Heaving to in a Ballad?

[dahlke]

I have never tried heaving to in a fin keeled boat. I would love some hints or a description on how to heave to in a Ballad

[Bob McGovern]

Yes please. (What size genoa are you using, Mads? That might have some bearing on the advice we receive. We'll be changing to a full hoist 138% on roller furling.)

If anyone has experience fore-reaching in squalls under reefed main only, or main and partially furled genoa, or storm jib ... that would be good information to have, also. Our little boat can fore-reach all day on reefed main only, in winds up to 50kts. DAMHIKT. But its sail balance is very different from the Ballad.

[prjacobs]

Well, I'm far from an expert .... FAR !!!
That said, I hove-to a couple of times, once after an 'accidental' tack and later to put the Navik paddle down. On the accidental tack, curious to see what would happen, I left the jib sheeted where it was and the tiller tied over to the lee side. The jib was back-winded, stopping the boat in it's tracks, and there she sat at about a 60 degree angle off the wind and quite happy to just stay there. This happened in flat seas and about 12 knots of wind with the full main and a 130 Genoa.
I haven't yet tried it yet under rough conditions.

[Bob McGovern]

You been out playing yet this Spring, Peter? Should have some feisty conditions to practice in.

One of the European publications -- Yachting Monthly, IIRC -- said in its 1970s review that the Ballad heaves to very well for a IOR fin keeler. Given its deep V entry, fat keel, and skeg-hung rudder, I would not be surprised if it behaves like longer-keel boats such as the Contessa 32. Finding the right amount of mainsheet and rudder may need some experimenting, tho, esp. with the small mainsail. Auto-tacking is one thing; auto-gybing is much louder!

[prjacobs]

I'll try to avoid those auto-gybes!
I'm headed out this morning, solo for a few days, as the weather looks inviting. Time to explore some of the local marine parks.

[Bob McGovern]

Found the review: YM in 1973:

Despite her fin and skeg arrangement, we hove to and, in the prevailing conditions, she lay quietly, forereaching at about half a knot.

That's typical for a moderate IOR design. Means leaving yourself some sea room off the bow, won't be quite as sedate as a full-keeler resting in its own slick, and maybe above 50kts or so you will need to adopt a different strategy. (Just one of those tradeoffs: the more a boat likes to sail, the harder it is to bed down. Hove to, at anchor, on a mooring, or even at the dock. Our SJ21 hunts at anchor like a bloodhound looking for a scent.)

[Bob McGovern]

I'll try to avoid those auto-gybes!
I'm headed out this morning, solo for a few days, as the weather looks inviting. Time to explore some of the local marine parks.

Enjoy your trip, & we'll be looking for a cruising report when you get time. It's expected to drop 6-8" of wet snow on us this weekend.

Edit: We got two feet of snow.*sigh*

[prjacobs]

We were out for the last three days and I had a couple of opportunities to heave-to under quite windy conditions. Sailing close hauled, and slowly tacking, but leaving the jib sheeted on the weather side, she hove-to quite well. The seas were a bit rough and the wind was between 18 and 24 knots, but I was still able to get the Navik paddle attached without dropping it.
On another note: All three days were quite windy and rough, which the Ballad handled well. Two legs of the trip were on a beam reach and we hit 9 knots a few times surfing down the swells. But on today's leg it was time to "pay the piper" ... we had an 18 mile beat to get home, close hauled all the way and again in rough seas. With two reefs in the main and the 135 Genoa partially furled the boat was quite happy and I was surprised how well balanced the helm was. I suspect this is because I have a slightly forward raked mast, as per the North Sails instructions.
Sorry, no pictures as we were too busy hanging on and cringing behind the dodger (spray hood)!

[Bob McGovern]

Nice. That seawater must be about 7*C right now! If you must sail upwind, tho, there are few boats better for the task. (I confess to loving it -- probably because I learned to sail on narrow inland lakes, where you always seem to be going upwind for some reason. We chose the Ballad in part because it likes to point, and we like to sail rather than motor.)

Did you get to use the wind vane on the trip home? We are undecided about wind vanes. I like the idea; and for ocean crossings, nothing is better.... But our first few years will be coastal sailing, which may favor electronic autopilots.

[prjacobs]

Bob,
We used the Navik for most of the trip ... love it when beating as it keeps you as close to the wind as possible, adjusting for every little change in wind direction allowing for the most possible headway.