How to heave to

[Steve Laume]

Forereaching seems like a better option if you are going to drop the main sail. If you are hove to and drop the main it will seriously upset the balance. The other nice thing about forereaching is that when you are ready to go again you do not have to mess with the jib but can simply bear off again, Steve.

[Neil Gordon]

Forereaching seems like a better option if you are going to drop the main sail. If you are hove to and drop the main it will seriously upset the balance.

But that's pretty much what happens when you heave to in order to reef, i.e., the main is depowered when the halyard is released. The boat still pretty much sits there with the backed jib and lashed helm opposing each other.

[Steve Laume]

I have never dropped the main with the jib backed. I always imagined the since the main would no longer be driving the boat, that the rudder would be overwhelmed by the backed jib and the boat would fall off the wind.

If the main and the rudder are in balance with the backed jib then how does that work when you lose the power of the main to keep the boat headed up? I am not necessarily questioning weather it works but how, Steve.

[casampson]

Here's a very interesting excerpt about forereaching and heaving to. It helped me understand the difference.

http://www.bethandevans.com/pdf/heavingto.pdf

[Shinok]

I have never dropped the main with the jib backed. I always imagined the since the main would no longer be driving the boat, that the rudder would be overwhelmed by the backed jib and the boat would fall off the wind.

We never have to use the main to remain hove to. In fact, the first I had heard of anyone using the main was a few weeks ago, I figured everyone just used headsail alone, so that was a whole new world of experiments for me to try . We heave to fairly frequently, basically if I have to do anything with the main or even to start the engine, I heave to so that I can take my time. If anything, I do it too much, I should probably learn alternative ways of doing those things, so I don't get into trouble.

If we have a 100% or less up, it's a no brainer, I let the main out mid tack, fall off and don't change the jib sheet. The boat comes to a halt and the rudder/jib counteract each other perfectly. I did this the other day, in fact, it was blowing ~20 knots and the guy I was with (non-sailor) commented it was like we dropped an anchor.

I have, on several occasions, hove to on a larger genoa and that took a bit of practice. The key, in what I've experienced (especially with the genoa), is making sure you have barely any forward momentum (just enough for the rudder to have the authority to counteract the jib filling) when you cross over to the other side of your tack and don't delay with counteracting with the rudder. If you have too much momentum, you'll tack again, if you don't have enough, you'll fall off and the rudder won't counteract the wind pushing the bow around. Once the initial forces even out, the boat should settle in and stay there. It sounds more complicated than it is, you will eventually just get a feel for it, but I would be prepared to mess it up a few times with larger headsails.

Has anyone tried heaving to on main only in a 27? I have not tried, but was thinking of going out and experimenting this weekend.

[tjr818]

Has anyone tried heaving to on main only in a 27? I have not tried, but was thinking of going out and experimenting this weekend.

I'd love to try it, but it is going to be 7 degrees this weekend. In the past I have been able to heave to with our CD27 with the working jib and a reefed main. When I lowered the main we "pretty much" remained hove to. I will try this many more times once the water get soft again (April maybe?).

[Dick Barthel]

I heave to when single handing in order to drop my main. Much easier, especially when it's blowing a ton. Safer too.

I ask because on those very few times I have single handed I have: (1) started the engine; (2) headed into the wind; (3) furled the Genoa; and (4) worked my way to the mast to drop the main. I am still thinking about running the main halyard aft to the cockpit so I can drop the main from the cockpit without going up to the mast.

Robert, I wouldn't bother to run the halyard aft until you replace the orignal sail slides and track with a new system. Before I did that the sail would constantly get hung up as each slide arrived at the gate so would seem you'd have to be up at the mast. After installing a new slide system it drops in a flash. Add a lazy jack and it's an easy quick trip to the mast. I've never tried heaving to while dropping the main but that would even make it easier. I haven't moved the halyard aft and probably don't think that I will.

Just me two cents.

Dick