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Heaving-To versus Bare Poles

34K views 54 replies 26 participants last post by  paulk 
#1 ·
I've been debating the merits of heaving-to versus taking all the sails down and going bare poles in extremely heavy weather. What's your opinion of which is better in the scenario below?

Scenario: You're daysailing in smallish (25'-30') outboard-powered sloop about 2 or 3 miles offshore and nasty squall/front/storm rolls in with the potential for 50mph+ winds. What would you do?

My inexperienced thoughts tell me that the boat would heave-to in those conditions, or that something would break if you tried it. However, I've read stories of vessels on bluewater passages riding out storms for days at time while hove-to. Perhaps heaving-to is better suited for taking a break from sailing or stopping the boat in an emergency rather than waiting out heavy weather?? Or perhaps you should heave-to in heavy weather when it's too dangerous to be in the cockpit and you need to stay below and know that the boat isn't going to wander too much??

The problem I see with taking all the sails down in a small outboard-powered sailboat is that you'll have no control over the boat because the wave height will likely render the outboard useless.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I'll start the discussion by pointing out that heaving to is a means by which you can rig the boat to tend itself while you go below and rest. Sailing under bare poles is generally a means by which you can still actively tend to the steering of the boat. It allows some minimal control. In a lot of wind, the windage on the hull itself is enough to drive the boat downwind or on a broad reach at limited speed. It isn't a technique that is generally recommended, because it really doesn't usually drive the boat with enough speed and power to give you enough control when the boat is being pounded one way or the other by big waves. Big waves overtaking the boat from astern tend to cause the boat to slew off course and wallow. If one wave knocks the boat sideways, the next wave might roll it over. A little triangle of jib might help.

Scenario: You're daysailing in smallish (25'-30') outboard-powered sloop about 2 or 3 miles offshore and nasty squall/front/storm rolls in with the potential for 50mph+ winds. What would you do?
Funny you should mention it, but that happened to me Sunday. I was on a 28' inboard powered sailboat, and saw a 25' outboard powered sloop nearby, and both of us made it. Both of us took down all sails and motored downwind. If we had allowed the boats to get sideways to the waves, we would undoubtedly have been rolled over. We headed across (parallel to) the wind and waves in the lulls, to get closer to the windward shore, where the waves were smaller, and we bore off downwind in the gusts, when the waves became much higher and steeper, so we wouldn't be caught abeam by them.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Paloma (30' inboard diesel) has endured two Force 10 storms at sea (one for 48 hours and one this past March for 36 hours). We chose to drasticaly reduce sail in one and the other bare poles. We never considered heaving to in winds gusting over 60, our concern was that in the 30 foot seas we might broach in the process of heaving to - under bare poles we were doing as much as 10mph on the GPS. In each case, we were running before cold fronts out of the north in Gulf of Mexico and had about 650 miles of sea room. In the first storm we were on the way to Vera Cruz, so we didn't loose any ground. In the March storm we were headed for Freeport and ended up 185 miles south of our rumb line.
Go to the photos section and search "Paloma" and you'll see what she looked like back in port from the March storm - not a pretty sight.
 
#4 ·
I've been debating the merits of heaving-to versus taking all the sails down and going bare poles in extremely heavy weather. What's your opinion of which is better in the scenario below?

Scenario: You're daysailing in smallish (25'-30') outboard-powered sloop about 2 or 3 miles offshore and nasty squall/front/storm rolls in with the potential for 50mph+ winds. What would you do?
A lot of this depends on the wind direction. If the wind is blowing on-shore, then the land is a lee shore, and running off under bare poles will probably get you dead fairly quickly. :) Even heaving-to might not be the best option.

If you have the proper storm sails, and the storm is not expected to last all that long, you might be better off sailing through the storm.

If the wind is off-shore, then that's a different story. Running under bare poles or a storm jib is probably not a bad idea.

Heaving to may slow the boat drastically, but it really depends on the boat's design. Many fin keeled or centerboard boats will not heave-to all that well, and will forereach instead.

If the sea state is calm enough, motoring might not be a bad option... but keep the sails at the ready, just in case.

My inexperienced thoughts tell me that the boat would heave-to in those conditions, or that something would break if you tried it. However, I've read stories of vessels on bluewater passages riding out storms for days at time while hove-to. Perhaps heaving-to is better suited for taking a break from sailing or stopping the boat in an emergency rather than waiting out heavy weather?? Or perhaps you should heave-to in heavy weather when it's too dangerous to be in the cockpit and you need to stay below and know that the boat isn't going to wander too much??

The problem I see with taking all the sails down in a small outboard-powered sailboat is that you'll have no control over the boat because the wave height will likely render the outboard useless.
 
#5 · (Edited)
50 kts winds will shred most normal cruising sails, heaving to with a try sail and a storm jib is probably not wisely considered or possible because of sail balance considerations.
Getting beam on in 50kts with the likely wave heights and with even a try and storm jib will broach most sub 30 footers, I would not even consider it.

Every boat handles different - I don't carry storm sails so for me the only option is bare poles and motor down.

If you really must sail, storm jib alone and run downwind, or jib and try to make way to windward bashing the waves.

Pays to watch the weather so you don't have to choose how to die.
 
#7 ·
So it sounds like most of you feel that heaving-to isn't a heavy weather/storm tactic.

I've practiced heaving-to many times in light to moderate air, but never in heavy weather. I know it's a good skill for taking a break from sailing or an onboard emergency that requires your attention away from the cockpit for a bit, but there's something in my memory that recalls reading about heaving-to as a method for riding out a storm.
 
#9 ·
It is, but it depends on the conditions, the wind direction, where the nearest land is, and what boat you're on. IF you're on an old full-keeler, like a Southern Cross 28, with plenty of room to leeward, then it is a great tactic to use. If you're in a very modern, ULD racing boat, with a very high aspect bulb keel, it might not work out so well.

If you have a lee shore fairly closeby, it might not be a wise tactic, as it might still allow your boat to blow down onto the lee shore-but it depends again on the boat, the wind, the position of the land, etc.

A boat that forereaches when hove-to, might make enough progress to windward that a lee shore isn't a big deal.

So it sounds like most of you feel that heaving-to isn't a heavy weather/storm tactic.

I've practiced heaving-to many times in light to moderate air, but never in heavy weather. I know it's a good skill for taking a break from sailing or an onboard emergency that requires your attention away from the cockpit for a bit, but there's something in my memory that recalls reading about heaving-to as a method for riding out a storm.
 
#15 · (Edited)
The account of Satori in the 1991 "Perfect Storm" might help illustrate lying ahull in heavy weather, at least a bit.
SATORI @ Ed's web site
As bad as the conditions were, Satori was in about a Force 8 or 9 storm (Quote from the article: From the Coast Guard incident reports: "Seas 30 Ft., Winds 015/40 [knots] with gusts to 55 kts. [knots]". There were no 50 or 60 foot waves during the evacuation.) Having been in two Force 10 storms (and lots of heavy weather less than that), I can tell you that heaving to will never cross your mind in 30 foot seas and if you are in anything less than a XXX-ton Westsail 32 or Alajuela 38 you aren't going to lie ahull either - you are very likely to broach in those conditions - even if you aren't in danger of a knockdown, when you look up at those seas, you'll believe that turning across the storm is impossible. If you have sea room, your first and best inkling will be to run before the storm. If you are near a lee shore in an offshore storm you are going to try to claw away from the lee shore, trying to motor at an angle (maybe with postage stamp size storm headsail) into the storm - not a pleasant thought. This kind of heavy weather is hard on you and your boat - I did about $3,500 in repairs to Paloma after the March storm.
 
#11 ·
You've had some excellent advice about a storm. Your question, however, encompasses squalls, fronts, and storms. That's a very big topic. All the answers depend on where the nearest land is, what the wind direction is in relation to the land, and how long the severe weather will last.

If you sail in deep water, then you have to sail, or heave-to (which is still sailing, it's just easier on the helmsman), or run off if you have searoom.

In a short squall, don't overlook just anchoring and riding it out, if your water isn't too deep. I sail on a lake these days, with shallow water, and that would be my choice if I ran out of searoom and couldn't make progress to windward with sail, motor (and yes outboards may cavitate and be less useful), or both. Drop sail, anchor, and ride it out.

This should work on a shallow-sloping shore. It may not work on a steep or rocky shore.

Each situation is unique. Heaving-to may work in deep water if you're exhausted and just have to sleep, and you're making at least minimal forward progress.

But there's no simple answer to what was a pretty broad question. You have to figure out what fits the boat, you, your searoom, your guess as to the weather severity and duration, and hope you figured right.
 
#12 ·
Again, lying ahull isn't a good tactic unless you have the searoom to do so safely.

If you're only two-to-three miles from shore, as the OP states, and the wind is blowing towards the land, lying ahull will probably get you killed. :)
 
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#13 ·
I'm not going to make reference to lee shores - let's assume that we all know the perils of those.

Lying a-hull will almost certainly have you beam on to the wind and unless it's shifting around you will probably be beam-on to the seas as well. If the waves aren't breaking this may be OK. We tried this in a 60knt+ storm with big seas that were occasionally breaking. Sods Law says one will get you. One did, smashed all the cabinetry off the inside of the boat and stuck the mast in the water. I won't do that in a hurry again.

Running off the wind in a strong blow with a large following sea also has a habit of getting your boat surfing - way more exciting than I need!! Character-building stuff indeed. And especially at night when it's real hard to judge the size of the seas or where they will break next.

So what other choices do you have? Well, my choice is to motor into the seas at an angle to enable you to ride over them in some comfort and (if you can see them) drive around the ones likely to break. This of course on a little boat with an outboard may be very challenging indeed.

Squalls should be run ahead of ideally under a furled jib. The seas are not likely to be an issue because most squalls, even tropical line squalls come and go in a short enough time window to not generate enough fetch to build the seas.

But I agree with Chuck - heaving to in 60kn with anything but the toughest storm sails is a quick way to reduce your sail inventory and you'll soon enough be back at one of the other choices.

And like I said in an earlier thread, maybe the choice you make takes you temporarily away from your chosen destination, it's better than head for the nearest solid ground which is directly under your keel.

Andre
 
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#14 ·
My previous boat was a 25ft trailer sailer with an 8HP. The one time I got caught out on the ocean in a strong wind (+30 knots) I furled the jib and beat up into the breeze with the main & running the outboard at about half throttle. The main helped steady the boat and keep the outboard in the water (it was a long shaft which also helped) and the combination of outboard and sail allowed me to beat up to shelter. One tack was definitely better as the outboard was offset & so was a lot deeper in the water most of the time. Admittedly this was early in the strong winds so the waves hadn't had much chance to build up. I was off a lee shore so staying put was'nt an option plus shelter was only a couple of miles upwind so it made sense to keep going.

Prior to that I used to crew on a 25ft keel boat and one time we got hit by a line squall that reached 60 knots. We saw it coming and quickly reefed the main and when it hit the skipper feathered the boat into the wind with the jib sheeted in hard and the main eased to balance the boat (ie sailing close hauled). It only lasted 5-10 minutes and it soon dropped to 30-40 knots and half an hour later we were sailing in 20 knots in sunny conditions.

In the circumstances you described it really depends on the situation, ie what's around you, how experienced your crew are, how long will the strong winds last, etc. In my first example I was sailing with my family and as soon as the sea breeze hit they all headed for the shelter of the cabin and I was essentially single handed. Then it made sense to motor sail. In the second example I was racing with an experienced crew and we never stopped racing.

Ilenart
 
#16 ·
Omatako,

I'm really interested in what happened to you. The esteemed Mr Jordan (as in series drogues) states categorically that yachts don't sustain damage from beaking waves falling onto them. Rather it's the forces generated when boat falls off a really steep wave and slams into the trough that does the damage. Is that what happened to you?

Graham
 
#24 ·
We were all down below when the wave hit the boat so I have to speculate on what happened. There was no sensation that the boat was falling so I don't believe we fell into the trough.

My wife appeared to fly across the cabin but hindsight had us more believing that she more like fell across the width of the cabin as the boat was knocked down. It's difficult to get perspective of up and down at night in a closed environment.

I believe that the wave broke and hit the side of the boat at about the same time so the water that smacked into the hull wasn't aerated but pure blue. The wave washed right over the boat and rolled the boat onto it's side so it was a respectable size. The cabinetry in the forepeak ended up on the bunk. At daybreak a short while later we went on deck and the seas were huge and breaking all around us in 60+ kn winds. It's probably the only time I've been really frightened at sea.

As far as the esteemed Mr Jordan's assessments go, remember that largely he deals with vessels that are stern (or bow) on to the seas and we were beam on. There is an enormous difference between the two when it comes to energy absorption.

Anyway, as I say we never saw anything (and I'm really pleased we weren't on deck at the time) and can only offer opinions as to why we appeared to absorb so much of the energy.

Andre
 
#17 ·
The JSD is designed to keep the boat from being damaged by breaking waves. It allows the boat to move a bit, but doesn't hold it in place like a sea anchor does, which makes the boat a big target.

From the JSD website:

Contest 40, 250 mi. N. W. of Bermuda. "

Gusts were furious now. The seas were 25 ft with faces at 45 degrees and breaking crests. Deployed drogue. Slowing effect was phenomenal. Deploying the drogue was like jumping off a 30 ft. wave with a 40 ft. yacht. The feeling of being elastically tied to the sea itself is hard to imagine. We slowed to 1.5 knots with the stern pointed aggressively into the sea. It was as though we had entered a calm harbor of refuge. With the reduction in the yachts motion our situation seemed to be not too bad. We were exhausted and took the opportunity to get some sleep".

Many skippers have commented on the bungee type feel to the boats motion with the drogue deployed. This important characteristic was developed from model testing in the U.S. Coast Guards flow channel, which has glass walls so the underwater motion of drogue models could be observed. In a major storm, a yacht moves forward as it passes over the crest and backward in the trough for a distance of 50 ft. or more. The length of the drogue and the weight at the end is designed so that the drogue normally assumes a hook shape with the weighted end hanging almost vertical. When the boat is passing over the crest the drogue tends to straighten out and more of the cones take up the load thus checking the boat. In the trough, the weight sinks, taking up the unwanted slack in the towline. Thus the drogue is always aligned to respond to a dangerous breaking wave strike. The cones are attached at both ends so they cannot turn inside out if moving backward.


Model tests clearly show that the behavior of a parachute or cone drag device is unacceptable. As the device is pulled forward, it forms a wake behind it. When the towline goes slack the water in the wake continues to move forward and turns the chute or cone inside out, often causing it to tumble or foul the shroud lines. In the Coast Guard full scale tests in breaking waves on the Columbia River bar, the series drogue performed flawlessly and was retrieved with no damage, while a cone type drogue was destroyed.
 
#18 ·
The JSD is designed to keep the boat from being damaged by breaking waves. It allows the boat to move a bit, but doesn't hold it in place like a sea anchor does, which makes the boat a big target.
Spot on SailingDog!! If you get hit solidly by a breaking wave onto the top of your boat - think in terms of around 500 or so gallons of seawater at about 8 pounds per gallon, it's like dropping a Buick onto your cabin trunk.
 
#19 ·
Yeah, I realise that, but Omatako says he was lying ahull when he got smashed so I was interested to know if Jordan's claim is right. (I've no reason to suppose it isn't).

If Jordan is correct, then Omatako would have sustained damage not from the weight of water dropping onto him from the breaking wave, but from falling off the wave itself. In which case, to my mind, the the best course of action in such conditions (given the searoom) would be to sling out a series drogue.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Jordan may be right, I have no idea. I have only run before storms. In the March 08 gale, it was a cold front coming all the way down from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The front itself was moving at 35 miles per hour packing winds of 50-60 and gusting higher. Running before storms like that (and the last full gale that Paloma was in as well) and not getting pooped or nose-diving down into the wave trough, entails adjusting speed to accomodate the wave train - that means no drogues, no trailing lines, it means rocking and rolling - at times, in March, we were making 10mph on the GPS - that exceeds the hull speed of Paloma and yes the following seas often swoosh underneath you no matter what speed you are making. On the other hand, I suppose you could drogue yourself down to a snails pace and hope that the waves swoosh under you and that the waves that land on you don't cave in your cabin trunk - I have a large parachute drouge and by vote of all onboard, we never considered deploying it.

BTW, those of you who enjoy reading heavy weather documentaries - not heavy weather text books, read John Rousmariene's "Fastnet, Force 10: the Deadliest Storm in the History of Modern Sailing"
 
#21 · (Edited)
Johnshasteen. Well, here's the interesting bit that hadn't realised before about the risk or othwerwise of being pooped. To quote from Jordan's site:

"In addition to a feeling of helplessness, there is another irrational attitude that countered our obtaining a solution to the capsize problem. The shape and motion of storm waves when viewed from the deck of a yacht are such that it can lead to optical illusions which confuse the skipper. A large storm wave approaching the boat appears to be a dangerous wall of water and the skippers instinctively tend to head up or run off to avoid being pooped. Actually the water in the wave is not moving towards the boat and will lift the boat harmlessly"

Jordan then goes no to say:

"Another optical illusion is that it is possible in a survival storm to reduce the hazard by running off before the waves and, by skillful seamanship, to out maneuver a dangerous wave. This is a particularly unfortunate choice. The waves are moving faster than the boat can go. A 40 ft .breaking wave will be moving at a speed of approximate 23 knots. The breaking wave is completely random. Furthermore, by far the most important concern is that, if the boat is moving through the water, the chance of being caught by the wave and surfing to a dangerously high speed is greatly augmented".

And finally:

"A final misconception is the belief that a breaking wave "strikes" the boat and that the moving water in the crest does the damage. Actually, the boat is lifted by the forward face of the wave with no impact. When it reaches the breaking crest the boat velocity is close to the wave velocity. The crest water is aerated and has little damage potential. Damage to the boat is incurred when the boat is thrown ahead of the wave and impacts the green water in the trough. The leeward side and the deck are struck. A careful reading of "Fastnet Force Ten" and "Fatal Storm" will confirm this conclusion".

It maybe we're talking about two differnet things here: a survival storm versus something not quite so life threatening. But the wave mechanics can't be too different.

I've not yet had the "pleasure" of running before a storm but I did spend a very uncomfortable night bashing head on into a Force 9. It was OK for 8 hours or so but I can't imagine how a shorthanded crew could do it for days on end. Even in conditions less than a survival storm I'd be tempted to put the drogue out and go below for a kip.
 
#23 ·
Johnshasteen. Well, here's the interesting bit that hadn't realised before about the risk or othwerwise of being pooped. To quote from Jordan's site:

"In addition to a feeling of helplessness, there is another irrational attitude that countered our obtaining a solution to the capsize problem. The shape and motion of storm waves when viewed from the deck of a yacht are such that it can lead to optical illusions which confuse the skipper. A large storm wave approaching the boat appears to be a dangerous wall of water and the skippers instinctively tend to head up or run off to avoid being pooped. Actually the water in the wave is not moving towards the boat and will lift the boat harmlessly"

Jordan then goes no to say:

"Another optical illusion is that it is possible in a survival storm to reduce the hazard by running off before the waves and, by skillful seamanship, to out maneuver a dangerous wave. This is a particularly unfortunate choice. The waves are moving faster than the boat can go. A 40 ft .breaking wave will be moving at a speed of approximate 23 knots. The breaking wave is completely random. Furthermore, by far the most important concern is that, if the boat is moving through the water, the chance of being caught by the wave and surfing to a dangerously high speed is greatly augmented".

And finally:

"A final misconception is the belief that a breaking wave "strikes" the boat and that the moving water in the crest does the damage. Actually, the boat is lifted by the forward face of the wave with no impact. When it reaches the breaking crest the boat velocity is close to the wave velocity. The crest water is aerated and has little damage potential. Damage to the boat is incurred when the boat is thrown ahead of the wave and impacts the green water in the trough. The leeward side and the deck are struck. A careful reading of "Fastnet Force Ten" and "Fatal Storm" will confirm this conclusion".

It maybe we're talking about two differnet things here: a survival storm versus something not quite so life threatening. But the wave mechanics can't be too different.

I've not yet had the "pleasure" of running before a storm but I did spend a very uncomfortable night bashing head on into a Force 9. It was OK for 8 hours or so but I can't imagine how a shorthanded crew could do it for days on end. Even in conditions less than a survival storm I'd be tempted to put the drogue out and go below for a kip.
Interesting stuff, but our crew (in both storms) three of us, with a combined 100+ years of offshore sailing in the Gulf, Atlantic and Great Lakes, had no optical illusions or misconceptions about either storm (we actually thought the winds in the March storm were around 40-50 and the seas 18-20ish - the conditions were in fact, according to Coast Guard New Orleans, winds 50-60 and gusting higher and seas 30 feet.
When the sustained wind is above 40, you have to change from sailing to surviving. To the amazement of CG New Orleans and CG Corpus Christi, we "survived" the first storm for 48 hours and the second for 36 hours (both felt like an eternity) - the first question they asked when we were back in port and I called them was, "do you have an EPIRB" - I answered yes - then they asked why we hadn't deployed it. So, while I respect Jordon, every storm is different, every boat is different, every crew is more/less capable. The best you can hope for is that you don't ever get caught in a major storm - but if you are so unfortunate as to get caught in one, you have to play the hand that you're dealt at the time.
 
#22 ·
Much of Jordan's work was done because of the Fastnet disaster. That was what prompted Jordan to design the series drogue in the first place. He also worked very closely with the USCG in the development and testing of the JSD. While the USCG doesn't approve the JSD, it certainly seems, from the document on Jordan's site, to advocate the use of them.

If you read the USCG report, the report's abstract says:

Model and full-scale tests were conducted to investigate the use of drogues to prevent breaking wave capsizing of sailing yachts. A mathematical model was developed which simulates the motion of a boat and drogue in regular waves and in a breaking wave strike. A series drogue is recommended for optimum performance based on the results of this study. Design information for both series and conventional drogues is presented.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Andre, thanks for the explanation - that was what I thought happened. Your adventure is why in both gales Paloma endured, we did everything we could not to get beam to the seas - we were convinced that we would broach if we did.
 
#26 ·
Andre,

Thanks for the info - its sounds like it was a truly horrendous experience. It also sounds as if Jordan's assertions about wave behaviour might be too simplistic.

It was interesting to read in John Vigor's book "The Seaworthy Offshore Boat" that he envisages starting by running off, then as things get worse trailing a series drogue and then when things get really critical cutting the drogue and using Bernard Moitessier's high speed skudding technique.

Graham
 
#29 ·
it sounds like it was a truly horrendous experience.
Graham, sure it was scary but it is experiences like that which make one a better sailor (provided of course you survive :D ) and as Eric Hiscock once said "Anybody that hasn't experienced the effects of true storm cannot speak with any authority on the subject" (or something similar)

Whilst I have no desire to repeat the exercise, I will be a whole lot less frightened next time around.

Andre
 
#27 ·
Graham-

When I spoke with Don Jordan a few years ago, he told me that the JSD was really designed to be a safety device much like an ejection seat on a fighter jet. That when all else fails, and you need to survive the situation, deploying the JSD is supposed to be a fire and forget type device—with no need to resort to other tactics afterwards. I think skudding off at high-speed is far more dangerous than lying to a JSD. One requires the crew and captain to be exposed to the storm and to actively steer the boat. The other is a much more passive technique, and allows the, more likely than not, exhausted captain and crew to hunker down and get some rest.
 
#28 ·
I think skudding off at high-speed is far more dangerous than lying to a JSD. One requires the crew and captain to be exposed to the storm and to actively steer the boat. The other is a much more passive technique, and allows the, more likely than not, exhausted captain and crew to hunker down and get some rest.
My problem with skudding off at any speed :) is that when nightfall comes the weather that caused the need for survival tactics is often not conducive to decent night vision and when your running ahead of a huge following (sometimes breaking) sea, it requires very good judgement of the angle your are running at relative to the wave train. On a dark night this is not easy when there is little ambient light about and seriously dangerous if you get it wrong.

In the daytime however, I have often and will again entrust the management of the boat to my 24-hour crewmember - my faithful and very competent autopilot.

Mottissier was without doubt a better sailor than I am and one thing is for sure: he was really far more courageous :p

Andre
 
#30 ·
You guys should read "Storm Tactics Handbook" by Lin and Larry Purdy (look for it on Amazon, I couldn't find it on SailNet). In this, they describe a method for heaving to, on almost any boat, as a method for riding out storms. They talk about a number of storms that they have survived in this way.

Of course, before heaving to in a large storm, you reduce sail (you probably would have already done that as the wind started to pick up). You would be on a second (or third) reef and the storm jib before doing this. They also recommend dragging a sea anchor from the forward, windward rail (near the bow) to assist.

You are right, that you would need enough sea room to do this. Also, I think that there is no "one size fits all (situations)" method.

Jeff Griglack
Pearson 30 #182 "Blithe Spirit"
 
#31 ·
First of all, it is Larry and Lin Pardey.

Second, heaving to isn't always a good tactic, as it really depends on the boat, the sails, the wind and waves... some boats don't heave to very well. This is often the case with more modern designs, which don't have the keel area to heave to and create the "protective slick" that the Pardeys describe. Modern fin keels often are too small in surface area and often require water moving over their surface to generate lift and prevent significant leeway as well-and don't do much when the boat is heaved to.

What may have worked for the Pardeys in a relatively old design boat, with a full keel, may not be applicable to a different design boat.

There is no one solution.
 
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#32 ·
Heaving to

In 40 - 50 I sail "jib and reefed jigger" (staysail and reefed mizzen) in 50 - 60+ we heave to with just a reefed mizzen bolted down amidships and go to sleep and wait for better weather. Sloops have no business being out in winds that great. Get a stout double headsail Ketch if you want to be out in a hurricane. Get one with a reef or two in the mizzen. Batten down all the hatches and clear the decks. Your decks will be washed very clean! Clean of everything, including the occassional lifeline stanchion. I very rarely use my main trysail. If I had to beat off a lee shore I probably would, but I never get myself into that situation in the first place,hence the trysail looks like new and it's track is virtually unused.
 
#33 ·
Sloops have no business being out in winds that great. Get a stout double headsail Ketch if you want to be out in a hurricane.
Very few sailors want to be out there in a hurricane but regrettably the hurricanes don't know this or care. When you're out there you're out there, sloop or no. Best you understand what to do next.

The vessel that I wouldn't choose for really heavy weather is a multi because heaving to must a dodgy option with little or no resistance to leeway. Or do I have this wrong SD? (my limited experience with multis herewith declared :p ) How do you heave a multi to? Sea anchors I guess.

Andre
 
#34 ·
One of the better tactics for a multihull is lying ahull. Since they don't have a heavy keel, they tend to float up with the waves, rather than get dragged through them. Most multis don't have a deep keel to trip over either. If a multihull has to stop in a heavy storm a Jordan Series Drogue is probably the best choice of devices to use—since it is designed to help prevent wave and stom induced capsizes.
 
#35 · (Edited)
Heaving-to in storms, yes or no

Fellow sailors have already offered good advice on this subject but like all things relating to boats we find differing opinions. My boat is full keel. Based on her sea keeping ability, and my own experiences, I believe in heaving-to. During my seven-year solo voyage around the world I hove-to for many of the reasons discussed: to rest, to wait for dawn before entering a new port, to make repairs, to let a ship pass in front or back, to wait out a short lived squall, or in the case of a "Southerly Buster"off the coast of New South Wales, Australia to ride out 45 to 60 knot blow for three days.

In the Red Sea, 50 knot plus winds forced me to run down wind with trysail and storm jib. The waves , however were 10 feet and under. Had they threatened broaches, roles or pitch poling, I would have hove-to instead. For cruisers, I believe that continuing a course down wind in steep breaking waves, whether under storm sails or bare poles is courting disaster.

Now can you heave -to in hurricane winds with sail up? Never tried it but I assume sails would shred. For that reason I carried a parachute anchor for the ultimate storm. I dodged several but never deployed my parachute anchor.

I am not yet sold on the series drogue tactic because it doesn't appear to create a wide enough slick to protect the boat from approaching waves and because it seems to me that it would hold the stern down just when it needs to rise to meet an approaching wave. To be fair, though, I have never tried a series drogue nor do I know anyone who has.
 
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