Figure 4.1: De…nition of Course and Drift Angle
The sailing ship must be able to change its course relatively fast, with small overshoots. Also, the path overshoot (or path width) has to stay within certain limits. The ship must be able to carry out turning maneuvers within limits, de…ned later. It must remain well maneuverable during accelerating and decelerating the ship and it must have an acceptable stopping distance. Also, the ship must be able to maneuver at low speeds without assistance of tugs.
For this, certain demands on design, performance and control of the rudder are required.