[Rhodes22-list] Heaving to

Sat Jul 25 20:34:24 EDT 2009

Michael,

As an intro, I sail out of St Pete and Lake Hartwell with es-steamed Rhodies such as the Rumster and former Tootle.  When the lake goes south, like 23' or so down last winter, then I go south to Tampa Bay waters.  The Corps has not yet figured out how to lower the Gulf waters, in fact I am told that it will actually rise during the 21st century.  Am I right, Lee?  If you travel south I may be able to to invite you, as others, to a sail on Boca Ciega Bay, if I am there at the same time. 

Here is an important maneuver I practice often, and you may already been practicing yourself, given that your wife can get sensitive about heeling your boat.  As you encounter a sudden storm on the water, or the water gets rough, one excellent way to calm the nerves and settle the pitching of your boat is to "heave to" and take a chance to relax.  Not a bad option if you want to fix a meal or use the head.  When I used the term with my wife's sister, she thought I was referring to heaving over the side...

In heaving to you are effectively moving near-backward, pushed by the wind, although riding up and down on the waves, as opposed to driving through the waves.  You will hear different 'takes' on how the maneuver is accomplished, try them, and see what you choose to do.  When you heave to, preferrably with a normal sized foresail, ie not a fully deployed 175% genoa,  You tack the boat, holding the tiller over, and simply hold the sail on the same side.  If you were to let the sail go to the other side, you will will begin a new tack.  If you hold the sail, you will be 'hove to'.  Try it, you'll like it.  Try it, your wife will really like it.  It will build sure confidence.

Art

-----Original Message-----
>From: MichaelT <mticse at gmail.com>
>Sent: Jul 25, 2009 2:41 PM
>To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Partial Mainsail
>
>
>I went out today to try a few of the suggestions made. I think today was one
>of my best sailing days. 
>Wind was about 9-12 mph. I reefed the mainsail to about 3/4 vs 1/2. This
>time I let out the jib approx 1/3 about 1-2 ft from the stays. The boat
>generally stayed flat. The boat did heel slightly when the wind gusted 12+.
>I also had the jib sheets between the stays and I was able to get an
>improved closed haul heading better than when the jib sheets were outside of
>the stays.
>
>It was a beautiful time and maybe my best day and it felt like I took it to
>hull speed.
>
>While I've never lowered down the boom, I will someday try just to
>experience the effect. My family is very happy w/ the pop-top up and could
>how constraining it would be w/ the pop-top down and the danger of being
>smacked by the boom.
>
>I made a connection w/ sternway when I was backing out my slip and then it
>popped that when going backwards on a tack on a possible stall that
>reversing the tiller to windward may do the job. This too will be another
>trick I can try and see if I can judge in the moment of feeling that I'm
>going backwards.
>
>Thanks all,
>Michael
>
>
>Leland wrote:
>> 
>> Michael,
>> 
>> You're getting lots of good advice.
>> 
>> You'll have a little less heel with the board up.  From the Rhodes Owners'
>> Site under FAQs under Rhodes vs. Com-Pac vs. Precisions:  5. Retract the
>> centerboard part way in a big breeze. The board is intentionally modest in
>> weight, and does not contribute significantly to stability up or down.
>> Raising the board part way will reduce both heel and weather helm.  
>> 
>> The quote refers to Precisions.  If I raise the board all the way on my
>> Rhodes it usually only reduces heel by about 3 degrees but your wife may
>> appreciate it.
>> 
>> In an 8-10 knot wind, lowering the boom will reduce heel also.  
>> 
>> As Dave mentioned the boat sails better with two sails.  For the amount of
>> wind you described you probably weren't going fast enough to tack.  Come
>> off the wind enough to get up some speed and you'll then be able to turn
>> her sharply into the wind.
>> 
>> When I first got my Rhodes I typically had too much sail out.  You were
>> wise to be conservative in your sail plan, but without any headsail and so
>> little main you probably couldn't get enough speed to tack even if you had
>> come off the wind.  Last week I was in a 12 knot wind.  On a close reach
>> with balanced sails with the board up and my 190 lbs of rail meat, I had
>> less than 20 degrees of heel with the boom up and the main reefed to 80%. 
>> With the boom down I had the same heel with 100% main.  I have my mainsail
>> furling line marked for reefs at 60% and 80%.  If I have to reef the tiny
>> little main beyond 60%, it's too windy for me (over 20 knots) and I go
>> home.
>> 
>> Good luck!
>> 
>> Lee
>> 1986 Rhodes22  At Ease
>> Kent Island, MD
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> david.walker5 wrote:
>>> 
>>> Stephen,
>>> 
>>> Tacking with the jib, especially very light or heavy wind can be
>>> challenging 
>>> too.  The problem is the jib is very powerfull and it wants to push the
>>> boat 
>>> away from the tack.  One technique that has worked for me is something I 
>>> borrowed from sailing a square rigger.  When you push the tiller to lee, 
>>> loosen the jibe immediately, but do not let the sheet fly.(for those 
>>> interested its called scandalizing the jib)  This reduces the drive of
>>> the 
>>> sail and allows it to turn up wind.  Just as the bow comes into the wind, 
>>> tighten the sheet a little. The wind will then backwind the jib and push
>>> the 
>>> bow the rest of the way onto the new tack. As you come through the wind,
>>> the 
>>> wind on the new tack will push the sail across to the new tack.  In
>>> really 
>>> heavy wind you may end up "in stays" or headed into the wind and start to
>>> be 
>>> pushed backwards.  In that case as I said in an earlier post, shift the 
>>> rudder (tiller to windward) and the boat will back onto the new tack and 
>>> start to sail.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> David Walker
>>> 
>>> www.davidwalkerphotography.com
>>> 
>>> Event Specialists
>>> 
>>> 781-639-2707 Office
>>> 781-718-8690 Cell
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Stephen Staum" <staum at earthlink.net>
>>> To: "The Rhodes 22 Email List" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, July 24, 2009 3:32 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Partial Mainsail
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Michael,
>>>> I too have a wife who likes to sail flat. I have an '87 w a 184 per
>>>> cent genoa. I usually start w 1/2 of the genny as the jib really
>>>> powers this boat. Even w the full main out (alone) u will struggle to
>>>> come about. Also, if u have the full jib out in light winds, it can be
>>>> very difficult 2 get the jib 2 come across when coming about. It is
>>>> often easier 2 jibe or roll up 1/2 the jib b4 come about is started.
>>>> Enjoy!
>>>> Stephen Staum
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>> On Jul 24, 2009, at 12:47 PM, MichaelT <mticse at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Went out with the family on Sunday and wanted to play it safe.
>>>>> Drew the IMF mainsail approx halfway on the boom (the letter R on
>>>>> the sail
>>>>> wasn't showing).
>>>>> Wanted to keep things simple and used no jib. Centerboard was down
>>>>> all the
>>>>> way.
>>>>> The boat stayed flat as a pancake which was the desired effect.
>>>>> My wife wants no heeling whatsoever. Problem I had was I couldn't
>>>>> tack.
>>>>> It even had a hard time getting into irons and just couldn't cutover.
>>>>> The only way I could change direction was to spin 2/3's around in a
>>>>> jibe.
>>>>> I didn't want to experiment and let out more sail so we just enjoyed
>>>>> sailing
>>>>> the next hour like this.
>>>>> Is this normal behaviour? What am I doing wrong?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>> Michael
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> View this message in context: 
>>>>> http://www.nabble.com/Partial-Mainsail-tp24647946p24647946.html
>>>>> Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>>>>>
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>> 
>> 
>
>-- 
>View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Partial-Mainsail-tp24647946p24660471.html
>Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>
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