Negative VMG Meaning in Sailing

Negative VMG occurs when a boat travels further away from its intended target destination. VMG stands for Velocity Made Good, which measures progress toward a specific mark or finish line. A boat might have negative VMG if it turns too far away from the wind. A racer sees a negative number on the computer after making a tactical mistake. This means the boat is losing ground despite moving quickly through the water surface. The crew must change course or tack to start making positive progress again. Monitoring this number helps a skipper decide if the current sailing angle is efficient. Avoiding negative VMG is the key to finishing a race in the shortest time.