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Heaving to
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In sailing, heaving to (also heaving-to) is a way of slowing the boat's forward progress, fixing the helm and foresail position so that the boat doesn't have to be actively steered, thereby allowing the crew to attend other tasks. It is commonly used for a "break" while waiting out a storm, or by the solo sailor as a way to provide time to go below deck or attend to issues elsewhere on the boat (including taking a lunch break).
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There are at least three different methods of surviving the bad weather on sea, "lying ahull", "lying to a sea anchor" and "heaving to under reduced sail".
Lying ahull is accomplished by dropping all sails, fixing the helm to a set position with the tiller to leeward (or the wheel to windward) to prevent the bow of the boat from turning too far downwind, and allowing the boat to drift. This method is controversial in heavy weather, as the boat is at the mercy of the storm, and can end up "beam to" the seas.
Using a sea anchor or para-anchor helps keep the boat pointed in one direction, slowing the boat's progress against the storm, and is called "lying to a sea anchor."
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Heaving to under reduced sail is often employed by recreational sailors on small boats, as well as cruisers on larger boats. US Sailing's page on "Points of Sail" includes a graphic showing the basic steps at http://www.sailingusa.info/points_of_sail.htm. The skipper keeps the jib cleated but starts to tack. As the bow of the boat turns into the wind, the jib will be on the "wrong side" of the boat and be "back winded". As the boat stalls, the skipper pushes the tiller to leeward (or turns the wheel windward), and lashes it down. Some sailors prefer to ease the main sheet until the main sail stops luffing, while others prefer to bring the mainsail to mid-point on the traveler and cleat it there. The boat will tend to move forward a bit, while slipping leeward a bit. In many boats, the amount of slippage leeway is twice that of forward motion, so care must be taken to allow enough seaway.
- http://boats.com/content/boat-articles.jsp?contentid=1284
- http://www.sailingusa.info/points_of_sail.htm
- http://www.sailtrain.co.uk/seamanship/weather.htm - pictures and further explanation.