Everyone should practice heaving to, just to get the flavor of how much things calm down when you stop moving the boat in a seaway.

We have hove-to twice on passages; both times between Bermuda and New York. First time was not very rough; 20-25 knot winds, but we needed to stop for a few hours to get the latest on a storm system tracking north of us before committing to the Gulf Stream.

The second time was returning from Bermuda this past summer; ran into a stretch of 30-35 knot winds on the edge of the Gulf Stream with some sloppy seas and decided to take it easy for a couple of hours.

We have a keel/centerboard Hood 38 -- heavy displacement, cutaway forefoot, but pretty low aspect keel with the board up. I have found that the boat heaves to best with the jib completely rolled up/no storm jib and the main double or triple reefed. The wind pressure on the roller furled sail is plenty to keep the boat from rounding up all the way.

It's amazing how easy things get once you heave to.

--Karl
S/V Mabel Rose