3rd outing and a great day!!

[kchunk]

***WARNING*** This post is another post about a great February day sail in FL. It's not intended to be self serving nor gratuitous, but if you're a northerner, this may sting just a little...

Anyway, just got back from our 3rd outing in our CP23/3 and was the best yet! Conditions were  consistent 12-15 with a few larger puffs. Nothing the boat couldn't easily handle, and just enough to give the crew a bit more confidence. I must confess, as a previous owner of a Catalina 27, my experience is limited to extremely "fair weather" sailing and for the most part, self taught. Now that I have the CP23, and my wife desires to be an active member of the crew (rather than just ballast), we're trying to slowly ramp up our challenges and develop our skills together.

One of the things I wanted to try was heaving to. I'm familiar with the how's and why's, but the first few times we tried, after the jib back-winded, the boat just kept going around despite the rudder being hard over. Eventually we got it once we reefed the headsail and fiddled with the main trim a bit to try to settle the boat down. After lashing the tiller hard over, we drifted for an hour or so. Had lunch, a few beers (did I mention it was 85 degrees today in Central FL?), but I must admit, I never felt comfortable enough with our boat heaved to (or is that hove to) to leave the helm. The gusts seemed the heel the boat over and accelerate a bit more than I expected. At the time, I was concerned with the bow going all the way through the wind, putting us on our original tack, but now that I am sitting here thinking about it, I suppose the rudder position would have brought us right back.

So, my question (lesson) of the day: when heaving to, is it simply a matter of slowing the boat, easing the main, back-winding the jib, then lashing the tiller hard to leeward and that's it? Just let the boat go and oscillate as it may? Please share your experiences. Do you trim the main or leave it eased? What kind of speeds do you observe while hove to? What direction is the wind usually and does the bow ever cross the wind?

Thanks again everyone for all the help!

--Greg

[Bob23]

OUCH! Yes, that does sting a bit. It snowed yesterday, followed by rain, temps in the 30's and 40's. At least I don't have to worry about sunburn.
DOUBLE OUCH! It must be nice to have a wife who likes to sail. Although mine was raised by a sailing father, she really doesn't even want to be ballast.
I don't have much experience being hove to so I'll be following the replies to your question so I can learn also.
Please continue sharing your sailing adventures with us; if we aren't on the water, we can at least hear about those that are.
I'm so happy you are enjoying your ship so I raise my coffee mug to you, the crew and say, "Here's to many more hours on the water!"
Bob23, on the hard in snowy NJ

[Glenn Basore]

Greg,

Good post........

When I heave too it pretty much how you described and yes, it does feel uncomfortable for the first few times you heave too but after awhile you will feel more at ease.

to heave too I usually star a tack but I don't release the head sail, this causes the back sail condition. i ease out the main all the way and the udder hard over, tie it off.

The boat does oscillate like you describe . makes for an enjoyable ride when you want to have lunch and kick back for a while.

Glenn

[kchunk]

Thanks Glenn. I assume you ease the main than trim it just until it stops luffing. I've read where some sailors sheet the main flat to heave to. At any rate, I'm now pretty sure that my full 155 genoa headsail was most of my problem. After all, who in their right mind, if in a conditions that force one to heave to, will have out a full genoa?

--Greg