On 3/4/2016 8:03 PM, John Schinnerer wrote: Jazz, Heaving-to is also a delightful way to "park" your boat on the ocean and spend some prime time with your spouse, under a clear blue sky in the cockpit. Try it: you'll like it. Connie
Just to be clear, heaving to is, as someone already posted, back-winding the jib and then lashing/locking the tiller to leeward. It's more than just heading up into the wind - the boat will not likely stay pointed upwind while you reef, and then there will be some pandemonium, for sure.
In other words, to heave to, you are on a close reach, you come about but do not tack the jib. Leave the jib where it is, which will be sheeted on the windward side once you come about. Also known as back-winded. Then put the tiller hard to leeward and lock/lash it there (and slack the mainsheet, don't want the main sail catching wind).
The combination results in the rudder force countering the jib force, and the boat will end up in a stable position relative to the wind.
You will be making way very slowly and somewhat sideways, but stable.
Then you can reef the main, with sheet slacked and main catching no wind, while in that hove-to configuration.
I was taught early on to heave-to on starboard tack, if possible and if there is any traffic to consider, since that tack has more right-of-way than port tack.
cheers, John S.
On 03/04/2016 05:49 PM, Jazzy wrote:
Ahhh I didn't think of that! But I did practice heaving to. I just pointed it into the wind.. And I think I get the reefing line deal now. I'll go out and look again tomorrow, take some pics and make sure I understand.
I do have that bungee deal on the side of the mast, had no clue what it was for. Could you expand on that just a bit? Thanks!
So glad to have you guys, imagine figuring this out solo??? Oieeeee
Jazz On Mar 4, 2016 5:27 PM, "Rick Davies" <jdavies104@gmail.com> wrote:
Jazz,
The key to a stress-free reef is to heave to with the Genoa backed and the helm strapped to leeward. With a little practice this is pretty easy to do, and when you're hove to the boat will ride nice and easy even in a good blow and you can tie in the reef at your leisure. Or just stay hove to and crack a cold one. 😊
Have fun,
Rick M17 #633 Lynne L
On Friday, March 4, 2016, Jazzy <jazzydaze@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi All! I took your advice and went sailing! It was looking dark and gloomy and I was ready for weather, but it turned out to be a beautiful day! It was pretty windy for my first time really sailing El Nino, but it was fine. There was water splashing everywhere outside the boat, but hardly a drop hit me. Very dry, very impressive. You'll see how the sail went with the link below. The video doesn't do the wind justice at all. I'd say it would have been right on the edge of what the Snipe could handle single handed. But really not that big a deal on the Monty.
After getting back in, I spent a little time tooling around the harbor and practicing some boat handling. Some one on here told me it was quite dinghy like earlier... I have to agree! No problem.
Also, on the way in, I put the rudder in its up position ( as in old school up, 2 pintles) and started hugging the coast line very slowly. The bottom was RIGHT there, but on I went. Probably 2 ft. The depth finder wasn't registering any depth at all. Would have been easy peasy to hop out and wade to shore. I was like 6-7 feet away.
All in all a cool day. Enjoy the video, I just cobbled it together really fast, so don't expect any short film awards! Give it a minute to load, its a much bigger file than a picture.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/upwvj9py95lzrit/El%20Nino%20Rides.mp4?dl=0
- Cpt. Jazz :)