Maintaining head to wind

[RonTrueworthy]

I thought (apparently mistakenly) that letting go all sheets and the helm would cause a sailboat with sails raised to head up and stay in irons.

I gather that the only way to stay in irons is to make headway and steer. Am I understanding correctly?

[jbanta]

Ron
You got it my friend. Even a small differance in the boat postion to the wind wil cause the boat to be moved with the wind. There are a few ways to maintain a relitive postion to the wind.
1. Hold her there with engin power
2. Heave two
3. Set an ancor