Definition
Course steered is the direction the vessel's head points, recorded as the compass course in the log and converted to true for plotting by applying deviation and variation. It differs from course through the water when the boat makes leeway, and from course over ground when tidal stream acts. Under sail, honest averaging matters because a yacht yaws several degrees either side of the mean; the navigator should ask the helm for the average actually achieved, not the aspiration.
Want to apply this on the water?
Ask Saily out loud for an example, a scenario or a simpler explanation.
Talk to Saily