I was out by myself in my newly bought Ty yesterday and tried heaving to a few times. Having come from a J24/S2 et al. background, I've never had to do this. What a great way to park the boat when you need something or nature calls!
My question though is: in higher weather conditions will this work the same way? I was only in about 15kts of wind with little waves. Also, how does one control the angle of the boat to the waves? I noticed that the boat was more on the beam than might be desirable.
Thanks for the advice.
mcurati@earthlink.net
Heaving to (Ty)
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
Catherine Monaghan
Re: Heaving to (Ty)
Marino,
Take a look at this posting from the West Wight Potter's Owners' archive. This fellow describes heaving to with his Typhoon.
<a href="http://potter-yachters.org/archive/1999 ... 39.html</a>
If winds are heavy, you need to reef. Once your sails are reefed, you should still be able to heave to. Actually, you can reef after heaving to.
You may want to get your hands on Lin and Larry Pardey's "Storm Tactics Handbook".
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 <a href="http://www.hometown.aol.com/bcomet/real ... ization</a>, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
Take a look at this posting from the West Wight Potter's Owners' archive. This fellow describes heaving to with his Typhoon.
<a href="http://potter-yachters.org/archive/1999 ... 39.html</a>
If winds are heavy, you need to reef. Once your sails are reefed, you should still be able to heave to. Actually, you can reef after heaving to.
You may want to get your hands on Lin and Larry Pardey's "Storm Tactics Handbook".
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 <a href="http://www.hometown.aol.com/bcomet/real ... ization</a>, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
Marino Curati wrote: I was out by myself in my newly bought Ty yesterday and tried heaving to a few times. Having come from a J24/S2 et al. background, I've never had to do this. What a great way to park the boat when you need something or nature calls!
My question though is: in higher weather conditions will this work the same way? I was only in about 15kts of wind with little waves. Also, how does one control the angle of the boat to the waves? I noticed that the boat was more on the beam than might be desirable.
Thanks for the advice.
catherine_monaghan@merck.com
-
john vigor
Heaving to
Marino, yes heaving-to works in higher winds, too, but the controlling element is more the sea state than the wind. You can heave to until the building waves start to knock the boat around every which way.
You'll find that the mainsail is mostly in the lee of the backed jib, so it doesn't contribute to heeling as much as usual.
The angle the boat takes up to the wind and waves depends on three adjustments: 1. How far you sheet in the mainsail; 2. How far you back the jib; 3. How far you put the tiller down.
The farther you sheet the mainsail in, and the farther you lash the tiller down toward the leeward coaming, the higher she'll point. The farther you back the jib to windward, and the closer the tiller is to the centerline, the more she'll head away from the wind.
Experiment with these three adjustments one at a time in a reasonably strong wind, and note the difference it makes. If you sheet the main in, you can get the boat to forge ahead slowly. If you ease the mainsheet all you can without letting it flap, she'll lie more sideways on, with less forward motion, and create a protective slick of swirls to weather as she drags her keel sideways through the water.
Incidentally, you won't be able to face her straight into the waves. An angle of about 45 degrees to the true wind is about the best she'll do in heavy conditions, and that's fine. After bashing to windward for hours in rough conditions, the peace and comfort of heaving to is an astonishing change.
I've practised heaving to in all sorts of conditions, even in small dinghies, where it's great fun to heave to on the start line and run sideways down the line to the consternation of the competition. They actually have right of way, but never seem to realize it. They seem to think you're out of control and they always leave you a beautiful hole to start in.
The hove-to position on starboard tack gives you right of way over all regular vessels while you cook or navigate, and is ideal for reefing the mainsail.
Incidentally, the easiest way to heave to is to trim the sails for a beat on port tack, sheet that jib in tight, and then simply go about without touching the jib sheet. Ease the mainsheet slightly immediately, and hold the helm right down to leeward as soon as the jib has backed, and lash the helm there. Then, at your leisure, ease the jib until she's lying as you want her to. Watch out for chafe of the jib sheet on the windward shrouds. And watch out for anything to leeward--you'll make a lot of leeway. In fact, even when you're pointing 45 degrees to the wind, your actual course, if she's moving slowly forward, is about 90 degrees to the wind.
Cheers,
John Vigor
CD25D "Jabula"
jvig@whidbey.net
You'll find that the mainsail is mostly in the lee of the backed jib, so it doesn't contribute to heeling as much as usual.
The angle the boat takes up to the wind and waves depends on three adjustments: 1. How far you sheet in the mainsail; 2. How far you back the jib; 3. How far you put the tiller down.
The farther you sheet the mainsail in, and the farther you lash the tiller down toward the leeward coaming, the higher she'll point. The farther you back the jib to windward, and the closer the tiller is to the centerline, the more she'll head away from the wind.
Experiment with these three adjustments one at a time in a reasonably strong wind, and note the difference it makes. If you sheet the main in, you can get the boat to forge ahead slowly. If you ease the mainsheet all you can without letting it flap, she'll lie more sideways on, with less forward motion, and create a protective slick of swirls to weather as she drags her keel sideways through the water.
Incidentally, you won't be able to face her straight into the waves. An angle of about 45 degrees to the true wind is about the best she'll do in heavy conditions, and that's fine. After bashing to windward for hours in rough conditions, the peace and comfort of heaving to is an astonishing change.
I've practised heaving to in all sorts of conditions, even in small dinghies, where it's great fun to heave to on the start line and run sideways down the line to the consternation of the competition. They actually have right of way, but never seem to realize it. They seem to think you're out of control and they always leave you a beautiful hole to start in.
The hove-to position on starboard tack gives you right of way over all regular vessels while you cook or navigate, and is ideal for reefing the mainsail.
Incidentally, the easiest way to heave to is to trim the sails for a beat on port tack, sheet that jib in tight, and then simply go about without touching the jib sheet. Ease the mainsheet slightly immediately, and hold the helm right down to leeward as soon as the jib has backed, and lash the helm there. Then, at your leisure, ease the jib until she's lying as you want her to. Watch out for chafe of the jib sheet on the windward shrouds. And watch out for anything to leeward--you'll make a lot of leeway. In fact, even when you're pointing 45 degrees to the wind, your actual course, if she's moving slowly forward, is about 90 degrees to the wind.
Cheers,
John Vigor
CD25D "Jabula"
jvig@whidbey.net
-
sloopjohnl
Re: Heaving to (Ty)
if your looking to make little progress forward and have lots of room to leeward, drop the main, back the jib and lash the tiller down. put a quarter in the meter because you can park comfortably in high winds for a good long while.
Marino Curati wrote: I was out by myself in my newly bought Ty yesterday and tried heaving to a few times. Having come from a J24/S2 et al. background, I've never had to do this. What a great way to park the boat when you need something or nature calls!
My question though is: in higher weather conditions will this work the same way? I was only in about 15kts of wind with little waves. Also, how does one control the angle of the boat to the waves? I noticed that the boat was more on the beam than might be desirable.
Thanks for the advice.
-
Don Craig
John: Excellent and informative. Thanks. Love this board!
NM
john vigor wrote: Marino, yes heaving-to works in higher winds, too, but the controlling element is more the sea state than the wind. You can heave to until the building waves start to knock the boat around every which way.
You'll find that the mainsail is mostly in the lee of the backed jib, so it doesn't contribute to heeling as much as usual.
The angle the boat takes up to the wind and waves depends on three adjustments: 1. How far you sheet in the mainsail; 2. How far you back the jib; 3. How far you put the tiller down.
The farther you sheet the mainsail in, and the farther you lash the tiller down toward the leeward coaming, the higher she'll point. The farther you back the jib to windward, and the closer the tiller is to the centerline, the more she'll head away from the wind.
Experiment with these three adjustments one at a time in a reasonably strong wind, and note the difference it makes. If you sheet the main in, you can get the boat to forge ahead slowly. If you ease the mainsheet all you can without letting it flap, she'll lie more sideways on, with less forward motion, and create a protective slick of swirls to weather as she drags her keel sideways through the water.
Incidentally, you won't be able to face her straight into the waves. An angle of about 45 degrees to the true wind is about the best she'll do in heavy conditions, and that's fine. After bashing to windward for hours in rough conditions, the peace and comfort of heaving to is an astonishing change.
I've practised heaving to in all sorts of conditions, even in small dinghies, where it's great fun to heave to on the start line and run sideways down the line to the consternation of the competition. They actually have right of way, but never seem to realize it. They seem to think you're out of control and they always leave you a beautiful hole to start in.
The hove-to position on starboard tack gives you right of way over all regular vessels while you cook or navigate, and is ideal for reefing the mainsail.
Incidentally, the easiest way to heave to is to trim the sails for a beat on port tack, sheet that jib in tight, and then simply go about without touching the jib sheet. Ease the mainsheet slightly immediately, and hold the helm right down to leeward as soon as the jib has backed, and lash the helm there. Then, at your leisure, ease the jib until she's lying as you want her to. Watch out for chafe of the jib sheet on the windward shrouds. And watch out for anything to leeward--you'll make a lot of leeway. In fact, even when you're pointing 45 degrees to the wind, your actual course, if she's moving slowly forward, is about 90 degrees to the wind.
Cheers,
John Vigor
CD25D "Jabula"
-
Marino
Re: Heaving to
Thanks very much for the detailed advice. It's supposed to build to 35 kts tonight on Lake Erie so maybe I'll go out and give it a try. - kidding of course.
-
sv Nomad
Re: Heaving to (Ty)
I just finished reading the Pardeys' new book "Storm Tactics Handbook", in which they did a fantastic job of selling the idea of heaving to as opposed to running in storm conditions. Their experiences are many, their arguments are compelling, especially after we realize that their vessel is a 29' full keeled cutter.
They recommend dousing the jib totally and strapping in a deeply reefed main (or storm trysail), with an appropriate amount of rudder for a boat's 50 deg. angle to the seas. The force of the wind on the bows of the boat alone may well be sufficient to require full opposing helm and/or touch of mainsail. The balance to strive for, according to the Pardeys, is NO forward motion, and a drift dead to leeward. This leeward drift has the ability to prevent breaking waves in the resulting slick to windward, resulting in much reduced rockin' and rollin'. Wind forces forward of CLR ( approx. center of the keel)will tend to blow the boat down wind, forces aft of CLR (controlled with trysail or main) will head boat into the wind.
Rather than go on, long-winded, let me highly recommend the "Storm Tactics Handbook"; it is a very enlightening work, and I bet will get you enthused to go practice heaving-to in the real heavy weather!!
Fair winds
s/v Nomad CD 31 #008
skuhlman@sprynet.com
They recommend dousing the jib totally and strapping in a deeply reefed main (or storm trysail), with an appropriate amount of rudder for a boat's 50 deg. angle to the seas. The force of the wind on the bows of the boat alone may well be sufficient to require full opposing helm and/or touch of mainsail. The balance to strive for, according to the Pardeys, is NO forward motion, and a drift dead to leeward. This leeward drift has the ability to prevent breaking waves in the resulting slick to windward, resulting in much reduced rockin' and rollin'. Wind forces forward of CLR ( approx. center of the keel)will tend to blow the boat down wind, forces aft of CLR (controlled with trysail or main) will head boat into the wind.
Rather than go on, long-winded, let me highly recommend the "Storm Tactics Handbook"; it is a very enlightening work, and I bet will get you enthused to go practice heaving-to in the real heavy weather!!
Fair winds
s/v Nomad CD 31 #008
skuhlman@sprynet.com