWA degrees to get me to my destination sooner or help me with better trim?
Buy Don's book and sail trim chart. :)
 
Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Buy Don's book and sail trim chart. :)
+1

Whenever I go out, I usually do not have a destination. However, I forego true wind for apparent wind. Like some said, true wind really is not applicable to boat speed and course, but it does count as it is wind. But, I have to say that down wind sailing this might not be 100% true. One will create apparent wind when sailing down wind, but it probably does not affect the course or speed that much.

If I do select a destination, I try and think of the apparent wind direction instead of the true wind direction. Unfortunately, where I want to go is dead into the apparent wind direction. Murphy's law I suppose.
 

Ted

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Jan 26, 2005
1,272
C&C 110 Bay Shore, Long Island, NY
AWA

If you have a speed instrument that interfaces with your new wind instrument, it will be able to calculate VMG to the wind. This is very useful information when you want to get to an upwind destination as quickly as possible. If you have polars/velocity predictions for your boat, the apparent wind angle information in conjunction with the polars will show you what your boat speed should be. (in a perfect world of course) If you race your boat, this information is priceless. The biggest problem is accurately calibrating your instruments so you get correct information from your instruments. (garbage in, garbage out)
 

Quoddy

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Apr 1, 2009
241
Hunter 260 Maine
VMG to wind

I was hoping to get VMG to the wind on the C70 multifunction display because the manual for the wind device said if speed info is available on the network it would calculate it. But oh no not GPS speed, must be paddlewheel, which we don’t have. So then it should calculate ground wind, but oh no Raymarine needs both paddlewheel and GPS for that apparently. So that’s why I wondered what I could do with AWA.
 
Jan 26, 2008
50
Hunter 31- Deale
Books have been written about that answer...

At it's simplest, forget true wind. It's almost unimportant to trim, heading or boat speed.

Look up VMG which will explain in depth how to optimize heading given various apparent wind directions to minimize the time/distance ratio.

Maybe others can expand on a better answer
I agree -setting a data field on your GPS to VMG (Velocity Made Good) is very helpful. Pick a mark in the distance and sail towards it and try to maximize your VMG. Note the Apparent Wind angle, your sail trim and watch you VMG. Maximize this number and note your settings.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Books have been written about that answer...

At it's simplest, forget true wind. It's almost unimportant to trim, heading or boat speed.
Exactly backwards.

True wind is your sailboats engine. Everything you can measure about your boat's performance is based on it. How fast you should be going, what angle you should be sailing at, how fast you are going to windward (VMG) are all based on TRUE wind speed and angle.

Apparent wind is the same as what your windex shows.

Some people use apparent wind gauges to 'drive' the boat, saying its easier than looking up at the windex. That's wrong too. Drivers should be looking at the telltails on the headsail to know how high to sailing onto the wind with proper trim.
 
Jun 28, 2005
440
Hunter H33 2004 Mumford Cove,CT & Block Island
I was hoping to get VMG to the wind on the C70 multifunction display because the manual for the wind device said if speed info is available on the network it would calculate it. But oh no not GPS speed, must be paddlewheel, which we don’t have. So then it should calculate ground wind, but oh no Raymarine needs both paddlewheel and GPS for that apparently. So that’s why I wondered what I could do with AWA.
It is maddening to me that Raymarine uses only the paddle wheel speed to determine "True" windspeed and not use GPS SOG when available.

Here in the land of significant water currents, "True" is then a composite of wind and water speeds and vectors.

Therefore the following two statements by JoyRide28 are not true

"1) Apparent Wind is the cumulative result of True Wind and Boat Speed Wind
2) Apparent Wind is always Forward of True Wind"

The third is the result of HOW you are sailing,

"3) You sail to the Apparent Wind "

All I can say is if your speed over ground is zero, True is equal to Apparent, except with Raymarine, in their world of zero water currents.
 
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