This video from Colorado Sailing gives a practical breakdown of how to heave-to—a crucial safety and resting maneuver that essentially parks a sailboat using its own sails.
The instructor emphasizes that while textbooks make it sound as simple as “backwind the jib and turn the tiller,” doing it right (especially in heavy winds) requires a specific braking technique.
Here is a summary of the key concepts and steps shown in the video:
The Secret: The “Braking” Technique
The most important takeaway is that you must use your headsail to slow the boat down before locking your rudder [00:50]. If you have too much momentum, the water flowing over the rudder will override the sails, causing the boat to violently spin or do a complete 360-degree turn instead of stabilizing [04:18].
How to Heave-To (Step-by-Step)
- Prep the Sails: Pull your headsail (jib) nice and tight [01:27].
- Initiate a Tack: Bring the bow of the boat through the wind just like you are making a normal tack [00:50].
- Leave the Jib Backwinded: Do not release or switch the jib sheets. Allow the wind to push against the wrong side of the headsail [01:46].
- Manage the Tiller (The Brake): As the boat slows down, steer just enough to maintain control and let the backwinded jib decelerate the boat [01:53].
- Lock the Helm: Once the boat loses steerage way (momentum stops and water stops flowing effectively over the rudder), push the tiller all the way over to counteract the headsail, and tie it off [02:02].
- Adjust the Mainsail: Depending on the wind, you may need to ease the mainsail out slightly (10 to 20 degrees) to keep the boat from healing over too much and keep it flat [02:33].
To get out of the heave-to, you simply release the backwinded jib sheet, pull it to the correct side, and take back control of the tiller [03:08].
Pro-Tip on Positioning
The instructor recommends always trying to heave-to on a starboard tack [03:22]. This gives you the official right-of-way under boating rules, and on most boats, it keeps the reefing lines and boom controls accessible on the safer side of the deck if you need to shorten sail [03:26].
