Heaving to a ketch

stevesales

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A search hasn't produced much useful from YBW on this subject.
I can sort of heave to in the conventional main/backed jib way but it ain't very impressive.
Has anyone tried the numerous combinations possible with jib, staysail, main and mizzen ?
If so please tell me more.
 

pappaecho

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I had to heave to last week in the Solent in a Force 5/6 when we picked up a rope round the prop, whilst going into Cowes.
Used about 20% genoa and the unreefed mizzen. Best to experiment when not on a Lee shore with no effective engine - in my case luckily managed to free of said rope, and used certain expletives which were directed at the pratt who dumped the rope in the water in the first place!
 

pappaecho

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hell of a lot! as there was a tide running as well, but the boat stopped in the water, did not need to be attended to, and did not go near shallow water, other objects etc, whilst we cleared the fouled prop
 

stevesales

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Thanks for the info. Very useful.
Do you reckon a staysail would balance better than a furled jib?
Please could you send me the sails you used so I can keep clear of lee shores, reefs etc.
What size ketch were you on?
 

boatmike

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Concurr. The precise sail balance will depend on the boat, keel configuration and other things but the normally accepted way in a ketch (before owning multihulls I had 3 between 36 and 52 ft) is to use a balance of mizzen and backed jib. A rolled genoa will replace a standard jib for this purpose. The higher the wind force the less sail you will need. Practice in low wind force winds first and build up.
 

stevesales

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That's useful.
There's a lot of different advice about heaving to ketches but it seems logical to put the pushme-pullyou as near the front and back (these are complex nautical terms, don't worry) as possible.
 
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