distance with the wind on one quarter, and then to jibe and sail with the wind on the other quarter.
A vessel is said to be HOVE-TO when she is made to remain stationary, by getting some of her head sails aback. To heave a cutter to, luff her up till she is close-hauled, haul the fore-sheet to windward, and haul on the jibsheet until the corner of the jib is over the forestay. If the main-sheet is now trimmed properly—experiment will quickly show how much it should be flattened in—the headsails and the mainsail will balance each other, the former causing the vessel's head to pay off, the latter driving her up into the wind, with the result that the vessel will remain floating head to wind, making no headway, and the tiller can be lashed amidships.
When sailing single-handed, provided you have sufficient sea room, heave the vessel to before undertaking to reef, shift jibs, etc. You can then leave the tiller and do the work at your leisure, while the vessel takes care of herself.
When hove-to under snug canvas, even a small fore-and-after will often ride quite comfortably and safely through very heavy weather. To ride out a gale a cutter is generally hove-to under trysail and storm-jib, the foresail being stowed.
To get under way when hove-to, hoist the foresail if it is down, slack up the main-sheet, and when the vessel has paid well off trim the sheets.
When shifting sails and reefing, care must be taken to preserve the balance between the head and
