Glossary · Sailing & navigation
Velocity made good
Also called: VMG, vitesse utile, vitesse de rapprochement
The speed at which the boat actually gets closer to its goal.
A boat sailing fast but at an angle to its goal only closes on it slowly. VMG measures the useful part of its speed, towards the wind upwind, towards the destination otherwise. Racers constantly look for the angle that maximises VMG, a trade-off between speed and heading.
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No source yet · updated 30 Sept 2026