Next message: Rosalie B.: "Re: [world-cruising] heaving-to"
"Heaving to" means different things to different people. The classic
way to heave to is with a storm jib backed to windward and a
closehauled deep-reefed main or storm trysail sheeted flat. The boat
lies ahout 45 degrees off the wind and moves very slowly ahead. No
one need be at the helm.
That's the theory, but it can be hard to achieve in modern boats
with narrow keels and cutaway forefoots. Easily-driven modern boats
now usuually keep sailing to windward under very reduced canvas and
steering around the big waves.
"Lying ahull" --taking down all sail and letting the boat drift,
usually beam on to the wind--approximates heaving to except that the
boat is liable to be hit broadside by breaking seas and possibly
rolled over.
The progression in my boat, which is a 1960s cruiser-racer, is
heaving-to with a small jib and deep-reefed main, then laying ahull,
and if the breaking seas get threatening, slowly running off before
them.
--- In , Chris Curtis <ccurtis-keyword-
sailboat dot a927b9 at dot dot dot > wrote:
>
> Religion, politics, war discussions anyone? No, just kidding.
>
>
> Hey all. I have not posted here before, primarily because I
don't
> know what I'm talking about. I have learned a few things off
this
> list (of which I'm grateful). I would like to possibly cruise
when I
> retire (as soon as I can kick the kids out to college) in 13
years.
> I traveled throughout much of the world as a child, and I'd like
to
> do some more traveling after I'm no longer tied to my business
and
> home (here in the NW of the US). I currently have small sailboat
I
> sail on our very large lake here. I'm also building a second
> sailboat, which should be done before the season is over.
> I have a simple (stupid) heavy weather sailing question. I read
> about "heaving to" quite a bit. I'm under the impression that
this
> is actually just pointing into the wind, and unpowered. This
> "heaving to" is confusing to me. What if one "heave to" in bad
> weather and the waves are NOT going the same direction as the
wind.
> Could this not be dangerous if the waves slam the side or back of
> your vessel? Does one only heave to when changing (or
adjusting)
> sails assuming the weather is coming from the bow? Does the
wind
> always follow the wave or tide patterns. It just does not seem
that
> clean to me. I would imagine that there are times that all three
> forces are arriving from different directions and "heaving to"
would
> not necessarily be a "safe" move.
>
> I ask because I'm looking to learn about sailing in heavy weather
> (altho right now I'm 300 miles from the sea). My lake is 40+
miles
> long and 1000+ feet deep. The boat I'm building will allow me to
> sail in nastier weather (it can be piloted from inside the
cabin).
> I'm hoping to learn more from that boat (as opposed to the one I
> currently sail) when it's done. I also plan to buy the Pardee
book
> on heavy weather sailing after I'm done with buying all this
epoxy
> and glass!
>
> Pardon my neophyte understanding of the subject. Being able to
react
> (correctly) in bad weather is something I want to learn so I
don't
> get into trouble. Thanks to anyone who may comment (good or bad!)
>
>
> Chris Curtis
>
>
>
>
> On Mar 21, 2007, at 3:31 PM, Chuck Morford wrote:
>
> > Ok gang, we've had some complaints about the Red
> > Light thread taking over the list for most of a
> > week, so let's find something else to talk
> > about...
> >
> > Surely there must be something!
> >
> > Chuck
> > Co-Moderator
> >
> > __________________________________________________________
> > The fish are biting.
> > Get more visitors on your site using Yahoo! Search Marketing.
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> >
>
