Heaving Fro?

[dghall]

Brand new here. And although I've sailed for years (all cool new charters) I am the proud new owner of a cool little 1967 Santana 22.

I could always heave to on the 28-32 footers I've chartered and remain relatively head to wind. But on this boat every time I try to heave to I end up stern to wind, but making no speed.

Am I doing something wrong? Is that a characteristic of some boats (this boat seems to have natural lee helm too).

I have not reefed yet while underway. Seems like reefing while hove-fro would be harder since the main is still very much in the wind.

GREAT forums here. Thank you in advance for your Best Thinking.

David

[GordMay]

I've always wondered what the "fro" was, as in "to and fro". I'm still wondering.

[islandflyer]

mayber lee helm is giveaway. Too much main?

[dana-tenacity]

Try droppijng the headsail altogether and hauling the main all the way to windward on the track and sheeting it hard, helm lashed to leeward. Then report back here.

Cheers

[rtbates]

Too much headsail in relationship to the main, hence the bow falls off the wind. Are you placing the tiller to the down wind side? It's the rudder placement and the sheeted in main that should drive the bow up. The headsail drives the bow down.

[dghall]

I am heading up, backwinding the jib, sheeting in the main, and pushing the tiller to the opposite side of the backwinded jim, so that I'm being blown one way and 'steering' the other. It holds for a minute, then the backwinded jib pushes around 180 degrees and THEN holds. I make .8 kt leeway, so I am hove to, just not anywhere near head to wind.

About the headsail, it's the class jib for the Santana 22, so supposedly it's matched to the main. I have not tried to heave to with the Genoa.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by dghall

I am heading up, backwinding the jib, sheeting in the main, and pushing the tiller to the opposite side of the backwinded jim, so that I'm being blown one way and 'steering' the other. It holds for a minute, then the backwinded jib pushes around 180 degrees and THEN holds. I make .8 kt leeway, so I am hove to, just not anywhere near head to wind.

About the headsail, it's the class jib for the Santana 22, so supposedly it's matched to the main. I have not tried to heave to with the Genoa.

You need to dump the main, not sheet it. Ease it way out.

[dghall]

Thanks for the help!

[rtbates]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

You need to dump the main, not sheet it. Ease it way out.

I respectfully disagree. It's the main along with the helm in the lee position that forces the bow up. Without a main and any headsail at all, downwind is the only way you will go. Try it with no headsail. When I heave to I use my roller reefing headsail as the adjustable element. Less jib = higher up; more jib = falling off.
Without any sail at all Seraph will lie beam to because of the cutaway fore foot. But if I rig my riding sail on the backstay she will lie no more than 45 degrees off the wind.

[Seadogg]

Originally Posted by GordMay

I've always wondered what the "fro" was, as in "to and fro". I'm still wondering.

To and fro = towards and from!

Nick
The Master of Trivial BS

[senormechanico]

Not all boats act the same when hove to. It depends on the relative sizes of sails, the underwater configuration etc.
My previous boat, a Lord Nelson 35 would heave to with the yankee backwinded and sheeted tight, and the main almost all the way out with the tiller (wheel) to windward.

Steve B.

[S/V Elusive]

All the boats that I've 'played' on, the main was eased, not sheeted in when heaving to. Jib backwinded, helm (steering) to windward. The exception is when I was reefing the main; you are bouncing around enough without having the main being loosey-goosey and trying to hang on AND reef - But, I would not sheet it in ALL the way - has the potential to give it too much drive and wind up tacking (it overcomes the helm setting).

But, since I have a ketch, more often than not, I'll have the main down completely anyway, furl the jib, and use the mizzen.

A side note: using the mizzen to heave to, you will still have some way on - more so than with the jib heaving to. IMHO.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

. . . with the tiller (wheel) to windward.

Originally Posted by s/v Elusive

Jib backwinded, helm (steering) to windward.

I'm trusting that both of you are referring to the wheel turned to windward, vs those who may have tiller steering for which it would be "helms a lee."

[S/V Elusive]

Originally Posted by Raven

I'm trusting that both of you are referring to the wheel turned to windward, vs those who may have tiller steering for which it would be "helms a lee."

Raven - ummm.. yeah. One of the benefits of using the profile for the forum, is that it can indicate what boat you have. With my 43' CC Ketch, it is, indeed, a wheel.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by S/V Elusive

Raven - ummm.. yeah. One of the benefits of using the profile for the forum, is that it can indicate what boat you have. With my 43' CC Ketch, it is, indeed, a wheel.

Yep. I know. I had contributed the post merely as a clarification aimed at those who might be trying to sort out the idea of heaving to for the first time, making it clear that on a boat with tiller steering, the tiller is pushed to leeward.

On the subject of profiles, I wish that more members would take the opportunity to fill them in. I find them very helpful in trying to get to know the people behind the screen names.