Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » General Discussion » VMG

Page: 1 2 Next

the VMG you can see (under Boat speed) in polar diagram, is that generated against last destination or which waypoint?

Pls explain how this VMG is calculated.

--- Last Edited by larx at 2008-11-30 10:59:49 ---
The VMG value is the boat speed in relation to the direction of the wind.

Its calculated with this formula:
"speed*(cos(twa))"

//Göran
Yes, ok. But to which point? Next waypoint to follow?. I mean in order to calculate VMG you need two points to calculate to and from. One is my currnt position, but the second?
As I understand it and according to the formula, you don't. VMG is "way made good" in relation to the wind direction or the angle to the wind, twa. So you don't need two positions, only boat speed and twa.

Though I guess you need two positions or a course to calculate VMC, "way made good to course" or something like that, but I don't know the formula for it.

//Göran
OK. What I (and maybe larx) don`t understand is if the VMG is 2kn and my boat speed could be 4kn (if different course). Then I mean this has to refer to a certain waypoint.
VMG is velocity made good _against_ _the_ _wind_.
VMG is velocity made good _against_ _the_ _wind_.
.
.
.
Think that clears it up... but if you really want, imagine a mark in the direction of the wind at your current location, VMG is speed towards that mark. -ve VMG is towards a mark downwind, +ve VMG towards a mark upwind.

--- Last Edited by 6times7 at 2008-12-05 19:13:05 ---

--- Last Edited by 6times7 at 2008-12-05 19:13:26 ---
Do any have the formula for VMC? Or could you calk. it by change the TWA to the dir. to mark.

Rolf

EDIT: I found it. Its COS(angel of your boats directions) * Speed
or COS(60) * 5 = 2.50 knots made north (vmg)
if mark is N (360) and you sail 60 deg. in 5 kn.

And BTW VMG is "Velocity made good"

--- Last Edited by HolidayTours at 2008-12-09 13:44:57 ---

--- Last Edited by HolidayTours at 2008-12-09 13:47:36 ---
Hi
If you want to calculate your speed component parallell to the wind direction, here called VMG you simply use VMG=boat_speed*cos(TWA). Yes, you need the cosinus and you need to make sure that you and your calculator use the same units, e.g. degrees for the TWA. You can test that by verifying that cos(90)=1.

The boat speed relative to course VMC is somewhat more difficult to calculate. However, if one simplifies things and assume that YOU know what Course from boat To Target (CTT) you are interested in life is easy again. You can e.g. get CTT by using the ruler-tool in the game.

Now you need only to calculate your speed component parallell to CTT, lets call it VMC, which is almost as simple as VMG. If we define the boat course as CC you simply calculate VMC= boat_speed*cos(CTT-CC). Piece of cake :-) ... as long as you remember that the precision of these calculations decay with increades distance between boat and target. Also, negative VMG & VMC means that you are heading away from target.

Note:
The advanced reader might observe that the VMG-calculation is nothing but a special case of the more general VMC-calculation, where CTT=-TWD and thus the TWA=-TWD-CC.

/Jakob
...one of the guys behind the game...
Thanks Jacob

Now we know ho to calculate the VMC. But to find out the best one you need to do a lot of calculatens in different directons (or). As your boatspeed is different (as the polar shows)at differents angel. I.e if you do 5kn with 55 deg to mark or you do 6.5 kn at 60 deg you had to calc both to find hos is fastest VMC.

Any easy way to do that?
/Rolf

--- Last Edited by HolidayTours at 2008-12-09 22:08:09 ---

Page: 1 2 Next

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Los Roques 2026


It's winter but not in the Caribbean, so welcome to Venezuela's Islas Los Roques archipelago for a 20nm sprint through these beautiful islands. Take care with your mutinous crew, they may be tempted to BBQ and snorkel!
Race #2007
INFO by brainaid.de
SOTO 30 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
RANKING:
SPQ1 - SPCH - SYC
Race starts: Feb 07th 13:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Cross the Convergence 2026 - Samoa to Hawaii


The second race of our new series of ocean voyages across the World’s convergence zones, takes us northward again up the Pacific Ocean, now from Samoa at 13.5 degrees South, across the Equator to Hawaii, famed for its breaking surf and active volcanoes, on the edge of the Tropic of Cancer at 19.5 degrees North. It’s 2300nm, so we’ll take our very steady Steinlager II. Race #1982
INFOby brainaid.de
Steinlager IIPARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: CCZ - SYC
Race starts: Feb 06th 18:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Beketov by Balloon 2026 - In Siberia


Way-back-when France and England, and Spain as well, were squabbling about who should control what of North America, only to lose the most of it to their own insurging colonists, their eastern European neighbour empire, Russia, was quietly assimilating vast, thinly nomadically populated territory of its own – Siberia! Amongst the many explorers and adventurers that served Russia so well in these conquests was the Cossack hetman Pyotr Beketov. Let’s pretend we’re he and eschewing horseback, let’s travel by balloon from Yekaterinberg to Krasnoyarsk – just a short 2000km (1100nm) section of the Trans-Siberian Express’ 9289km!
Race #1972
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: BOL - SYC
Race starts: Feb 03rd 13:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

West Papua to Oregon 2026

Our next race in our Ocean Championships is the first of a series of great natural migrations we will track in 2026. The leatherback turtle is the most widely distributed marine reptile on planet Earth, and chooses to breed in warm tropical waters, but prefers to forage in more temperate habitats, travelling thousands and thousands of miles effortlessly annually to maintain this way of life. Our race will follow one of the typical trips of this turtle, from breeding grounds in the seas off West Papua to the coast of Oregon. It’s only 5900nm, so to keep up, but in comfort, we’ll follow in our Gunboat 90.
Race #2006
INFO by brainaid.de
GB 90 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ1 - OCCH - MIG - SYC
Race starts: Feb 02nd 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Race to Up Helly Aa 2026

A-OI!!! The fiery spirit of Shetland’s legendary Up Helly Aa returns, and Sailonline’s annual race to Lerwick is once again upon us. Covering 383 nautical miles from Aberdeen, SOLers will tackle winter waters steeped in Viking tradition. This year, we race the classic Frers 33, a proven cruiser-racer born from the golden era of offshore racing and still a sturdy performer both on the virtual and real water. Can you master the course and reach Lerwick in time for the flames?

SAILING NOTE: Gruney may be approached from any direction but must be passed for rounding purposes as indicated on the chart.
Race #2005
INFO by brainaid.de
Frers 33 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
RACE CLOSE: Friday,
February 6 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jan 30th 17:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Kipper1258
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client