A comment...

[Alan]

Learning basic sailing skills is not enough. Skills must be practiced and weather conditions challenged in order to improve your sailing skills. What could be worse than being out on the water on a gentle sea when suddenly a storm rips through with rising seas and heavy wind. Without knowing how to handle these sorts of conditions we would never be a confident and knowledgeable sailor.Practicing various sailing skills builds confidence and makes you a better and safer sailor.No one is immune to sudden bad weather and every sailor needs to have the knowledge and confidence to be able to handle it. Heaving to is a skill that every sailor needs to be able to master. It is a means to handle almost any bad weather with calm and thoughtfulness without risking danger.

 

[GuyT]

ASA 101 skills

Alan, ASA teaches this skill in the introduction to keelboat sailing. Anyone who does not know this skill can get the book from B&K or Walden books.I learned to sail with the ASA, and I give them a good rating.

 

[CharlieCobra]

I beleive it's something you have to do, not read.

My boat absolutely REFUSED to heave to in normal conditions, it just would not stay in place but when the CRAP hit the fan at 45+, it did what it was supposed to do. Reading about heavy weather sailing is all good but nothing beats getting out there and doing it. Now I'm not advocating sailing out in Storm conditions but I see lots of advantages in going out in steps up of worsening weather to practice your skills.1. 15-20 singlehanded a couple of times.2. 20-30 for a few times...3. Higher steps than that if you feel confident, prepared and the boat is up to the task.Not all sailors know how to setup their boats for adverse weather and not all boats are up to the challenge. I know I'd likely be in trouble if I stuffed the bow into a wave with that crappy little for'ard hatch on my boat and getting pooped wouldn't be good either because of the small scupper. Pick your poison wisely and practice your skill. Don't rush out into SCA conditions right off the bat to see if "Ya got it".

 

[Don Guillette]

Basic sailing Skills

Some might be amazed at the number of folks who buy a sail boat and have absolutely no idea what they are getting into. Additionally, many of them never get beyond the basic sail trim level.Practice, with a step by step technique in mind, is very important whether your hitting a baseball, kicking a soccer ball or hitting a golf ball. The way to determine the proper technique is through a book, video or an instructor who really knows how to communicate. Once you know the correct proceedure THEN your ready to practice. Difficult situations such as man over board, reefing etc have to be automatic. Think of this situation - your the skipper and everything is turning to crap and the crew turns to look at you and you have no one to turn to. Hopefully you'll know what to do.Here's how I know a lot of folks buy sail boats with no idea what they are getting into. A number of years ago a friend of mine was selling boats in Long Beach, Ca. He was great with power boats and the engine side of sail boats but he did not know anything about sailing. One day at the Shoreline YC (Long Beach) bar he was bemoaning this problem and I told him that perhaps I could help him sell sail boats. I told him to call me the next time he was taking a customer on a demo. A week later out we went out with a couple on a Catalina 34 who had zero sailing experience. I just did some basic stuff with the main and jib but most importantly showed them what the boat was capable of doing and how much fun they could have with the boat when the sails are set correctly. They bought the boat!! We did it about 7 more times and he sold 3 more boats.I really thought I had latched onto something and talked to just about every boat broker in Long Beach about how I could help them sell sail boats for a small piece of the action. Do you know how many of them took me up on my offer - not one!!

 

[Dave D 94 H26]

gee

I'm impressed

 

[Alan]

Dave

...impressed with what? *o

 

[Alan]

Dave

...impressed with what? *o

 

[Alan]

Dave

...impressed with what? *o

 

[Alan]

Dave

...impressed with what? *o

 

[Alan]

Dave

...impressed with what? *o

 

[Alan]

Dave

...impressed with what? *o

 

[Alan]

Dave

...impressed with what? *o

 

[Bob Moretti]

Heaving to

A few years back I went to an U.S. Sailing seminar designed to prepare attendees for offshore voyaging. There was a class of about 30 to 40 people. At one point the instructor asked how many people had executed heaving-to with their boats. Besides me, there was only one other person! And this other person was the son of a famous designer of a heavy weather drag device.I'm always stumped by this. Heaving to is such an easy and versatile maneuver that one would think that it would be among the first skills taught.

 

[gpd955]

Every time

we go out we try to practice something, even if it as simple as donning a pfd. Practice may not make us perfect but at least we'll have a clue when we need to take action!! The challenge is fun and usually takes 10-15 minutes out of a 4-5 hour sail. And then there's the "practice" when the unexpected happens, like the severely fouled furler, or the fresh water tank filter split! Jack Mannings/v Victim of FateAtlantic City, NJ

 

[Seattle Scott]

And heaving to it amazingly Cool

I was barreling along close hauled, singled handing at the end of the day, on a bee line for the marina. The wind and seas had built and I was a little cold and tired, looking forward to the slip. A ship is plowing upwind on a crossing path and I don't want to cross in front. I think about falling off and going around the stern but then I will have more of a upwind fight afte that. So I tack away from the ship and the marina and I start fuming thinking this is a pain in the butt, I have just increased the time it will take for the ship to pass and I am headed away from the slip. Then I think "heave to" and tack back without touching the sheets, then put the rudder over hard to windward and the boat stalls nicely, bobing along sliding downwind. I am a few hundred yards from the ship, which is now gong to pass off my bow in a couple of minutes. So, there bieng no other trafic around, I go below, get a jacket and refresh by coffee, pop back up on deck, don't touch anything, just go take seat and watch the ship pass,release the jib, ruder back to midline, and off I go. Heaving to is the only way to park your boat with a simple turn of the rudder. Sometimes you just want to stop, make a repair, have lunch, figure out where you are, let traffic pass, give you and your crew a break. Once done, it is amazingly calming. You can go from burying the rail to making lunch in about 10 seconds. Good post Alan.