Do you Heave to, between races?

[SailorTom]

Is there any problem with heaving to? Yesterday we had 5+hour series of 4 races. Between on one occasion I heaved to to change clothes, getting warm But people kept coming by and looking at us like we were crazy and maybe in trouble! That's when I realized I've never noticed anyone else heave to. We have just plain dacron not the laminated go fast sails.

I always use heave to almost every time I sail. I've never noticed any wear on sails or any other issues. Am I missing something, or is this just a forgotten skill in this age of autohelms?

 

[whatfiero]

Racing

Nothing wrong with it they were just checking out the competition

 

[Jackdaw]

Where you by yourself?

Normally when sailing a crewed race we do what most boats do between races; swap the driver out so he/she can have a break; eat/drink/pee. The new driver gets some tiller time, and you can continue to monitor the wind direction and shifts. Under certain conditions we will do this only under main.. that's easier all-around but on smaller boats its harder to track wind direction if you can't point. And you are right; heaving to is not popular with the laminated sail set. We actually keep track of number of times we snap the luff when it flogs.

 

[Stu Jackson]

We do. And others have NO idea what we're doing! They furl their jibs and dance around on their mains.

Your boat, your choice.

Jack's right about the whys.

 

[SailorTom]

Where you by yourself?
heaving to is not popular with the laminated sail set. We actually keep track of number of times we snap the luff when it flogs.

Two, and sometimes wishing for a 3rd(rail meat. Yeah I've heard those laminate sails can go bye, bye with very little warning! We normally race one-design Flying Scot so Dacron is the only choice

 

[Benny17441]

I sometimes just "heave to" to have lunch and yes boats do come around to check out what is happening. I guess the majority of these boaters have no clue that you can almost stop the boat in the water to a controlled drift.

 

[PaulK]

Are you sailing solo? If you heave to and then head below, people naturally wonder what is going on with a boat with no one at the helm or topsides in less than gale conditions. The boat is not being steered. It is veering back and forth, uncontrolled, in an area that has many other boats (competitors) nearby. This is NOT seamanlike behavior, to depend upon THEM avoiding YOU. Of course they wonder if the crew (you) have gone overboard. They're certainly concerned that there might be a problem of some sort. Did you advise your intentions to the fleet over the radio beforehand? If one of them on starboard tack manages to hit you while you're smugly heating up your tea below, your insurance company is not going to be your friend for long. Plus, if you're in a tri, you're still moving at a respectable speed when you're hove-to as compared to a monohull. To them you're not the stable point you think you are - you're a major obstacle and unpredictable impediment. Heaving to out on the ocean is one thing. Doing it in tight quarters with other vessels is something else.

 

[Chief RA]

Heaving to is not an "uncontrolled" state! Chief

 

[weinie]

No.
It's normally a good time to let the guy who never steered before have a chance to learn.

 

[SailorTom]

Heaving to is not an "uncontrolled" state! Chief

Ditto, thumbs up or whatever this site does

Time to head below in the flying scot and make some tea!

 

[PaulK]

Heaving to is not an "uncontrolled" state! Chief

Your boat holds a steady heading(within, say, 10º) when you heave to? Mine doesn't. Veering around by 10-30º with no one at the helm or visible on deck, does not project an image of being in control. In nasty conditions heaving to may result in more control and be safer than other options, but it is not the same as having a full crew on watch and ready to make any necessary maneuvers.

 

[SailorTom]

Your boat holds a steady heading(within, say, 10º) when you heave to? Mine doesn't. Veering around by 10-30º with no one at the helm or visible on deck, does not project an image of being in control.

Suggest you try more variations in headsail sail set, main sail set and tiller set. I've hove to in full keel, fin and centerboard. They were/are all well behaved and fore reaching at maybe 0.25 to 0.5kts in a most Seamanlike way!

 

[MrBill_FLL]

Rarely, more just luffing in position especially if its light and fickle air.