Nautical Term: Drift angle
Definition of Drift angle
Drift angle is defined as the difference between the ship’s intended heading and the actual direction in which it is moving.
For instance, suppose a cargo ship is trying to maintain a course of 180 degrees (south) in the open sea. However, due to prevailing winds or currents, the ship may find itself drifting to the east or west. In this scenario, the drift angle would represent the difference between the ship’s intended heading and its actual drifting direction.
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