learned to heave to

YARDPRO · #1 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009

weekend before lase we went out practicing our technique.

winds were 25-20kts blowing offshore.

we went out the Beaufort inlet and the wife practiced tacking and jibing.

I decided to practice heaving to... it worked well.

I do have a question though....

everything i have read here says you are supposed to STOP moving. We were still moving forward at about 1knt...

is that what is supposed to happen?

cruisingdream · #2 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009

Yes, there is some foward travel, depending on the boat & rig and other factors will determine how fast. Just as there will be some travel (drift) when you have a sea anchor out.

maccauley123 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009

What I have read is you should move forward very slowly but mostly slip sideways to create a slick to windward that will prevent waves from breaking. No expert but 1knt seems about right.

T37Chef · #4 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009

I have always had some headway, last time almost 1.5 knots in 20 knot winds. It always amazes me how it works.

Bene505 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009

I'm planning to add a sea anchor and snatch-block arrangement that the Pardys wrote about in Heavy Weather Sailing. Then I'll check to see our rate of drift - and check to see if we can get the protective slick to windward, as opposed to aft and windward. When we hove-to a week or 2 ago, we "sailed" out of our protective slick.

It will have to wait until next year, we are taking the sails off today.

Regards,
Brad

SVAuspicious · #6 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by YARDPRO

everything i have read here says you are supposed to STOP moving. We were still moving forward at about 1knt...

How did you measure speed? Visual estimate? GPS? Speed transducer?

If GPS, recall that current effects will be included also.

Once you are hove to adjusting the angle of the locked rudder should change your aspect angle to the wind and seas and affect both headway and leeway.

YARDPRO · #7 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009

i am guessing about a knot based on the shoreline.

I guess it could have been current moving us.

captainmurph · #8 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009

1-1.5K is probably typical for nearly all boats. Since you are alternately sailing forward, going into irons, falling off and then getting lift again - you are bound to move forward some.

If you are in enough wind, current or waves, you may move less.

aerie · #9 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009

In addition to adjusting the rudder angle, you can change the ratio of headsail to main to change the wind angle while hove-to. Experiment. A wind angle of 45-60 degrees off the wind seems to work best. While hove-to for 18 hours in a 60-knot storm off the NJ coast last fall we made about 3 knots but most importantly, the boat motion was much more comfortable.