Heaving to

[Simon Head]

Has anyone heaved to in a Cape Cutter 19?

Ive done it in other boats (dinghies aka Wayfarers) but never in a CC, mainly because I have not really had to as I have had crew. Normally to reef I go up wind via motor, reef/shake out and then fall of the wind. I have also shaked out reefs down wind keeping away from the Gybe zone.

Anyone done it. I know the process (backing the jib, pushing the tiller over to leaward and shoving the main out) but I am wondering whether it can be done using the staysail or whether its best with the Yankee.

I am going with Lea (Kira) on a singe handed masterclass to sort out these sort of questions on Ullswater at Easter. However does anyone do it- and with what sail combinations?

Regards

simon Head
cc40 Halcyon

[Simon Head]

PS anyone else is welcome but we will be concentrating on single handing a CC

[Tony Treen]

Simon, I usally set off with a reef in the main (easier to shake out than put in), but often it never gets shaken out.... Have heaved to for lunch with single reefed main and the staysail, and the boat was quiet with about 1kn forward way. Have not tried with the yankee, as it is easier and tidier to furl the rolling yankee rather than drop the hanked staysail. Similarly, have not tried with both fore sails hoisted, considering that being backed, one would excessively interfere with the other or excessively push the bow to leeward. Or, would they act as one large foresail, and so be better with an unreefed main?

Re Ullswater at Easter. Who is teaching the single-handed masterclass, or is it a case of 'try it out to see if it works'? Would be interested in joining the class / experiments, have you any plans yet?.

Cheers, Tony

[Simon Head]

Hi Tony

Its really to look at all aspects of sailing single handed from a practical perspective, from boat handling, sail handling, safety precautions etc and to share experiences. I have a fair amount of experience sailing on the West Coast of Scotland from 2003 with crew but have never sailed single handed (usually with my forgiving wife and children). Cathy is going to Skye at the end of May to holiday with Marion who is on an elective in Skye so do not have crew this year.

Lea in Kira has experience sailing single handed (as you do) so you would be most welcome (as would anyone).

Regards

Simon Head
CC40 Halcyon

[Andrew Scullion]

Hi Simon,

I am a big fan of this technique to sedate the boat when you need to do something, I have gone 'hove to' at some point in almost every boat I have sailed and you can make it work in all of them.

Back when I used to instruct sailing, I would teach using it to change headsails in rough weather because it is so much more controlled bringing the backed genoa down onto the deck than trying to haul it in over the leeward guard rail.

It is also great for cooking at sea, which is by the way why galleys are on the port side, so when you go starboard side 'hove to' the galley is on the lower downwind side of the boat and you get to cook in the best position and still have right of way.

I often end up sailing Ladybird 'single-handed' even with the crew on board, when they are too lazy to get up for the tide or want to stay out of the rain.
I have gone 'hove to' in the cape cutter to show the children and to make and have lunch sometimes.

You are probably better with the Yankee or Genoa backed if you have the full main up otherwise you may just tack through the backed staysail depending on the wind and waves, the two need to balance.
If you do want to just use the staysail then you can de-power the main by letting the peak halyard off a fair bit and this should stop the boat from pushing through the wind against the backed staysail.

The easiest way to set up 'hove to' is to sail on the wind close-hauled on port tack, put the helm over to starboard to sail through the wind as if tacking but do not touch the sails, leave them sheeted in as they were, once on starboard tack with the foresails backed, you then lash the helm hard over to port. If it looks like you are going to tack back then you can use the peak halyard to de-power the mainsail.

With a bit of practice I have found that you can reef the main quickly enough with just the staysail forward, just by leaving the tiller, she usually sails along well enough for the short time without disappearing off downwind.

I hope that helps,
Andrew
Ladybird

[Simon Head]

Thanks Andrew. A really informative reply. I will be practicing this at Ullswater over Easter!

reagrds

Simon Head

[Chris Wicks]

I also practice heaving too regularly. When teaching (informally) novice friends I demonstate this as an immediate response to a man over board situation. It is such a quick and effective manoeuver and a lot easier understood by a crew who ask but what do we do if you fall over board / or are incapacitated? (experienced helms of course may practice established MOB under sail manoeuvers if they wish but if applied quickly to MOB a heave too puts the boat under immediate control and close to the casualty etc)...

Typically from a close to the wind situation, tack the boat but leave any headsails as they are. Once through the tack release the mainsheet to let it fly. Then fully back the tiller to the opposite side. I concur with Andrew with the additional important step of releasing the main sheet. I would teach 'heave to' from which ever tack you are on at the time.

Cheers

Chris

[Simon Head]

Hi Chris

Can you heave to with both the yankee and staysail backed?

Its interesting if you can as it would stop the need to furl in the staysail (I have a furler on mine) before attempting this manoevre.

Kind regards

Simon Head

[Andrew Scullion]

Hello Simon,

Yes, you can, even with the genoa.
Although I am not sure why Chris is suggesting that you have to release the main sheet. The point of being hove to is that the main is driving the boat up to windward fighting against the backed foresails which are driving the boat off the wind. They need to be roughly balanced and the result is that you calmly drift downwind.
If you release the main and lose the drive to windward, then the backed foresails with push the boat off the wind overpowering the tiller. This may not happen with the small staysail alone but will with the Yankee as well, you need to keep some pressure on the mainsail to maintain the balance.

Andrew

[Chris Wicks]

On releasing the main sheet, I can only say it is what I have always done from the smallest dinghy to large yachts. When the jib/yankee/genoa is backed the wind is trying to tack the boat back to the tack you were on before starting the heave to. With opposite helm applied the boat is being prevented from returning to it's previous tack. The force on the backed foresail is being opposed by the position of the helm. The mainsail is depowered by freeing the main sheet. In this position, you can reef the main or whatever. The boat remains steady, it makes no way forwards and will drift downwind slowly in its hove too position.

I suggest you try both methods of heaving to and see what you think.

Cheers

Chris

PS... I took a quick look at wikipedia on the subject. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaving_to I see the correct method would is to adjust the main sheet rather than release it. Because I use 'heave to' as an emergency / temporary manoeuver letting fly the main does work every time and is simple. I occasionally 'heave to' to reef if prudent. Whilst hove to you could take the main down. That said I concede my method is perhaps not what is taught now and maybe never was other than the old skippers I learned from on a Wayfarer on the Medway in the early 70's etc...