What exactly does that term mean, and how do you do it? I've looked around the archives and can't find an answer. I'm generally not out in heavy weather, but it sounds like something that would be good to know.
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How to Heave To
Tack. Don't touch the jib sheets. When the boat comes through the eye of the wind, turn back up into the wind with your jib backwinded. If you have a tiller, put the tiller down to the low (leeward side). If you have a wheel, turn it to the windward side keep the boat balanced with the jib backwinded.
Tack. Don't touch the jib sheets. When the boat comes through the eye of the wind, turn back up into the wind with your jib backwinded. If you have a tiller, put the tiller down to the low (leeward side). If you have a wheel, turn it to the windward side keep the boat balanced with the jib backwinded.
don't forget the main
Let the main tack over. Its the jib trying the round the boat up and the main trying to go to lee that stops the forward motion and balances the boat.
Let the main tack over. Its the jib trying the round the boat up and the main trying to go to lee that stops the forward motion and balances the boat.
One addition to Stu’s comments
Start from a close hauled course. I use this technique whenever I want to stop the boat. We use it to eat lunch, take a quick dip (with someone left on board), or a head break. I have also used it to hang out before or between races.
Start from a close hauled course. I use this technique whenever I want to stop the boat. We use it to eat lunch, take a quick dip (with someone left on board), or a head break. I have also used it to hang out before or between races.
Great stalling technique
We sail in Elliott Bay near downtown Seattle, so there is lots of commercial traffic like ferries, barges, freighters, etc. We often use this technique to stay out of the way before resuming our original course. Try it in light air to see how it works. Best, Trevor
We sail in Elliott Bay near downtown Seattle, so there is lots of commercial traffic like ferries, barges, freighters, etc. We often use this technique to stay out of the way before resuming our original course. Try it in light air to see how it works. Best, Trevor
Other "tweeks"
I've only done this once with any real success, but found that to really get the boat to stabilize in one position (relative to the waves) I needed to furl up the genny a bit and ease out the main a little to bring them into a closer competitive balance. My plan is to practice more with it as it's a great method to grab lunch or use the head when soloing.
I've only done this once with any real success, but found that to really get the boat to stabilize in one position (relative to the waves) I needed to furl up the genny a bit and ease out the main a little to bring them into a closer competitive balance. My plan is to practice more with it as it's a great method to grab lunch or use the head when soloing.
Great stalling technique
We sail in Elliott Bay near downtown Seattle, so there is lots of commercial traffic like ferries, barges, freighters, etc. We often use this technique to stay out of the way before resuming our original course. Try it in light air to see how it works. Best, Trevor
We sail in Elliott Bay near downtown Seattle, so there is lots of commercial traffic like ferries, barges, freighters, etc. We often use this technique to stay out of the way before resuming our original course. Try it in light air to see how it works. Best, Trevor
Heaving to is fab
Tom in Harpswell, Hey keep at it! I singlehand a lot in Nantucket Sound, and have many pleasant meals hove-to. I make a little less than a knot, the boat is stable, and makes for a nice rest after a couple hours pushing her to windward. Great for fishing, too, and a lot less trouble than dropping, or picking up the hook. And getting under way is a snap; just bring the jib out of it's backwinded position, untie the tiller (maybe in reverse order) tighten the main up and you are sailing. I also have read in a number of books that if you have the heavy short sails for it, it is a great way to sit out a big blow, but I am a near-shore kinda guy. Roger C27 & Mabel #5012 Cape Cod
Tom in Harpswell, Hey keep at it! I singlehand a lot in Nantucket Sound, and have many pleasant meals hove-to. I make a little less than a knot, the boat is stable, and makes for a nice rest after a couple hours pushing her to windward. Great for fishing, too, and a lot less trouble than dropping, or picking up the hook. And getting under way is a snap; just bring the jib out of it's backwinded position, untie the tiller (maybe in reverse order) tighten the main up and you are sailing. I also have read in a number of books that if you have the heavy short sails for it, it is a great way to sit out a big blow, but I am a near-shore kinda guy. Roger C27 & Mabel #5012 Cape Cod
Here is a good definition
Try the link below to Sailnet, seamanship, storm tactics as there are a number of articles. I have used the technique a few times but I realized I was not doing it correctly as I was lying abeam to the wind and the correct position is about 50 degrees off the wind. Something to try this weekend.
Try the link below to Sailnet, seamanship, storm tactics as there are a number of articles. I have used the technique a few times but I realized I was not doing it correctly as I was lying abeam to the wind and the correct position is about 50 degrees off the wind. Something to try this weekend.
Great way to relax in a blow
It's amazing how the boat relaxes when hove to. I would add to Stu's description that we move the traveler to leeward, and ease the mainsheet. We use the tail of the mainsheet to lassh the tiller about 15 degrees to leeward. In addition to lunch, and riding out the storm, heaving to is our standard reefing procedure while under way. The main is relaxed and controlled enough to easily reef. Either one of us can get up and go forward to hook the reef point on the rams horn, and tighten the jiffy reefing line. (This is usually me - but the Admiral is very relaxed with me away from the helm, because the boat is relaxed.) Learn how to heave to - this is critical for your enjoyment of being at sea in boats - even if you are close to shore! David Lady Lillie
It's amazing how the boat relaxes when hove to. I would add to Stu's description that we move the traveler to leeward, and ease the mainsheet. We use the tail of the mainsheet to lassh the tiller about 15 degrees to leeward. In addition to lunch, and riding out the storm, heaving to is our standard reefing procedure while under way. The main is relaxed and controlled enough to easily reef. Either one of us can get up and go forward to hook the reef point on the rams horn, and tighten the jiffy reefing line. (This is usually me - but the Admiral is very relaxed with me away from the helm, because the boat is relaxed.) Learn how to heave to - this is critical for your enjoyment of being at sea in boats - even if you are close to shore! David Lady Lillie
Thanks everyone
A lot of responses in a very short time. Thanks very much; this is something new for me to try the next time I go out. I've been trying to practice some heavy air tactics in light air so it's not panic time the next I get caught out in a storm. Of course, the best tactic for me is just to get back to the slip before a storm sets in, as I have a small boat that's generally less than 5-10 miles from home. But you never know, and plus I'd like to get a bigger boat and do some cruising someday.
A lot of responses in a very short time. Thanks very much; this is something new for me to try the next time I go out. I've been trying to practice some heavy air tactics in light air so it's not panic time the next I get caught out in a storm. Of course, the best tactic for me is just to get back to the slip before a storm sets in, as I have a small boat that's generally less than 5-10 miles from home. But you never know, and plus I'd like to get a bigger boat and do some cruising someday.
Also ...
1. Remember that while hove-to, your boat is still moving forward & sideways, albeit slowly. Make sure it's not toward a lee shore or other danger area. 2. One hove-to configuration doesn't necessarily apply universally. Every boat probably requires a different "setting" of sail area, trim angle, rudder angle, etc. for each range of wind/sea conditions. Practice over the range of those conditions. 3. The sideways slip does leave a "calm zone" of sorts to the windward that tends to smooth out the ride. I haven't looked into the physics, but suspect the technique alters the surface tension. I've seen the same type of affect when you put the boat into a hard 360 deg turn -- the water inside the turn area smooths out and becomes more transparent (great way to see the bottom through the chop in a shallow area). --RonD
1. Remember that while hove-to, your boat is still moving forward & sideways, albeit slowly. Make sure it's not toward a lee shore or other danger area. 2. One hove-to configuration doesn't necessarily apply universally. Every boat probably requires a different "setting" of sail area, trim angle, rudder angle, etc. for each range of wind/sea conditions. Practice over the range of those conditions. 3. The sideways slip does leave a "calm zone" of sorts to the windward that tends to smooth out the ride. I haven't looked into the physics, but suspect the technique alters the surface tension. I've seen the same type of affect when you put the boat into a hard 360 deg turn -- the water inside the turn area smooths out and becomes more transparent (great way to see the bottom through the chop in a shallow area). --RonD
Something else to consider
If you begin while on a port tack, you will end up heaved (hove) to on Starboard tack, and thus are the stand-on vessel in most situations (unless someone to leeward is also heaved to on starboard, I guess). Anyway, I was always taught to start on port, for this reason.
If you begin while on a port tack, you will end up heaved (hove) to on Starboard tack, and thus are the stand-on vessel in most situations (unless someone to leeward is also heaved to on starboard, I guess). Anyway, I was always taught to start on port, for this reason.
Getting Restarted
One more thing to add ... When you are ready to get underway again, simply handle the jib sheets as if you were tacking (bring the sheets to the lee)and straighten the rudder. You will take right off.
One more thing to add ... When you are ready to get underway again, simply handle the jib sheets as if you were tacking (bring the sheets to the lee)and straighten the rudder. You will take right off.
Calm zone or "slick"
A friend of mine recently explained to me that this calm zone, or "slick" as he called it, is magical and even crucial. When in a storm (he was in 60-70 kt typhoon winds 3 days out from Japan in a 50ft boat), the slick has the property that stops the waves from breaking. You heave-to such that you are exactly protected by your slick, and the waves break ahead and back, but not on your boat. They had trouble getting balanced and couldn't stay exactly in the slick but after two or three days they and the boat survived.
A friend of mine recently explained to me that this calm zone, or "slick" as he called it, is magical and even crucial. When in a storm (he was in 60-70 kt typhoon winds 3 days out from Japan in a 50ft boat), the slick has the property that stops the waves from breaking. You heave-to such that you are exactly protected by your slick, and the waves break ahead and back, but not on your boat. They had trouble getting balanced and couldn't stay exactly in the slick but after two or three days they and the boat survived.
Getting Restarted II
Another way to do it is to just jibe the main over while leaving the jib as is. Big part of this thread is that heaving to is NOT just for bluewater sailers. If the wind isn't heavy, you can just gybe around. Stu
Another way to do it is to just jibe the main over while leaving the jib as is. Big part of this thread is that heaving to is NOT just for bluewater sailers. If the wind isn't heavy, you can just gybe around. Stu
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