[matthewwhill]

I know that the tacking angle is the angle between headings of two tacks when beating.

What is the term for the angle between two courses over ground after a tack? (ie greater than tacking angle due to leeway)

 

[tommays]

It depends on which GPS and its age as my different brands seem to call the same thing different things

course, bearing and heading

If you google them you will get a much better answer with pictures

 

[smurphny]

COG combined acute complementary angle. (I just made that up Actually have never heard a term for that but there must be one.

 

[chucklesR]

Course Made Good is what I think you are referring too.

You can steer to 45 degrees (compass, not degrees off wind), have 3 degrees of set due to leeway/current and your course made good is 48 degrees.

 

[Alex W]

Course over ground is the angle that the boat is actually making. This is measured by comparison subsequent GPS positions.

Heading is the angle that the boat is pointed at. This is measured using a compass.

The difference between the two is the leeway.

 

[tommays]

On my old unit the bearing was the bearing and the heading was the heading

On the garmin the bearing is still the bearing BUT the heading is now the track

 

[ccriders]

Would "track angle" work? You want a name for the angle measured between the two courses made good, right? Good question.
John

 

[smurphny]

I think Chuckles has it. Course made good is the actual COG A-B. But, I think what the OP is asking for is a term for the angle of attack relative to COG toward a waypoint?? A boat pointing equally 35 degrees to apparent wind on the different tacks may not be pointing equally relative to the intended course to a destination due to the current vector so the actual angles of the COG toward the destination would be different.