Heaving to in a Storm

[Daydream believer]

Once in the lee of Barfleur it got much better, Cherbourg was entered OK.

We heard Jersey CG weather as we entered, " wind 4 to 5, moderate, good.

Not what we had, thats for sure.............................

Alderney to Cherbourg & you do not go anywhere near Barfleur unless you got lost

 

[rotrax]

Alderney to Cherbourg & you do not go anywhere near Barfleur unless you got lost

We were not lost, but found far less confused seas once close to the Western entrance of Cherbourg. I put it down to a wind shift and being in the bay. The wind went North, then quickly North East and then East-within 50 minutes. Once it was East, Barfleur gave a lee.

 

[Neil_Y]

In really rough conditions the swell doesn't always come from the same direction, I've only used two coping methods, hove to and running on a deep reach under storm jib and dragging warps to prevent broaching. Both worked but running needed active steering in put and was hard work but I had more crew on that occasion. Beam on lying a hull doesn't seem a good idea ever.

Boat Bavaria 390 40'
1st was hove to in Biscay November storm with solid 55knts and breaking sea, hove to for 24 hours drifting at about 2.5knots 160deg from head to wind . we had a couple of 90deg rolls when waves broke over us but otherwise she was pretty steady and we had a chance to rest. Seas were 20' +
2nd mid Atlantic near Azores two storms had set up big swells which were coming from two directions causing huge peaks, wind was never over 45knts but the waves were very steep especially when two big swells met. We dragged alll the big ropes and the kedge anchor behind to help prevent broaching and steered by hand for 36 hours trying to keep 30 deg off dead downwind using just a storm jib. Worst bit was at night with cloud cover you couldn't see the shape or size of approaching waves.

 

[Gunfleet]

Could the counter current have been part of it too?

Edit - replying to rotrax

 

[pcatterall]

In really rough conditions the swell doesn't always come from the same direction, I've only used two coping methods, hove to and running on a deep reach under storm jib and dragging warps to prevent broaching. Both worked but running needed active steering in put and was hard work but I had more crew on that occasion. Beam on lying a hull doesn't seem a good idea ever.

Boat Bavaria 390 40'
1st was hove to in Biscay November storm with solid 55knts and breaking sea, hove to for 24 hours drifting at about 2.5knots 160deg from head to wind . we had a couple of 90deg rolls when waves broke over us but otherwise she was pretty steady and we had a chance to rest. Seas were 20' +
2nd mid Atlantic near Azores two storms had set up big swells which were coming from two directions causing huge peaks, wind was never over 45knts but the waves were very steep especially when two big swells met. We dragged alll the big ropes and the kedge anchor behind to help prevent broaching and steered by hand for 36 hours trying to keep 30 deg off dead downwind using just a storm jib. Worst bit was at night with cloud cover you couldn't see the shape or size of approaching waves.

Lots of interest in this thread. Its good to hear 'best theory' and also to hear some real life experiences like the above where size of yacht, crew situation, weather situation and methods used are clearly stated.

 

[KellysEye]

One issue with heaving to with a spade rudder is if you move backwards too fast the rudder will be torn off. This why spade rudder boats tow drogues and long keel and skeg hung rudder boats use parachute anchors. We had a long keel and carried a parachute anchor but fortunately never had to use it.

 

[rotrax]

One issue with heaving to with a spade rudder is if you move backwards too fast the rudder will be torn off. This why spade rudder boats tow drogues and long keel and skeg hung rudder boats use parachute anchors. We had a long keel and carried a parachute anchor but fortunately never had to use it.

I have heaved to in modest-F6-conditions, to get some hot food inside us , but dont recall going backwards. Rather the opposite, we forereached at about a knot, but fairly comfortably compared to the bash to windward that preceded the heaving to.

 

[Daydream believer]

deleted

 

[doug748]

I was in a force 9/10 Gulf Stream gale while singlehanding my 31 foot full keel yacht from Bermuda back to New England. For several hours as the winds intensity increased I kept reducing sail. The wind and current were both coming from the southwest and the seas built throughout the day to dramatic proportions, 18 to 20 feet. I had my Monitor windvane steering throughout the ordeal. I was on a port tack close reach the entire time. During the worst of the storm I had perhaps two square yards of my yankee unfurled and I kept moving comfortably at a knot to a knot and a half.
I was swept by a couple wind driven wave tops but nothing which made me feel I needed to change tactics. The roar of the waves and the high pitched whine of the wind in the rigging was quite amazing.
I remained safe and comfortable in my berth protected by lee cloths. Every half hour I poked my head out to examine the rig and check for shipping but luckily had no problems with either.
I have used this same technique of slowly reaching in lesser storms with similar results. I would definitely not have wanted to broad reach or run downwind unless avoiding a lee shore.
Each boat is unique and one must find a heavy weather technique which best suits them. I must stress that my windvane self steering handled the boat throughout the storm and it was never necessary for me to take the helm. Thank God, because some of those seas were awe inspiring.

Willy Ker has said he uses this tactic, in a boat with a lot of similarities to yours:

"....In a storm he normally sets up the Aries and with 3 reefs in the main and jib furled, slowly (1-2kts) sailing at 50 - 60 deg to the wind."

Incidentally, he abandoned lying a-hull as a tactic, in very heavy weather, after being knocked down twice at different times.

 

[[163233]]

One issue with heaving to with a spade rudder is if you move backwards too fast the rudder will be torn off.

Now that's confusing, I must be doing it wrong...

The way I do this, I stick the helm over as if to tack but without swapping the sheets, once the sail is backed I release the mainsheet and stick the tiller over the other side to stop her going all the way round. (Actually wedge it behind one of the spinnaker winches.) She'll just sit like that quite comfortably, which is nice when reefing with everything at the mast.

Surely to balance like that she has to be going forwards doesn't she?

 

[Daydream believer]

Surely to balance like that she has to be going forwards doesn't she?

Correct. The main will have a certain amount of wind in it to balance the jib & this should give a small amount of forward motion. If the main had no wind in it then it would flog & one would soon find it ruined. That is why it is often not good to heave too on main only. ( depends on boat of course)The jib just pushes the bow off to get the main to collect a bit of wind. This tends to give some forward momentum & counter sudden aft movement.
However, where Kellyseye is correct if one just puts a drogue over the bow: the boat will move backwards, pushed by wind & wave. This can cause damage to the spade rudder & the effect is similar to reversing under engine, but much more violent

 

[Little Dorrit]

Willy Ker has said he uses this tactic, in a boat with a lot of similarities to yours:

"....In a storm he normally sets up the Aries and with 3 reefs in the main and jib furled, slowly (1-2kts) sailing at 50 - 60 deg to the wind."

Incidentally, he abandoned lying a-hull as a tactic, in very heavy weather, after being knocked down twice at different times.

Makes a lot of sense; downwind presumably there would be little orvno control over boat so beating into wind avoiding broadside waves seems quite logical.