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Heave to ?

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  • 16 Feb 2018 21:25
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    Reply # 5740942 on 5740498
    Anonymous member
    Phil Brown wrote:

    I'm guessing it works best with some kind of self steering?

    Yes, it generally does. Many boats will steer themselves to windward very well with the helm lashed, when they have enough speed. But when you are trying to keep the speed down to 1 - 2 knots, for comfort, and there are cross seas trying to knock you off course, then it's easy to be taken aback. I engage the vane.
  • 16 Feb 2018 19:18
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    Reply # 5740703 on 5734568
    Anonymous member

    On Badger we chose the fore-reaching option - a scrap of mainsail and no foresail.   This allowed us to "heave to", up to and including F8, after which it was time to turn tail and run.
  • 16 Feb 2018 17:23
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    Reply # 5740504 on 5734568
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    I agree with David on his points about single junks. Still, different hulls need slightly different practice.

    The first boat which I regularly hove to, was my 23’ Albin Viggen, Malena. She could be hove to both with a backed genoa and working jib. I used this technique every time I was to reef or unreef the mainsail, when alone. Not only did the boat sit quietly, with me at the mast, protected by the backed fore-sail ( I always hove to on SB. tack), but the backed jib blocked the airflow to the mainsail’s lee side, so it felt as if the wind dropped significantly.

    When we tried to heave to on a friend’s 26’ Marieholm IF (same type as my present Ingeborg), it was not so easy. The mainsail is very big, and the slim lines and big keel area of the hull made her want to tack against the backed jib. Only when we first reefed the main, did she behave properly and slow down. In hindsight, we should have towed a bucket to see if that would have tamed her.

    When my Malena was given a junk rig, I found there were two ways of heaving to:

    For a short stop, I just eased the sheet for beam reaching, and then locked the tiller somewhat to leeward. That would park her quite nicely, and even with cambered panels she would behave quite well.

    Trying the same manoeuvre on my present Ingeborg may easily result in her tacking with the tiller to leeward, or with bursts of speed if I just leave the tiller free or centered. Actually, I am planning to make a little parachute drogue to tame her, not least when hoisting sail. Ingeborg is terribly keen, so may easily use up the space outside my harbour as I hoist the sail.

    For long-term offshore heaving to, I bet David’s method is the best. It would not surprise me if he uses the wind vane to select his pointing angle and avoid tacking.

    What do you say, David?

     

    Cheers, Arne
  • 16 Feb 2018 17:17
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    Reply # 5740498 on 5734568
    Deleted user

    I'm guessing it works best with some kind of self steering?
  • 16 Feb 2018 15:27
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    Reply # 5740345 on 5734568
    Deleted user

    That was the best "heave to" with a junk description I've ever read.  Thank you, David.
  • 16 Feb 2018 15:09
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    Reply # 5740305 on 5734568
    Anonymous member

    Good question, Scott.

    I think it's because the bermudan sloop sailplan requires there to be two sails in operation for helm balance. With mainsail alone, the centre of area is too far aft, and the boat will only try to round up into the wind if the sail is full of wind. The foresail is needed to balance the drive of the main - one sail driving forwards, one sail driving backwards - and also to put the resultant force in the right place relative to the hull. This is exactly the same situation as with a junk schooner or ketch.

    With a single junk sail, it is placed on the hull further forward than the bermudan mainsail, such that helm balance is possible. Actually, it would be more accurate to describe a single junk sailed boat as fore-reaching, which might be defined as sailing to windward very inefficiently, with too little sail area and with that area sheeted too hard so that it pulls the boat sideways. So the keel stalls out, and the boat is making a little way forwards and a lot more way than usual sideways. The nett result is the same as with a two-sailed boat, hove-to. We are lying steadily, not thrashing too hard into a head sea, not rolling violently as we would when lying a-hull, and not moving too fast in any direction. The junk schooner or ketch will fore-reach as well, rather than being hove-to, if the foresail is not pulled up to weather.

    Let's be clear what both of these techniques are for: they make it possible to stop the boat, to wait for any reason, to think about what to do next, to cook, eat, navigate and do maintenance, in greater comfort when the sea is rough. But not, with modern boat types, as a way of surviving very heavy weather, just as a way of achieving a bit of comfort in moderately heavy weather.

    Last modified: 16 Feb 2018 16:10 | Anonymous member
  • 16 Feb 2018 14:14
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    Reply # 5740223 on 5734568
    Deleted user

    Here's a question that shows that to date I've been only a protected water sailor:

    Why does that work with a single mast junk, but most Bermudians need to back a headsail to heave to? Wouldn't a Bermudian be able to just reef and sheet in the main, too, dropping the headsail entirely?
  • 13 Feb 2018 12:47
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    Reply # 5734591 on 5734568
    Anonymous member

    Storm canvas is unnecessary - the top panel or two fulfil that function.

    Two masted junk rigs - schooners and ketches - can be hove to by backing the foresail. First reef the sails to an appropriate size for the conditions, then tie a line around the sheeting bundle and lead it to the weather side (there are other ways, all with their own adherents)

    One sail - reef the sail and haul it hard amidships.
  • 13 Feb 2018 12:32
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    Message # 5734568
    Deleted user

    What about heaving to with a junk rig? What about adding a small storm jib ?
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