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Heave-to balancing act

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TractorJohn
Deckhand

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USA
24 Posts

Response Posted - 09/15/2009 : 12:17:55

I wasn't going to add anything to this topic until Stu said it would be helpful to describe exactly what sails and conditions resulted in certain results. I have used the same technique on several boats but until my last sail I didn't think about the results, just accept them. the boat is a 82 C25 tall rig with a swing keel. Original main all the way up and boom close to centered, vang pretty hard. Original to me 150 jib. winds blowing about 5-7 knts, I'm pointing as high as she'll go and the jibs sheeted as hard as I can pull without using the winch. I slowly tack and fully release the main sheet. As the back winded jib forces the bow over I counter with the tiller to keep the motion slow. I push the main over against the shrouds then tie the tiller hard over so the handle points at the boom. The boat heels according to the wind and makes little headway. In higher winds she comes across frightfully fast and heels more of course. I have never had to play or balance the sails, I have always let main out all the way and never had my boat hunt.
Maybe I've been lucky. I have also hove to while I rigged reefing lines which is a little scary considering the boom is way out there over the water. I hope this helps someone, heaving to really is a good way to fix lunch in peace
TJ

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 09/15/2009 : 18:58:34

Hove-to tonight while talking on the phone. Pretty cool. Worked great. In fact, it worked better than the times I've thought about it a lot. Tonight, I just through the tiller over, tacked the boat with my main up, and 135% out fully and stopped the boat. I put the tiller to leeward ( I hook it over the backstay wedged between it and the catbird seat) and watched as the little eddies formed on the windward side of the boat as I slowly drifted to leeward. Pretty light winds -- guessing less than 5 knots. I had to do it since I was approaching my marina and didn't want to cut my call short with my college age kid. After the call, I decided to see what happened when I furled the headsail while hove to. The boat did a 180 degree turn and again started to drift to leeward -- still hove-to on main alone countered by the rudder. Pretty cool.

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TractorJohn
Deckhand

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USA
24 Posts

Response Posted - 09/23/2009 : 16:45:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TractorJohn
 the boat is a 82 C25 tall rig with a swing keel. Original main all the way up and boom close to centered, vang pretty hard. Original to me 150 jib. winds blowing about 5-7 knts, I'm pointing as high as she'll go and the jibs sheeted as hard as I can pull without using the winch. I slowly tack and fully release the main sheet. As the back winded jib forces the bow over I counter with the tiller to keep the motion slow. I push the main over against the shrouds then tie the tiller hard over so the handle points at the boom.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Ok, just had another chance to heave to with same boat but with a 70% storm jib and a triple (yes 3) reef, white caps, and about 15 mph according PDX weather station. Hove to exactly as before, this time the boat made less headway (almost stopped dead)15 degrees of heel and very little side motion observed considering the heel. I made myself a lemonade. To get under way again, pull in the main, center the tiller and pop the jib and away you go.
On another subject, it occured to me that heaving to might be a great move for a MOB situation. If executed fast/soon enough the boat may be within swimming or throwing range of victim. At the very least it will give you a chance to think about the proper action. TJ

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 09/23/2009 : 16:52:03

TJ - next time, try jybing out of being hove-to. You won't have to do anything but watch the wind fill the jib as the boat comes around.

It will take a while for th eboat to come out of being hove-to though...

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 09/24/2009 : 05:34:03

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TractorJohn
 On another subject, it occured to me that heaving to might be a great move for a MOB situation. If executed fast/soon enough the boat may be within swimming or throwing range of victim. At the very least it will give you a chance to think about the proper action. TJ
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">From what I've read about effective MOB manoevers, a "Quick Stop and Return" is better than stopping alone, since the boat always moves several boat lengths away from the MOB before anything can be done. It would be interesting to determine the stopping distance of our boats at different speeds. I bet that the stopping distances we would observe would demonstrate that you have to turn the boat around and go back in a circle to rescue a MOB. This is one of the standard methods used with a Lifesling.

MOB rescue techniques are another topic, for sure.

TJ - If you have a chance, why don't you drop a float, heave-to, and measure your stopping distance at a few points of sail? That would be fun!

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.