[C38] Hove to

[david at dlrfilms.com]

> I was taught long ago that a heave to was merely back winding the jib or
> putting you in irons.  Am I wrong about this???

My understanding is that "hove-to" puts the boat in a stall, with forces
on sail and rudder acting to hold the boat at an advantageous angle to the
wind/seas.

Certainly that's what seemed to happen when we tried it. INTEMPERANCE sat
at a 45 degree angle to wind and waves, with perhaps a knot or less of
forward motion perpendicular to the wind (fore-reaching).

Having the sail up (triple reefed) steadied the boat wonderfully. Very
little roll. Just bobbing up and down on the short seas.

I have also read that the slick created by the keel moving sideways
through the water will fight off breaking seas for similar reasons that an
oil slick will calm the waters. Something about surface tension or some
such. Our slick went off at about a 30-40 degree angle, which is how I
knew we were fore-reaching. I think hauling the boom to windward a little
more would have stopped it, but my bimini was in the way.