Heaving-Ton within E-Sail? (Can/have you done it?)

[gazpodsimsociety]

HEAVING TO;
One technique I recently remember being shown when crewing in real-life is heaving to.

Has anyone tried doing this within e-sail? Have you had any success doing so?

QUESTION:-
ADMITTEDLY, it’s been some time since i’ve done it on my own – so a quick check of an instructional guide on youtube from one skipper, shows them tacking the boat, without touching the working Jib-Sheet, (which is what I remember).

However what they also do as part of the process is to un-jam the mainsheet, allowing the main to be de-powered and to swing freely, leaving the Jib to be & remain back-winded whilst the steering is centred on a close haul tack on the new course.

Presumably this is how it's done?

Wouldn't the boat carry on down away from the wind on the new course? How can I stop this movement?

Also is the way to do this the same regardless if I'm using a tiller rather than a wheel?
(I've only recently done this on a wheeled boat)

[cbaldwin256]

I think you've got it. You can let out the mainsheet in and to balance the boat. Pull the mainsheet in will put the bow more into the wind. If you let the main out the jib should catch the wind and push the bow away from the wind. You may need to put the helm over (can't remember which way). If you can get the speed below 1.5 knots you are probably doing quite well - like many real life boats eSail wants to sail and she doesn't really like stopping dead!

[cbaldwin256]

Thanks Latent. That's a bit weird, with the mainsheet slack like that I would expect the bow to be pushed to starboard by the wind hitting the jib. I'll have to check that.

[cbaldwin256]

Yes, still think it might need some tweaking at some point. Your rudder can't be doing much when you are virtually stopped. As you say the jib is acting like a brake but it should also be trying to pivot the bow away from the wind (even with the helm over). I will get one of my sailing gurus to look at it.

By the way, I couldn't make that last link work..

[bobster673]

Hi Chris

Yes this is correct the method for heaving to is as follows:

1. Back the headsail (in reality the best / easiest way to do this is to tack & leave it sheeted on the new windward side).
2. Ease the main.
3. Steer to windward (to oppose the boats inclination to drop to leeward due to backed headsail)

The main may need to be trimmed slightly to get the correct equilibrium between the two opposing forces (Headsail pushing bow to leeward, main to windward).

I tried it in e-sail & it worked perfectly, my speed dropped to about 0.2, which is in reality about as good as you might expect.

Here's a link to a video by Yachting World explaining how to do it for real in the Southern Ocean

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

Hope this all makes sense.

yours Aye

Rob

RYA Sailing Instructor
RYA lvl 2 Race Coach
BEng Yacht & Powercraft Design

[cbaldwin256]

Yes, BUT.. on Latent's video the mainsail is not doing anything, it is just swinging in the wind so it would be like heaving-to with just the jib up - surely that would not be possible?

[bobster673]

Yes that's fine provided the balance is correct remember there are three elements, headsail, Main & rudder. It will of course depend on how much Main/Headsail you have up too...

[JoGyrt]

Originally posted by bobster673:

Hi Chris

Yes this is correct the method for heaving to is as follows:

1. Back the main (in reality the best / easiest way to do this is to tack & leave it sheeted on the new windward side).
2. Ease the main.
3. Steer to windward (to oppose the boats inclination to drop to leeward due to backed headsail)

The main may need to be trimmed slightly to get the correct equilibrium between the two opposing forces (Headsail pushing bow to leeward, main to windward).

I tried it in e-sail & it worked perfectly, my speed dropped to about 0.2, which is in reality about as good as you might expect.

Here's a link to a video by Yachting World explaining how to do it for real in the Southern Ocean

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

Hope this all makes sense.

yours Aye

Rob

RYA Sailing Instructor
RYA lvl 2 Race Coach
BEng Yacht & Powercraft Design

Only comment I have is that step one is backing the headsail not the main. This may be a source of confusion to new sailors. Just a quick notice.

I tried it this morning and it worked perfect. Just tacked through, let the main free while leaving the jib backed. Just crank the wheel into the wind and you'll sit pretty. Same as I do on my boats in the real world. Adjusting the main may be neccesary, but usually isn't in a light breeze.

Josh

[bobster673]

Originally posted by JoGyrt:

Originally posted by bobster673:

Hi Chris

Yes this is correct the method for heaving to is as follows:

1. Back the main (in reality the best / easiest way to do this is to tack & leave it sheeted on the new windward side).
2. Ease the main.
3. Steer to windward (to oppose the boats inclination to drop to leeward due to backed headsail)

The main may need to be trimmed slightly to get the correct equilibrium between the two opposing forces (Headsail pushing bow to leeward, main to windward).

I tried it in e-sail & it worked perfectly, my speed dropped to about 0.2, which is in reality about as good as you might expect.

Here's a link to a video by Yachting World explaining how to do it for real in the Southern Ocean

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

Hope this all makes sense.

yours Aye

Rob

RYA Sailing Instructor
RYA lvl 2 Race Coach
BEng Yacht & Powercraft Design

Only comment I have is that step one is backing the headsail not the main. This may be a source of confusion to new sailors. Just a quick notice.

I tried it this morning and it worked perfect. Just tacked through, let the main free while leaving the jib backed. Just crank the wheel into the wind and you'll sit pretty. Same as I do on my boats in the real world. Adjusting the main may be neccesary, but usually isn't in a light breeze.

Josh

Thanks Josh, my bad just a typo I'll see if I can edit it..

Rob

[ryanpjessop]

I've just tried this and it does work. The only thing i would say is it works a bit better than in the real world!