Heaving-to discussion, thanks.

Posted By: Tom T. House
Date: 9/26/07 8:20a.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: Hove-to (Jim, Triton 94/kd7yll)

Heaving to I'm glad I asked the question. This forum is such a good way to get info. With the on and off-line responses, I think I, now, better understand the concept. To set up to heave-to, one tacks through the eye of the wind and leaves the jib where it was, which backwinds it, blowing the bow "off-wind". The main is configured to cause the mainsail to "weather vane", bringing the bow back into the eye of the wind. These two forces counter-act each other, causing the boat to stay "on-station" with little forward or sternward progress of the boat. When properly configured, the boat oscillates between slightly off-wind and into the wind, probably making a little headway progress. If the wind is really howling, the boat could be making some "sternward" progress. Thanks for taking the time to respond! Some of you may find some of the "off-line" responses I received, of additional interest and for "completeness" I'm also posting them here: In Irons means you have attempted to tack through the wind and are stuck head to wind requiring you to back the main and/or jib to force the boat about. Heaving-to is an intentional maneuver when you want to quiet the boat and rest, usually during a storm. You raise the dager board around halfway, tighten the jib on one side of the boat and lash the tiller down on the other. The main can and in most cases should be removed from the mast. The mast rotator is usually centered or in the case of real heavy wind controlled slightly above center of the wind. All this will cause the boat to slow and oscillate into the wind, moving slightly forward, which will cause the waterflow over the rudder to turn down. Heaving-to is a survival maneuver which is actually quite comfortable. I recommend practicing on a nice sunny day to get the balance of the boat right. For a video of heaving to, go to: http://www.videos.sailingcourse.com/heaving_to_wmv1.htm Bob Just a comment on heaving-to. For heavy weather, the jib should be a blade or storm jib. It should be pulled up to the windward side of the boat. This is so the wind will pull the bow off the wind and gather minimum speed. The rudders are set to steer the boat back upwind as it gathers speed from the jib pulling it down wind. The tillers go to leeward. This movement from upwind is only an couple of degrees, other wise you get to far off the wind and the boat flips....and you thought you were having a bad time before. What make this work is a small mainsail set to leeward so if the boat comes off the wind a little to much, the main acts as a weather vane and will help the boat get back upwind to the correct angle. As the boat comes upwind there will be less pressure on the back of the boat from the main and as the boat slows down from the rudders and the jib will now take over again. This technique is used to hold a position with no leeway and minimum headway as Bob said, usually to give the crew some rest. The reason for the blade/storm jib is so as to not close of the slot between the jib leech and the mast/main. Besdies a storm tactic, this is also used, a lot, between races so the crew can have lunch and still hold position unattended. Using a sea anchor in any large or steep waves, keeping your bows headed into the wind and waves, will produce a very exciting "thrill ride" and it won't be the boat heaving to, which is why some books will tell you to use a bridle that will keep the boat at an angle to the waves and lessen the boat's tendency to "hobbyhorse" when going straight over oncoming waves. When using a sea anchor, just remember you now will be making some leeway so be carefull with your rudder while going backwards. You may wish to put them in the "up" position, to get the entirely out of the water. Louis