Heave /Hove to -what are the limits?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by sparrowhawk1

Am I being trolled? of course the Gulf Stream goes in a circular motion. but it goes north along the east coast of North America which I have been up and down more times than I can count.

No.. your not being trolled.. my experiences were in the Biscay.. where its a S current.. you said it runs N.. but only up the E coast.. which I'm well aware off hence my suggestion you try it in a Northerly... and NC was coz its where I've sailed it in the past.. harder to escape up there..��

[Don C L]

Some might correctly claim the Gulf Stream flows in all directions!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLqL-TVcuGM

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Some might correctly claim the Gulf Stream flows in all directions!

I know the Gulfstream flys in all directions. Oh wait, wrong forum.

[Don C L]

This is a fun one too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEhtx0atcFM

The surface of Earth looks more like the surface of Jupiter!

[sparrowhawk1]

Originally Posted by boatman61

No.. your not being trolled.. my experiences were in the Biscay.. where its a S current.. you said it runs N.. but only up the E coast.. which I'm well aware off hence my suggestion you try it in a Northerly... and NC was coz its where I've sailed it in the past.. harder to escape up there..��

Okay no problem you only mentioned the Carolinas when you replied to my post. But it is strange to me that a delivery Captain doesn't believe in using drogues.

[jwcolby54]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

So, what are your personal experiences with heaving to during heavy weather?
Do you favor certain tactics?

It has to get pretty rough before I start heaving.

[Uplander]

Hello Sea Dreaming.
I'm interested in your comment that "In every case boats that hove to faired the best."
Would be interested in the stats backing this.
There are a lot of factors which come in to play with a question like this and that is what makes this forum so much fun.
Personally I think the most important factor is crew and skipper experience. It is good if they have been in similar conditions before.
What you can do with a fully crewed racing yacht is somewhat different from two people who are experienced in cruising in sheltered waters on nice days.

[knockabout]

save the oil to cook fish in / all boats- sea conditions -wind conditions - peoples' reactions are different / terrifying thought hove to in survival conditions in the path of the Sydney - Hobart race / combinations work o.k / attached image is Ventura 21ft towing a drogue made of 150ft 12mm silver rope with a large styrene float attached with storm headsail up and tiller roped (drogue headsail reach) needed the hatch slide in to keep the salt out of the cup of tea while having a rest in mild thermocline conditions (west coast Australia)

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by sparrowhawk1

Okay no problem you only mentioned the Carolinas when you replied to my post. But it is strange to me that a delivery Captain doesn't believe in using drogues.

Not really.. have not yet delivered a boat that has one.. nor met an owner prepared to buy one just for the delivery.. some won't even spring for a liferaft..
By the By.. I don't use a life jacket or life line/harness either.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

For all you metricheads, "seas around 9metres" = roughy 30 ft.

Wave capsize ratio is +/-.6 which means a 22 ft boat at .6 = breaking waves of > 13 ft will capsize your boat. So heaving to in greater conditions might not be effective. You won't capsize with wind. It's the bloody waves.

If the boat is beam too the seas...not of properly hove to and taking them at an angle forward of beam.

[SaltyMonkey]

Here

https://earth.nullschool.net

[SaltyMonkey]

and here
https://earth.nullschool.net/#curren...05.00,0.00,534

[belizesailor]

OP: Bunch of good discussions here already on heaving to and heavy weather tactics in general. Give those a shearch. Worthwhile reading.

Also see Pardey's classic book "Storm Tactics". Their chosen method is to heave to, but assisted by a sea anchor. This has caused much confusion in discussions because most think of heave to as under sail only.

Ive hove to on a lot of different boats in different conditions (used to teach a heavy weather seminar so got to do it a lot). As mentioned, every boat is different so getting to know the boat before needing to heave to in anger is important.

Worst Ive ever hove to in was 65 knots sustained, gusting to 85, seas about 25' and a little confused, but most not breaking heavily. A bit over 24 hours. Quite comfortable, we were able to nap, make coffee & meals (maintained watch too though). Only took one or two breakers over the decks, battened down tight so not an issue, but a little disconcerting to watch green water over the hatches from the inside though! This was on a modified fin keel (fullish fore and aft) 37', cutter rigged mono. We initially ran with this storm, because it developed suddenly and was unforecast. Ran, got more sea room and out of shipping lanes, and then hove to and rode the rest of it out. So, one tactic is not mutually exclusive of another...it depends on circumstances, crew, and the boat.

Have hove to on cats too in winds to about 50 knots, seas to about 12'.

Most often just heave to to ride out a passing strong squall.

Assuming the given boat heaves to well then I think the primary limiting factor is sea state. Wind oppossing seas (unusual) or multiple wave trains from different directions could make heaving to untenable.

One of the most miserable nights Ive spent at sea was after a storm...calm wind, but signficant confused non breaking swell. Not possible to heave to or maintain a comfortable attitude...just lie there and roll heavily in random directions. Fortunately, it was just for a few hours waiting for dawn to make an unfamiliar reef entrance.

[SaltyMonkey]

The oil method is similarly to SaltyMonkey's patented method of SaltyMonkey Sea Defense System®.

Here is how it works. 2-3 hours before storm arrives...

Take 1/2 cabbage and steam
Cook 10 strips of bacon. Add one extra bacon strip for each expected wave height.
Mix together and heat one last time with 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Eat along with 2 Omega 3 Fishy oil capsules
Wait

When storm arrives take down pants and lean over windward side of boat. Stick monkey arse in water and crap or blow.

BLUB-BLUB-BLUB-BLUB-BLUB-BLUB

see waves disappear.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

The oil method is similarly to SaltyMonkey's patented method of SaltyMonkey Sea Defense System®.

Here is how it works. 2-3 hours before storm arrives...

Take 1/2 cabbage and steam
Cook 10 strips of bacon. Add one extra bacon strip for each expected wave height.
Mix together and heat one last time with 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Eat along with 2 Omega 3 Fishy oil capsules
Wait

When storm arrives take down pants and lean over windward side of boat. Stick monkey arse in water and crap or blow.

BLUB-BLUB-BLUB-BLUB-BLUB-BLUB

see waves disappear.

Geez, could work as a pirate defense system too!