Heaving to is an ideal technique for riding out a storm, but there’s an art to it in heavy seas. Skip Novak explains how to go about it
Heaving to in light to moderate wind is easily achieved by gybing or tacking and leaving the headsail aback. A lashed helm and maybe an adjustment on the mainsheet puts on the brakes and the boat lies off the wind, virtually dead in the water. Whether to take a break to make repairs and cook a meal or to wait for a rendezvous, perhaps, this is an easy way to stabilise the boat, so that you can do whatever you need to in comfort.
Doing it when storm sailing is another story, however. You will be under reduced sail to begin with, and more options of trim come into play.
There comes a time when thrashing to windward in high winds and big seas while going nowhere becomes a useless exercise, not to mention a potentially dramatic experience. Not only is crashing off waves bad for the boat, sails and gear, it is also tiring for the crew – full attention is required even if you are on autopilot. So, it might be prudent just to stop the boat until the weather passes, even if you are only reaching or sailing downwind. Approaching a lee shore is a good example.
The art of heaving to in heavy weather is complicated by the sea condition. Get it wrong and the boat can go wildly out of control for a time. The trick is to stop the boat’s forward progress, balance a very reduced sail plan with the angle of the rudder to windward and attempt to lie around 45˚ into the wind and sea.
When you achieve the correct balance, the boat is alternatively scalloping into the wind and paying off to leeward. When we say ‘rudder to windward’ that means a tiller would be pushed to leeward and a wheel would be pulled to windward, in effect trying to steer the boat into the wind.
The only downside of this technique is that the boat, depending on how well it heaves to, will make leeway downwind, which can be several knots. Therefore, if inshore, utmost caution must be used and you must not let your guard down while on a lee shore. If there is a threat, it might be better to soldier on for a time until you have ample sea room, taking into account the weather forecast and prevailing current.
If heaving to is executed correctly, though, the crew can go below, cook a meal in relative comfort and stand a watch from the pilothouse (if you are lucky enough to have one).
The reality is that if you are not making any substantial VMG in the direction of the wind in fresh to gale conditions, it is best to heave to, take the loss in leeway on the nose and wait for the weather to change. Odds on you will be a winner.
The dilemma is that every boat heaves to in different ways and some designs don’t heave to at all. Older, traditional designs with a bigger keel surface are generally more responsive, whereas more modern designs struggle to get any bite into the wind and tend to lay off, making an unacceptable amount of leeway. There is also a risk of damaging a high-aspect spade rudder when ‘back pedalling’ with a big wave, so beware all of you with performance cruisers.
So, the message is to get out there and practise. Heave to in increasing winds and sea states to see which system and configuration works for you. Below is how I do it on Pelagic, assuming by this stage we are down to a third or fourth reef and storm jib on the staysail stay
Storm Sailing Techniques : Heaving to Dangerous
How Skip heaves to
1 Back the staysail to windward by trimming the windward sheet. Don’t gybe because the boat might fly down a wave and tacking might be impossible. Beware of chafe issues on the windward rigging. Long shroud rollers come in handy on the lower shrouds. If you have a big staysail, it’s best to roll it up to handkerchief size.
The first move is to sheet the headsail to weather
2 Ease the reduced mainsail until the boat stops all forward motion.
3 Put your rudder over hard to windward (ie with the wheel lashed to windward or the tiller lashed to leeward), taking care that the boat does not go head to wind. Lash the helm well, so it can’t ‘work’.
Storm Sailing Techniques : Heaving to Dangerous
Lash the wheel to weather to counteract the effects of the sheeted headsail
4 Play with the mainsail trim until a balance is struck at a good angle to wind and waves. The ride should be comfortable.
5 If there is still too much tendency to climb to windward, drop the mainsail. This would probably be the case if you had a third reef, which would be too much sail. A fourth reef (storm trysail size) might work.
6 Keep a close eye on the boat for some time to make sure it stays in balance during various cycles of wave and swell patterns.
7 Crew can go below. One watch keeper is sufficient, booted and suited to go on deck to make any changes.
Of course, this is only the configuration on Pelagic – you need to get a feel for what is possible on your boat. It’s all about a balance between what is below the waterline (keel and rudder) and windage above (sails and rig). Even with the main down, a simple manoeuvre like easing the boom against a solid boom vang can change the tendency to climb into the wind. Ketch and modern schooner rigs have more possibilities still.
Other tips
Always check your sea room and probable drift rate in view of the weather forecast.
Heave to earlier rather than later – it is much easier to set up in a controlled situation. If the wind is rising, there is no point waiting– not much distance will be lost.
Prepare the interior well because big rolls are inevitable.
Make sure that all furling sails cannot unfurl by themselves.
Make sure all running rigging is well stowed – a line overboard when heaving to invariably finds its way around the propeller.
When the wind drops or shifts with a front, beware! Start out softly. Sea conditions will remain on the up for a time and are likely to be confused. So, don’t let down your guard and remain harnessed on when making sail.
Putting in a reef in heavy weather needs to be done in good time and requires careful planning. In the next episode of this year-long series, Skip Novak takes us through the process step by step
The ability to reduce sail area quickly is fundamental for storm sailing. Skip demonstrates what he regards as the only foolproof reefing method for a true offshore cruiser
Sail handling exclusively from the cockpit without having to go forward is highly desirable on any cruising boat, especially when storm sailing. Reliable headsail furling systems have certainly achieved that goal, but reefing the mainsail still presents a dilemma.
In-mast and in-boom furling systems deserve a mention here. In-mast mainsail furlers have persisted in spite of an increased mast weight package and a mechanism buried inside the mast profile. When it works, great, although it means a mainsail undercut on the leech owing to a lack of battens and therefore a less than optimal sail shape.
When it doesn’t work – in the worse case a jam-up with a flogging sail that won’t roll up – it can become an unforgettable experience. It must be said, though, that the system is a nice idea for inshore sailing in benign conditions.
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In-boom furlers appear to be purely a style item, especially in the superyacht range. A flaked mainsail on the boom, even under a neatly cut cover, is now considered untidy by some designers and owners. But these systems suffer the same problems, compounded by the necessity for an exacting control system that lowers the sail and rolls it up at the same rate, with the boom at a hyper-critical angle.
It may work a treat at the dock, but as any superyacht captain worth his salt will admit it is a nerve-racking experience offshore. Result: fear and loathing about using the mainsail at all. The adage now goes that it is cheaper to pay for fuel and motor than risk damage to the sail or the mechanism. Again, not my recommendation for a world cruising configuration.
Slab reefing
Slab reefing is the only seamanlike system, full stop, as there is not much that can go dramatically wrong. As with so many aspects of voyaging offshore, we are back to basics here: a slab reefing system with a fixed tack and clew lines. The prime advantages are that all moving parts are exposed and easily repairable – for example, mast track, cars and sliders, blocks and rigging – you have the ability to cast off the halyard and drop the mainsail in a crisis, and a better-shaped sail is achievable as you drop down through the reefs.
A side debate exists between a single-line system and a tack line with hook or shackle. There is no doubt that to be able to reef the sail without leaving the cockpit is a good thing, especially if the crew is not agile for any reason. This can only be achieved in the slab system by a single-line arrangement.
However, there are several downsides. Single-line systems, where a continuous line is threaded through both the tack and the clew to bring each reef home, requires an enormous amount of line. If you have three reefs as a minimum and four as recommended the cockpit will become a bowl of multicoloured spaghetti and pretty unmanageable.
Secondly, the friction in the system is also an issue as the line runs through so many turning points, plus there is more chance for line and sail chafe along the way. Lastly, it is difficult to set the tack and the clew in the right position and impossible to make any adjustment to either independently.
Going forward is necessary
Slab reefing can be managed from the cockpit by having the halyard, a tack line and clew lines led aft. However, to make the tack fast and create a solid connection of the tack to the goose neck without chafe, going forward at some point in the exercise is necessary. This is not a bad idea in itself as it forces you out of the cockpit to have a look at all things forward!
A tack line to help the luff of the sail come down might be necessary depending on the friction of the track and car system. In any case, a shackle on a strop is clipped into to each successive tack ring; the deeper the reef, the longer the strop must be to allow for the stacked sail. If using a tack line it must then be clipped into the next reef tack ring aloft, which might require a few steps to safely go up the mast. Acrobatics? Yes, but then you know you are properly set for the long haul.
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Drawbacks? Other than the need to get off your butt and go forward, the only one I see is the issue of the stowage of the bunt of the mainsail on the boom, especially for long runs under reefed sail, as this can lead to chafe issues. Having some sort of platform on top of the boom (a poor man’s Park Avenue or hay rack) helps as it supports the bunt, but it is also necessary to prevent the bunt from creeping over the edge if there is slack in the sail, creating a bag that can fill with water.
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Lashing the sail through reef points can work, but it can also cause chafe with the whole bundle working, and laminated sail fabric doesn’t like to be creased.
One system that keeps the bunt under tension aft and helps solve the problem is a cringle halfway between successive reefs, where the fall of the reef line passes through before it is made fast to the boom.
Spreader angle
Radically swept-back spreaders are now a feature of most modern rigs, but I would not advocate this configuration for a world cruiser. You will quickly find out why when having to reef downwind (when it is not advisable to head up and put the wind forward because of strong winds and big sea conditions). The mainsail will be plastered against a very sticky, irregular surface and will be a mission to lower away, not to mention leading to continuous chafe issues when underway downwind. I believe a cutter rig is essential for world cruising and this means having running backstays so that you won’t require radically swept-back spreaders.
Taking a slab reef
If it becomes a drama you have left it too late. Cruising should be a conservative affair. There is little difference in boat speed with, say, a single reef at the top end of its range and the second reef near the bottom of its range. So think ahead. If the wind is on the rise, reef deeply, go slow for a while and take time to check all else on board.
Even if you have done it before, talk through the manoeuvre with your crew in a step-by-step cookbook approach.
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The beauty of this procedure, especially with a fully battened mainsail, is that the sail will feather when the sheet is eased and will not flog, so you can take you time. Also when taking more than one reef in one go, take the reefs in one by one so there is no slack in the lazy clew lines.
Step by step
Here is the step-by-step procedure, which is also shown in our video:
Make sure your main halyard is flaked out, won’t foul and can’t get washed overboard.
Ease the mainsail to take all load off the sail.
Take in the slack of the boom preventer in any kind of seaway where the boom might flog – this is necessary when short-handed. If enough crew is available, one should man the sheet during the entire manoeuvre, playing the sail, taking in slack and easing when needed and being aware of clew and halyard tension.
Pre-tension the active clew line to give some leech tension.
Lower the halyard only as fast as you bring in the tack line (if used) and the clew line so the sail comes down in control like a window blind. Avoid letting the leech flog. If sailing solo or short-handed this might have to be done in alternate stages.
As you bring down the sail, take in the slack on the other clew lines to avoid them fouling on the boom end.
When the reef tack is down, attach the shackle or put the ring on the bullhorn.
Rehoist the halyard for proper tension.
Take in the remaining clew line, easing the main sheet to so the boom rises up to the new clew. Check that the loose sail cloth is not drawn into the clew block or that there is line chafe on the sail.
Trim the main sheet back on.
Reattach the tack line to the next reef ring aloft.
Adjust leech line if need be.
Secure all clew lines and the halyard tail.
Taking a reef out is pretty much the reverse procedure. By the time the wind has dropped making more sail should be a very relaxed manoeuvre. In all things, be meticulous!
Making sure everything is absolutely secure in heavy weather needs exhaustive preparation including stowing the dinghy below deck and double-checking safety equipment
preparing the deck for heavy weather
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Skip Novak shows how to prepare your deck meticulously for a trouble-free and safe passage in stormy conditions
The axiom is that anytime you go offshore you should assume that you will encounter storm sailing conditions. After all, you are on the open ocean and, although weather forecasting has become much more reliable, things can still go awry for one reason or another.
Assuming that immediately after your last voyage you went aloft and did a complete rig check – necessary then as, if there is a problem, discovering it later would delay or scupper your departure – preparing the deck meticulously is an essential routine that makes for a trouble-free and safe passage.
I like to have a deck as clean as is practical, and that means all loose items are taken below and well lashed. That is easier said than done given the interior space available for cruising gear and equipment on most modern yachts with their accommodation pushed well forward leaving virtually no fore peak for bulk stowage. Lazarettes, by design definition, are usually crawl spaces and also minimal.
This is a sad case of yachts being marketed by people who do not sail offshore, and specifically have little idea how much ancillary equipment you actually need to go cruising.
So if you are contemplating a design or build, keep this consideration in mind and realise that berths forward of the mast are quite impractical at sea. Best to factor in some useful space with brackets to stow the heavy and awkward objects.
To me it is absurd to see expensive luxury bluewater cruisers sailing around with jerrycans lashed to the pushpit (as they are usually light on fuel tankage – another subject), hard-body RIBs on the coachroof, hanging from davits or, worse, on the foredeck precariously strapped down, not to mention anchoring gear, spare lines, outboards, dive gear, barbecues and various water toys.
Ship shape
In effect, many yachts look like a boat jumble. It is all well and good to decant this stuff onto the deck once you have arrived at a cruising ground, but offshore these are all liabilities if heavy weather is encountered.
Water is hard when a boat is knocked down and if you are thrown by a breaking sea it can clean the deck of this equipment, most likely taking the lifelines and more with it. We see this quite often down south: boats arriving from the north in a hell of a state, having lost vital equipment that was gobbled up the sea. So assuming you can stow equipment below, best do it.
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This might mean trading down your RIB for a soft bottom inflatable that can be stowed below. Davits are fine inshore, but I believe that hanging a dinghy aft makes it vulnerable to a breaking sea from behind.
If you have to stow gear on deck, be excessive with the lashing, though of course that is only as good as the pad eyes or other strong points you are lashing to. These must be through-bolted with substantial backing plates.
Having done the obvious, take a walk around from stem to stern. Even if you have checked the rig after the last voyage, do so again at least at deck level. Are all split pins in place? This might mean dismantling shroud covers to lift up the tubes to inspect them properly.
If you have wire rigging and your eyes are beginning to fail, as mine are, use a magnifying glass to look closely at the terminals where the wire disappears into the swage fittings or Norseman/Sta-lok ends. Look for hairline cracks in toggles and rigging screws.
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We found that closed shroud rollers don’t allow enough air to circulate around toggles, rigging screws and wire ends, thereby encouraging crevice corrosion in stainless steel. We drilled slots in ours and can lift them at will for inspection.
Seal the chain pipe
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If you leave your anchor on the stem head, which means fixing it in place with a back-up lashing, it is best to lower the chain into the chain locker. Have some system to seal the chain pipe, which for some reason most or all windlass manufacturers fail to provide for.
Skip advises lifting the anchor off the bow roller. It should be stowed securely
We made a custom sealing device whereby the end of the chain is attached to the device and let down and later retrieved easily – you can see this in the accompanying video. Even if your chain locker drains overboard, it is quite possible that debris brought up with the chain might, over time, block the drain and if the chainpipe is open you would be sailing around with a chain locker full of water.
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Halyard tails at the mast, if not detachable, are another potential problem and if they go over the side they can foul the propeller or rudder. This also goes for sheet and reefing line tails. Throwing them over the top of a winch is not good enough. They must be properly coiled and the tail tied to the standing part of the halyard or a fixed part of the boat – and keep in mind that the ocean has an amazing ability to untie simple knots. As US racer and commentator Gary Jobson once said: “If you can’t tie a good knot, tie lots of them.” Hatches all sealed up? Forepeak hatch dogged down? These seem basic, but a hatch not checked and partly cracked open will at best soak a berth below or at worst be ripped off its hinges.
Halyard tails to be securely tied at the mast
Even though you had moused every shackle before, probably with plastic cable ties, check them again. Ties will eventually degrade with UV and fall off. Any soft lashings should be checked for wear and chafe. Lifelines must be sound, so again check the terminals and lashings. Any gates in the lifelines or pushpit should be taped up offshore so they cannot open accidentally.
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Working aft, check the man overboard gear, making sure it is all in place, attached, clear to deploy and the lights are working. Do an EPIRB test. Jack lines should be verified and all attachment points secure.
Check all safety gear is readily accessible below deck
Lastly, check life jackets and their lights, harnesses, flashlights, grab bags and other safety equipment. In an ideal world, they should be stowed near the main companionway or in the doghouse, readily accessible. There is little point in having this essential equipment hidden away. Testing all running lights, mast lights and floodlights the night before departure is also necessary; it is easier to change a bulb there than offshore.
With water tanks topped up and fuel at its top mark, you are now ready to go, relatively secure in the knowledge you are as prepared as you can be.
Rigging OK at deck level
Shackles moused
Anchor gear secure
Hatches secure
Lifelines and gates fully closed
Halyard tails tied in
Jacklines sound
Safety equipment MOB, EPIRB, PFDs and harnesses all serviced and working
Running and deck lights working
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