90 DEGREE BEARING

A 90 degree bearing is made when sailing on a closehauled course to gauge where you will end up if you tack and sail close hauled on the other tack. Every sailing boat is different and the circumstances also maters, but in general a sailing boat sails on a closehauled course approximately 45 degrees to the wind direction. From closehauled to closehauled on the other tack is therefore approximately 45+45=90 degrees, a right angle. By indicating this right angle on a closehauled course, on the windward side, we can see where we will end up if we tack. Practice this often and under different circumstances. The further away the destination you want to go to is, the later you should tack after you have taken the  bearing of the chosen point. (more aft than beam). If the destination is close by you should tack earlier. (more forward than beam). This 90 degree bearing is useful for mooring on a leeward shore, the man overboard manoeuvre and when racing.