Preparing for the Storm and How to Heave To | Sailing Wisdom Ep 60

[@erikemmert8709]

This is the first time that I have seen a good explanation how heave to works. Thanks.

[@rszkodzi]

The heave to explanation was perfect.

[@kevinmulvihill3249]

Great simple explanation of "Hove To" on the boat, really made it sound and looked simple. Learned a lot from it. Thanks.

[@SamuelKTennis]

Pays to practice it before yo9u need it. I was surprised the young ones in Barefoot Adventures using it often, like to stop for lunch. Do a ? Google ? search (whichever) and read several other explanations, they all seem to bring some bit to light. Well, several did... One thing about teaching / learning - do it a couple of ways. Especially teaching like the photos of the sails and the model!!! Hint - hot glue the tongue depressors in place ;-)

[@allynonderdonk7577]

The only time I've ever seen someone going through setting sails fir a storm on an entertaining channel. I've checked out those on the Maryland School of Sailing, but they aren't very entertaining. I truly can't wait for the next installment!!

[@RiggingDoctor]

+Allyn Onderdonk thank you! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

I like that you're not just trying to entertain; you're very generously sharing your knowledge and trying to educate too. That's a big positive, and I wish more sailing channels did it.

[@richardbohlingsr3490]

TFS You did a nice job explaining heaving to, so someone inexperienced with sailing can understand what your doing. It's a good idea to trim sails early so you don't get caught with too much canvas hanging. Always smarter being ahead of the weather, instead of wishing you were.

[@bestfriendsrving-sailing8329]

Another great video you guys were looking forward to your next one and seeing how you manage the storms and trust that you are doing well and still on your way. Thanks for making complicated arrangements simplify for us to understand.

[@RiggingDoctor]

+Best Friends Sailing 1976 thank you! We're moving slowly but surely :)

[@skipperandy8081]

Hey kids, great video on how to heave to, very good explanation. I've practiced on other boats, but you are right, we need to practice on our own to get the hang of it. Thank you for the reminder, and anxiously awaiting your "Gale" video. Fair winds my friends,.......Skipper Andy

[@sarahoceanhart8145]

Heaving to can save a life. Thank you for this video!

[@RiggingDoctor]

You are welcome :)

[@207matthew]

wonderful explanation!

[@velocita8842]

What a great explanation of heaving to!

[@RiggingDoctor]

Thanks :)

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

Great job guys! Great explanations of heaving to, sail set up, etc.; thanks so much for sharing! Definitely close all hatches and portlights when sailing; an unexpected or rogue wave can swamp the boat. Looking forward to seeing how well the heave to worked in the storm.

[@geezenslaw]

Doh...! I can't believe I completely missed this one...! Anyway, very good explanation of heave-to... Planning on practicing this next week when I get my panels back in operation (needed new Victron MPPT)...

[@user-earthandfire]

super informative, and easy to grasp. truly appreciate these little gems of "wisdom". thank you, I am picking up so much from you guys. stay safe. :)

[@RiggingDoctor]

+andrew we are so glad to hear it! Thanks for watching 😊

[@Robert-pi6vs]

Well explained folks, thanks.

[@RiggingDoctor]

👍

[@snakeplisken4278]

On our small catamaran, we were able to heave to with a double reef in main and 60% rolled up Genoa. It immediately got things under control and we could rest better. It can also work on some boats with just the main sail. We had 36-40 knots for 16 hours and only drifted to leeward about 8-10 miles. One has to watch for chafe and make sure rudders don't get pushed backwards too much on a catamaran. We have a Catalac 8m. Very safe little boat.

[@RiggingDoctor]

+Snake Plisken great to hear! So many people don't fully appreciate the benefits of heaving to. Thanks for sharing :)

[@robertcarducci3807]

Best explanation I have seen on heaving to. Try para-anchors or drogues yet?

[@RiggingDoctor]

We haven’t had to, thank goodness, but we do have a para-anchor on board and we often use our regen as a drogue

[@RiggingDoctor]

Regen is when the electric motor acts as a hydro generator. The drag it creates is aft and makes the boat have the same characteristics as a boat with a drogue. The nice part is when you are done with the “drogue” you can turn it off with the flip of a switch! No rope and device to recover from the water behind you.

[@robertcarducci3807]

@@RiggingDoctor Yes, I know. Actually, I am an aeronautical engineer turned nautical engineer in the last couple of years. I have been watching your channel for a while and really enjoy it. For a dentist, you have a very good scientific founding and great ideas. The one thing missing with the regen is the large yawing moment that can be created by a drogue, assuming it is properly bridled. Regen will provide some drag though and modest yawing moment. For really large waves, where the yacht could surf down a wave and then pitch-pole, then I would want a large drogue or a series drogue. I will be experimenting with both in the next year or so. I am trying to get to Europe to buy a Bavaria 50 for prototyping but Covid keeps locking me out. Should get there in September or so.

[@craigscott7798]

Newbie sailor here - Been trying to get my head around heaving to and if I'm honest I wasn't quite getting it. .......That was until your explanation. Thanks so much.

[@RiggingDoctor]

I’m glad it was able to clear it up for you! Heaving to is one of the most useful things you can do on a boat. Everyone focuses on “how to go faster” but forgets about “how to stop”. We use it for everything from “riding out a bad storm” to “waiting offshore for daylight so we can enter a port”.

[@SamuelKTennis]

Most of the channels I have watched (sorta during CIVID) never seem to hove-to - it is so valuable a tool in your arsenal.

[@mfournier12]

Hence the term sheet to the wind. (We mostly know it as 3 sheets to the wind because on a square rigged vessel with 3 jibs in a strong storm all 3 jibs would be sheeted to the wind (or back filled) people who have no sailing experience all think by sheets they are referring to the sails BUT NO as we as sailers know a sheet is a line that controls the sails. And a sheet to the wind means it is sheeted toward the direction the wind is coming from. (Windwardside) the term 3 sheets to the wind is used to describe a person who is so drunk they are swaying back and forth like a ship heaved to in a storm with 3 jibs sheeted to the wind. (In this case he has one sheet to the wind you could a suppose on cutter have a storm jib and a reefed staysail both sheeted to the win and you would be two sheets to the wind) it all depends on the boat or ship and what sail plan balances the boat best. From what I gather full keel boats tend to heave to much easier then flat bottomed boats with thin bolted on fin keels as the latter tends to want to keep turning around . (What makes them fast and nimble and allowed them to surf also makes them harder to control in a storm situation) some are virtually impossible to heave to. So they just don’t use that storm technique. So depending on your boat you will have to experiment until you find what works. Some May find their spade rudder and racing designed fin keeled boat may not be able to heave to at all. At lest not to the point the boat achieves such stability that you can lock the rudder and leave it and go below. And know your boat will comfortably ride out the storm.

[@RiggingDoctor]

I like that little tidbit of history!

[@tanguerochas]

When possible, heave to on a Starboard tack, at least if there are other sailboats around.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Very good point, it gives you ultimate right of way

[@ronwinter45]

awesome explanation

[@clayfarnet970]

It's nice to have friends in high places. 🦅🐥:):) Fair winds!!!

[@peace_oceans]

Cool and clear explanation thanks! I’m

[@RiggingDoctor]

👍

[@dreamingofbeingfree1217]

So you’re story is to go to the Azores. Is that right? I was born in Faial Azores. Having said that. It’s going to be amazing seeing your uploads. You guys are living my dream. Thank you for what you both are doing.

[@RiggingDoctor]

We love it here!! Faial is a beautiful place.

[@raynic1173]

Thanks for sharing. You may want to rethink using a piece of line as a jack/safety line. A length of webbing is much safer as it does not roll under foot.

[@dhamma58]

a very clear explanation such that even I could do it! Did you feed and water the poor little birdies? Will they survive the big blow? The usual questions.....

[@RiggingDoctor]

+dhamma58 we did give them food and water, but I don't know what happened to them during the blow. I can only hope that they made it somewhere safe.

[@brianpaterson3996]

Very informative well explained

[@Bleemus]

Better to make the miles with full sail till the gale. Heaving to in no wind 24 hours before expected front is counterproductive. Always aim to shorten your passage time reducing the amount of storms encountered.

[@RiggingDoctor]

+Sailing Kayode yes, but the storm was supposed to be worse further ahead. By stopping, we were avoiding the fiercest part of the storm.

[@andyyoon7853]

Hey, Doc this is Andy from Top, didn't know you have KZbin channel. hope you guys have a safe trip. subscribing. hope you can show viewers a lot of good scenic views. Thanks : )

[@RiggingDoctor]

+Andy Yoon thanks for watching and following along with us.

[@andyyoon7853]

Rigging Doctor absolutely ; )

[@43lk]

Where is the 'Love' button on YT which I must use for this video :). Thank you for all explanations!

[@RiggingDoctor]

Thanks! :)

[@russellbrander7588]

This is getting interesting.

[@johnboylong40]

Do one of your videos cover the sails? Those are very cool, but look expensive. Just curious to see if they’re an option for our Bruce Roberts were refitting now for our journeys. Love your “real” channel. Also: we were looking at a foam battery option for our boat as well. They’re, of course, expensive, but can be depleted almost down to nothing and be recharged back to 100%.

[@anthonyfrattalone9937]

What book were you reading there with the blue cover?

[@josephlai9759]

Thank you for another clear and precise explanation. One clarification though.. how far were you from shore? I think you mention running 4 or 5 miles further out before heaving to. I am reading Storm Tactics by Lin and Larry Pardey and curious about the context with which your decision were made. I like to think that lee shore must have been an important consideration.

[@RiggingDoctor]

At that point we had not crossed an ocean yet and 20 miles from shore felt really far away. Now we consider a shore to be close when it’s 100 miles away. We like to keep lee shores a few hundred miles off for storms for a few reasons: 1. Sea room to slide while hove to. 2. The waves are choppier closer to shore. I like water depths of more than 10,000 for calm waves. When it’s less than 3,000 feet deep, the waves are choppier. Less than 1,000 feet deep and the waves are nasty, and less than 100 feet deep the waves are horrible! We didn’t know the water depth thing at the time of that video because we had never gone beyond the shelf, so the water was about 130 feet deep! Just past the shelf and the depth would have dropped off to over 5,000 feet (but then we would have the Gulf Stream making things worse).

[@josephlai9759]

@@RiggingDoctor Thank you for filling in. You are right about keeping a few hundred miles clear of lee shore. Also the axis of a major current is not a place to be. Thanks again.

[@normanboyes4983]

Interesting and informative video. One question: why do you think your propellor shaft is not rotating smoothly when sailing and generating?

[@RiggingDoctor]

+Norman Boyes it's because we weren't sailing fast enough. There is a threshold where the motor starts to regenerate. This was filmed right at that threshold speed where the motor will "let go" and have the prop spin, then "grab on" with charging. This makes it go and stop, as you see. When we get moving faster (7 to 9 knots) the prop starts to spin faster and steady. This is why when I show the display, it would oscillate between 0.0a and 0.9a.

[@normanboyes4983]

Rigging Doctor I wonder if that could be improved upon? Looking at the 'pulses' it suggests you have a three bladed prop - wonder if a four bladed one would do better?

[@markleyg]

Why isn't the drive shaft spinning continuously during regen?

[@RiggingDoctor]

We weren't going fast enough. When we get up to around 6-7 knots, it's spinning fast and steady.

[@seatravel8536]

Very simplified and excellent explanation, were you a sailing instructor at some point?

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

He's a good student and a good teacher.

[@SamuelKTennis]

Fellow Readers rejoice! I also try to always read a book before seeing a movie intended to simulate the book...

[@RiggingDoctor]

This trip has been the BEST for my reading life. I have read so many amazing books!

[@sailingsvteakkeyrandyfryli8206]

No boom vang how do you keep your sail flat during high wind . boom rises up changes the draft vang stops that

[@RiggingDoctor]

We don’t have one because they offer a potential weak point to the boom and can lead to the boom folding where the vang attaches. It’s rare to occur, but without it we don’t have to worry about that at all. We suffer some loss of sail shape when off the wind, but we are happy with it.

[@benc65753]

Just out of curiosity, with the drag of the prop, how much do you estimate you lose in speed?

[@RiggingDoctor]

+benc65753 based on handicap rating rules, a feathering 3 blade is 0 seconds per mile and a fixed 3 blade is 9 seconds per mile. So, over 100 miles, we would take an additional 900 seconds, or 15 minutes. Based on those numbers, I don't think it slows us down that much.

[@RiggingDoctor]

+benc65753 based on handicap rating rules, a feathering 3 blade is 0 seconds per mile and a fixed 3 blade is 9 seconds per mile. So, over 100 miles, we would take an additional 900 seconds, or 15 minutes. Based on those numbers, I don't think it slows us down that much.

[@mariorangel4873]

very Nice! thank you! :)

[@myvidlocker]

What's the book?

[@RiggingDoctor]

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

[@across_the_plane6800]

Good lord, get some sun!

[@RiggingDoctor]

No thanks

[@svZia-Switch51]

Hey, what happened to your rule of wearing life jackets while offshore??? Lol

[@RiggingDoctor]

+Adventures of Gypsy Soul whoops! You know how it goes, you get relaxed and you start ignoring the rules. We do wear them and clip in when it's blowing though

[@pateallan7764]

Thats a rule sailors made up. You never see a long shore or sport fisherman wearing them. I know theres a time to wear them, but some insist all the time. Not me. At night and heavy weather yes.

[@SamuelKTennis]

Life is only so long and you still have to enjoy it while you preserve it. I would imagine there is some fudge factor there, and discretion.

[@mboyer68]

Just because she bought you pirate jammies doesn't mean you have to wear them. Them jammies need to heave to.

[@RiggingDoctor]

But they’re so soft and then my knees don’t get sunburnt!

[@notwhatiwasraised2b]

"about 47%..."

[@JonMadsen70]

:)

[@michaelcherp2280]

Totally irresponsible and negligent. Everybody knows not to go off shore around Hatteras when you can go the ICW and it's fun and quicker. Then hop the coast south using the various safe inlets. Lots of men loose their women when they make stupid Macho decisions

[@RiggingDoctor]

We definitely learned from this mistake. The ICW is also really pretty with all the fun town along the way.

[@brucesinclair2981]

WHY would you heavy too for. a storm. Why risk damage to the sails and rig unnecessarily. Heavy to for a break yes but to me it’s a risk.

[@Garryck-1]

The short answer would be, because it's less dangerous, less wearing on the sails and gear, and less physically taxing on the crew (particularly with a small crew), than any of the alternatives.