Heave-to...sharing experience

[Franklin]

I know we talked a lot about this in other threads and that's where I got the idea to try a drag device so I thought I would share my results.

Note: Weather was just normal weather, about 15 knots.

On my boat I have a big problem with sailing out of the slick (turbulance). It's this slick that is so important when using heave-to as a heavy weather tactic. If the slick isn't going sideways from your boat, you are sailing out of it which is very common on my boat as others too I'm sure.

The trick I tried last weekend was to drag a fisherman's drifting drogue for a 50' boat that I got at REI for about $25. I first dragged it from the stern while heave-to and it did slow the boat down and did get the slick closer to being between the boat and the waves, but it changed the angle of the boat to the wind to more stern towards with wind. So then I moved it to the bow and it worked much much better. I almost had a perfect sideways slick and it was very noticable of the slick smoothing out the waves, even though they were only 2 feet high, it was impressive.

So there you go, if you are trying to as a heavy-weather technique and are having troubles getting the slick right, drag something off the bow.

Also want to note that I first tried dragging a small lunch hook and that did nothing at all. It takes a good dragging device like that drifter I got from REI.

 

[Franklin]

oh yeah, and I did play with the sails a lot first to try all combinations before trying the dragging device. I was out there for about 40 minutes trying all these different options. Others kept sailing by to see if I was alright.

 

[John]

Thanks, Franklin. What you did sounds more or less like what the Pardeys recommend. I've tried heaving to (on a C36) but without a drag of any kind. I seem to have the same problem of sailing past the slick. I've always wanted to try using a sea anchor off the bow. Maybe I will try it this spring.

 

[RichH]

The "Pardy Method" for heaving-to to a drouge is to attach the drouge to the bow and then attach a bridle line from the stern that is adjustable by a winch and tied to the drouge line ... so that the boat will sit at the proper angle that causes the boat to stay in the 'slick'.

 

[Scott On Eagles Wings]

OK, I am going to show my ignorance. Can you explain the slick? Thanks in advance.

 

[Stu Jackson]

John, when I get better and join you again for a sail

I'll show you how to do it. It works much better with a smaller working (110 or smaller) jib, but I can show you how to do it with yours. The trick is to make sure you're sailing closehauled before you tack into the heave to position. Many folks do it wrong, from a reach, which doesn't work.

Scot -- Slick: the water to the side of the boat that occurs when you heave to; the boat's going sideways and the slick is upwind from you, created by the boat's movement through the water; consider it a sideways "wake." Do a Google on heave to or a search here to read lots more.

 

[RichH]

Scott -
The 'slick' is a zone of turbulance caused by the boat skidding sideways when hove-to. The slick is important in that it tends to subdue a 'breaking wave' or quickly forces that wave to *break long before it gets to the boat*.
So, the benefit of staying in the slick (of turbulence) is that the boat will be at the least risk of being hit by the (dangerous) breaking wave. If the waves arent breaking, then there isnt much need to precisely adjust the attitude of the boat and its sails to 'stay exactly in the slick'. Then you can easily 'fore reach' along and still make some 'way'.

If you ever crossed behind a long multiple towed line of barges ... whats coming off their wake is exactly what the (turbulent) 'slick' will look like. When a dangerous sea state of breaking waves develops, you heave-to and keep your boat exactly drifting downwind IN the bounds of the turbulence or 'slick'.

 

[Franklin]

Nicely said RichH to a very good question. Most sailors don't understand the slick as they are told a heave-to is just backwinding the headsail and lashing the helm to windward and that does work for 90% of the need for a heave-to.

 

[rpwillia]

I am with Scott here in having a little trouble understanding. Does anyone have a picture of a slick?

 

[jwieneck]

I think I will go get the drag device at REI I am a member. I guess I will have to wait until May to try it.

 

[Franklin]

I am with Scott here in having a little trouble understanding. Does anyone have a picture of a slick?

No picture but you can make one yourself. Next time you take a bath, before you get in, make some waves with your hand. Then take your hand, put it halfway in and move it sideways. You will see that the water that fills in the void your hand was in kind of turns in circules...one from each side. That is the turbulance we are talking about. It will have a hugh effect on the waves and you should see it in the bathtub.

The keel does the same thing when it's going sideways, not forwards like normal. If you have a spade rudder, it will do the same thing.

 

[ITMaster]

Franklin, you mentioned that you were experimenting with a

fisherman's drifting drogue for a 50' boat that I got at REI

Is this a Seattle Sports Drift Anchor/Sea Drogue that you are talking about? I didn't see it mentioned that it was for a 50' boat. Is this correct and the price of from 25 to 30 bucks?

That is too good to be true. If it is correct, I suspect these people will wind up selling out of these fairly quick.

Thanks for your sharing this with us.

Tom

 

[Franklin]

No, it's not a drogue or sea anchor....it's only about 3-4 feet wide and made of light material. I bought it one day wondering if I might find a use for it...after all, what can you get for a boat at $25? That was about 3 years ago.

I believe it's called a Drifter, used for 50' fishing boats who don't want to throw out the anchor but wants to slow down it's drifting in windy conditions.

It might be strong enough for when I'm hove-to but not strong enough to use as a drogue or sea anchor. I have a $1400 Jordan Series Drogue for that.

 

[MrBee]

The "Slick" is nothing more than a "Wake". Look behind a boat under way, it leaves a wake behind. The Slick is just a Wake from the side of the boat instead of off the Stern. The boat will be drifting side ways a little and the "Wake" coming off the side of the boat causes the rough water and waves to flatten out some. Example - a motor boat motoring in rough water, look at the wake compared to the water around it. The wake will be more calm than the water around it.

Bee

 

[Franklin]

The slick from a proper heave-to has a lot more turbulence because the keel is going sideways, not straight. It's the keel and the rudder that causes the turbulence.

 

[Napa Ed]

http://landlpardey.com/

towards the end of the video you'll see some footage of the slick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwlCARfnO5s

 

[Stu Jackson]

The keel, the rudder

and the hull all combine to create the slick.

 

[Scott On Eagles Wings]

Re: The keel, the rudder

Between all the explainations I've got it. Heave to all the time on our lake were braking waves are not usually a concern. I know alot more than I did four years ago and I still don't know anything about sailing. Thanks for the lesson.

 

[oldiesrocker2001]

I know just how you feel, Scott. I seem to always find out how little I really know about the subject. Have never been able to keep my v21 hove to for more that a very short time-also lake sailed with few waves to ever contend with. I often wondered if it would work better with the swing keel up, but then I don't think she'd sail close hauled for very long in a strong wind without the keel all the way down. I saw fisherman's drogue style anchors at cabelas on line and was considering them myself.
I've put in for a mooring at the state marina at hapatcong since the private marina will likely cost more yearly than the boat did but they seemed annoyed that I was asking silly first-time mooring questions(like do I need my own ball and by when?; chain too? etc..) so they probably threw my app into the trash..

 

[Scott On Eagles Wings]

oldies rocker that is a county park called Lee's with the morings. I have never meet anybody that has gotten in there without being a Morris County resident. I think the through all no resident applications in the trash. We hove too all the time on Lake Hopatcong but you really have to watch the stink pots, they don't have a clue what we are doing. Did you try the Windless for a slip? With gass prices going back down it may be hard to find slips on the lake again. PM me if you need more info.