National Search and Rescue School (NSARS) Module 4 Practice Test

Leeway is the drift caused by wind on an object as it moves with the water, and how much and in what direction that drift is depends on the object's physical characteristics. The type of search object you select sets which leeway profile you apply in drift modeling because different objects have different windage, buoyancy, and drag. A person in the water with a life jacket presents a different wind-facing surface and buoyancy than a life raft or a piece of debris, so their predicted drift path under the same wind and current will differ. By choosing the object type, you’re selecting the corresponding leeway characteristics, which shape the probable drift corridor and the search area you plan. If the object type is misidentified, the drift estimate can be off, leading to less effective search planning. So yes, the statement is correct.