I want to correct my statement about driving 45º backward off of the wind when hove to. As Rolf indicated you drift sideways. I just checked a record I had of a time when I set a Prindle 19 in a heave to position in 13 knots wind with 2 foot seas. Over the ground, the boat went about 90º to the wind at a speed of 0.8 knots. It moved in a directoin toward the windward side of the main.
I'll have to try it without a jib and see what the results are.
Here is a link to a video that shows how to heave to. One thing not shown that I usually do is to slowly sheet in the mainsail, once the bows begin to blow off of the wind, to the point where I get the balance, attitude that I want.
"Heaving to" videoGARY
