Heave-to-ability

[RaymondR]

I heave to quiet often but only ever once for bad weather when I did not want to enter a strange marina very late in the day.


The most usual reason is that I want to have some sleep and I single hand sail.


The second most usual reason is in light weather when there are only rolly anchorages available. I have found that if there is sea room available in which to heave to the boat is far more stable and liveable hove to than madly rolling in a poor anchorage.


So based upon my sixteen years of coastal cruising single handed I would say that the ability to heave too is an important characteristic for a single handed cruising boat.