In my prior experience in sloop rigged boats, heaving-to was a marvelous way to take a break from heavy weather.
Has anyone tried and failed or succeeded in doing so in a Nonsuch?
I’m imagining that it would require double reefing (shifting the center of effort forward) and pulling the boom past center to a padeye on the up-wind side, but I really have no clew(!).
I’d like to give it a try this season once I get out, along with another shot at the Hudson River jibe (last time I tried that, I lost 1/3rd of my swim ladder lower step - ka-ching!!). Maybe I’ll try that with less than 15 knots of wind next time!!
I have heaved to temporarily to reef. I’ve never tried it for long periods of time. I do “Hudson River” gybes all the time. Watch the Nonsuch video for examples.
Joe Valinoti
S/V IL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
I have attached a link to a written description of the Hudson River gybe or Slam gybe. In my opinion, one of the crucial factors to the success of this technique is having nothing to catch the mainsheet on the aft rail or upper half of the transom. The sheet will find anything poking out.
This is my preferred method of gybing unless the seastate threatens the boom (Force 7-8).
I can't find it, Kevin. Hopefully someone else on the discussion list remembers where it is. It many not be a video but a detailed description of how to.
Joe Valinoti
S/V IL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
I don’t have any experience to offer on the original topic of heaving-to, but here’s my $0.02 (US) on gybing.
The challenge, at least in my experience on my Nonsuch, is that a safe gybe depends on first getting the mainsheet in really tight before crossing the wind. I.e., I agree with the article Mark pointed out, which advocates doing that as the first step.
I counted once, and it takes well over 50 full rotations of my mainsheet winch to get the main from its downwind run position to a close reach position (which is the minimum position for a safe gybe IMHO; if anything, tighter than that’s better because you want to minimize how much the boom travels and the mainsheet whips).
The times that I’ve done that, the gybe has gone well.
The times that I haven’t have varied from annoying and embarrassing to downright scary. Worst damage I’ve had was the mainsheet whipping hard enough to shatter the lense of my stern light.
If sailing alone, the autopilot had better be really good while you’re busy with the main, so it doesn’t cross you over before you’re ready. If sailing with others, coordination between the helmsman and winch handler is crucial; the mistake I’ve seen (i.e., been a part of) most often is the helmsman jumping the gun because no one expects it to take so damn long to get the sail in.
Bottom line: it’s part of the sailing repertoire but deciding whether and when to do it requires judgment and honest self-assessment of skills.
I remember seeing this as part of the Nonsuch videos but I cannot find it as well. If someone has this video, it may have been part of the first video, do contact me or write ina@nonsuch.org. If I can get a copy I will post it to the Nonsuch website. Currently it is not included in the 4 videos already there.
I searched fairly thoroughly for the Hudson River gybe video without success either. It must have been taken down by whoever posted it. I hope someone can locate it and arrange to have it saved on the INA website. Gybing a Nonsuch in anything near or above design wind conditions is not for the faint of heart. I’ve only suffered a couple accidental gybes, snapped the flag staff in one, and have escaped injury or damage during several poorly executed intentional ones. I occasionally do a Hudson River gybe but my first mate hates it so it’s never become a routine maneuver for us. Most often we go the long way around.
Success, in part. I have found the video on my drive. It is called Nonsuch Sailing Made Easy. This version includes 3 types of jibes.
The current Nonsuch website links to You Tube video posted by Eastland Yachts. I will investigate with them to also post this video. My version needs editing as includes outdated contact information, it runs into a portion of the next video and is not in mp4 format. I will work on these issues and update this discussion soon.
Heaving to in a Nonsuch 26 works very well. Slack the sheet way out and luff, wait till all the speed is off and then lock the wheel to windward. The boat will just slowly drift sideways and bob there broadside to the waves. I’ve done it with full sail up. You can then work on the sail or take care of another emergency.
Not sure I would use heaving to to take a long break from heavy weather, the sail will flog itself to peices unlike a sloop where you sheet in the jib. Better to have two reefs in and slowly reach without too much flogging or drop the sail and heave to with bare mast.
The Hudson river gybe is impressive but I always had a visit from Murphy who makes sure the sheet gets caught on something new each time. Also I have a fear of the loose sheet whipping in and wrapping around someone’s neck. So the sheet is mostly pulled in before (or more accurately during) a gybe, long way or short way around, and the turn is calm with no excitement.
Full disclosure- I have a heavy Cressman boom extention. That plus the boom, sail, toping lift gives the end of the boom a tremendous amount of energy during a gybe so I dont like to see it get any real speed up.
On my list of things to do is to fabricate a flat sail of about 50 ft² and rig it to the aft end of the Wishbone. Its purpose would be to try and counteract the windage of the mast forward. So the bow would not have a tendency to head down wind and the boat would remain in a heave to position or just be gently sliding sideways creating a slick to knock down breaking waves. At least that’s the idea.
In my prior experience in sloop rigged boats, heI’ve done my version of Hudson RJ in a 30U and my present 22 a number of times. It’s quick, simple, and quite painless if done correctly and in moderate to light conditions. You end up with the sail out the same distance as before the jibe and the boat on opposite tack and nothing decapitated. (I wish boat were launched so I could refresh memory but think this is pretty accurate)
Its two key features are (1) keeping those many feet of sheet in the boat in a safe area of the cockpit throughout the jibe rather than swinging out and grabbing hardware and/or software and (2) never sheeting in via the single line - saves a lot of time.
Details
You begin by grabbing the multiple line part of the sheet (rather than the normal single line part) and begin pulling on the multiple lines as though they were one line. Simultaneously start the turn. Shortly after turn starts, the pressure on your handful of sheets reduces to point you can begin to move sail inward. A key part of this is correct turning speed - too fast and sail will get ahead of you and start moving on its own. Too slow and you will move the sail to where the wind also takes over before boat has changed course enough. Basically you want the boat to be about half way through turn when the sail reaches amidships.
Pull the sail hand over hand letting it drop onto floor (or back seat) of cockpit between you and any stern hardware. If you start while there is still good resistance and keep it moving, you will stay ahead of any tendency of the sail to proceed on its own and by the time it comes over, all the sheet will be in the cockpit. Then you can feed it out of the cockpit hand over hand. You will soon find it is ok to just let go. It should feed out of the cockpit naturally. If your turn is the right speed, by the time the sail comes over and swings out, its rotation speed will be only slightly faster than the boats turning rate and there should be very little shock at end.
Definitely practice in light airs until you’re comfortable and never attempt in heavy airs. Enjoy!
Heaving to: As someone else described, just get boat onto fairly broad reach, head up slightly so sail luffing a little, and when things settle down, lock wheel. It should sail slowly and calmly for while, even without an AP. I have full battens so the luffing is hardly noticeable. I used this once while single handing reefed in 20+ knots of wind and no AP. Had to correct a problem I had created with anchor - to 2 or 3 minutes - boat sailed slowly along whole time.
Brooks Bridges
NS22OB An B’ad
Cambridge MD on the Choptank