Storm Sailing Tactics: How to #HeaveTo ⛈️⛵️🌊
This is the same as ‘parking the boat’ offshore.
By making the sails work against each other, the boat loses almost all forward momentum and drifts very slowly sideways. It also creates an area of calm, slick water directly to windward of the vessel that helps reduce the threat of breaking waves 🌊
Today I’m using the tactic to wait for sunrise since we arrived early to the tuamotus 🌴😍 and there is a narrow channel with very strong outgoing current to enter the atoll.
I heave to by first backing the headsail (ideally the staysail if you have one) then cutting the main so it is roughly the same size. I’m using a 2nd reef. Last, I lash the helm all the way to windward to stop the rudder moving and prevent the boat from steering in circles!
I can use this tactic whenever I want: for simply calming the motion of the boat in rough seas, to repairing something, or waiting out a storm! ⛵️⛈️🌊
What do you want to learn next? 👇
#stormtactics #offshoresailing #solosailing
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