Apparent wind has nothing to do with it - which is one of the reasons it's an accurate measure.
In smooth water with the solent minimum tacking angle is about 70 degrees, this deteriorates to 90 with an overlapping foresail.
Far better to sail free and get some speed up.
This is using the GPS as the calibration, using the compass doesn't allow for leeway, which can be considerable on some boats.
Do not worry how close to the wind you can sail...so many people make that mistake and end up pinching...slowing down...and eventually going nowhere, especially in a little chop.....dont worry!!! sail a little more off the wind and go for speed, in the long run it will pay off!!
From memory doesn't the Autotack just take the craft through 100 degrees regardless of the craft it is fitted to? We have a ST4000 and use Autotack when short handed usually have to bring the boat up a bit after the tack is done.
I'd agree with everyone else about keeping boat as free as poss, although with IOR cheating boats like mine it pays to keep a fair degree of heel to up the LWL.
on autohelms the factory default is 100 deg but you can alter it yourself. of course its true degrees, not apparent wind. if you tacked through 105 deg apparent you'd be pushed to make any progress to windward at all!
Guess not but so many other factors could be affecting your ability to point. I would imagine an old Colvic bilge keeler even with a perfect rig and good sails is not going to get much better than 50degrees to the wind....think speed and not close windedness!!!!!
I usually find that I make a few inadvertant tacks when leaving the bar. I have heard the expression "3 sheets to the wind" mentioned, but I can never understand where the third one is used - Port, Starboard & {what}
It refers (I think) to vessels being taken aback so that the sheets rather than being to leeward are to windward. But whether it refers to a three masted vessel or three sails on a single mast I've no idea.
Sorry, forget the apparent bit I'm confusing myself and everyone else!
Don’t get me wrong about pointing higher, I’ve no wish to, it is just a general enquiry as to what other boats normally tack through.
As you said, the default autotack setting was 100º but that was too tight for me.