Introduction

When you’re out on the water and a storm rolls in, you may not be able to escape its wrath. However, you can prepare your vessel so that it is as safe as possible during these harsh conditions. In this blog post I’ll discuss how to outfit your boat with a proper storm jib or headsail, how to use it properly during a storm and other precautionary measures you should take when bad weather strikes.

Outfitting Your Boat with a Proper Storm Jib.

A storm jib is a sail that can be deployed in place of the mainsail during severe weather. It’s a triangular sail made of lightweight material, sometimes constructed from rip-stop nylon or Dacron. A storm jib is used instead of a conventional mainsail when there’s not enough wind to power your boat through waves or gusts. Because it’s smaller than the main and has less surface area, it can be used when winds are light and even when they’re not blowing at all.

The benefits of having a storm jib on board are huge: you’ll be able to rig up quickly as soon as conditions become unsafe; you’ll have more stability meaning less chance for capsizing; and finally (and most importantly), you won’t lose your boat!

There are several different types available out there including ones designed specifically for racing boats (which tend to use quick release systems). But don’t worry if yours isn’t one—they’re easy enough to install yourself after watching some videos online or talking with someone who knows how theirs works!

Using the Storm Jib.

A storm jib is a large jib that you can use in heavy winds. If your main sail is already up and the wind starts to pick up, it’s time to pull out your storm jib. A storm jib is larger than the main sail and has more power. You should also make sure that all of your lines are secure so they don’t get tangled or damaged during high winds.

If you have trouble changing direction with a smaller boat like ours, we recommend using two mainsails: one on each side of our bow (front). This will help keep us stable while sailing because there will always be at least one side pointing into the wind no matter what direction we want to go!

Lowering Your Main Sail to Prepare for Poor Conditions.

When the wind picks up, you can lower your main sail. This will reduce the area of the boat that is exposed to the wind, thereby reducing its speed and making it easier for you to control it.

If you have time, pull in any excess sheets that are flapping around in the wind, particularly if they’re close to anything (like people) who could get hurt by a bunch of loose lines whipping around everywhere.

Heaving to in Heavy Winds.

The first and foremost option is to heave to in heavy winds. The term “heaving to” simply means to stop sailing forward and pull the sails as tight as possible. Heaving to is an excellent way of controlling your boat when you get caught in a storm. This technique will help you ride out the storm while keeping your boat from being damaged by waves or other objects that may be floating around in rough waters.

When making this decision, you must decide whether it is safe for your boat or not depending on its size and stability, as well as your own ability level at sailing it safely through such conditions (or any other reason).

Heaving to with the Main and Genoa Reefed or Furled.

Heaving To with the Main and Genoa Reefed or Furled:

As mentioned before, heaving to is a technique used to reduce the sail area on your boat and keep it from moving. This can be accomplished by simply furling or reefing in either the main or genoa. All you have to do is pull in the lines for these sails until they are as small as possible and then secure them so that they don’t flap about in high winds. You will also want to make sure that everything else on your boat is tied down securely because this will reduce excessive movement while underway.

By reducing the sail area on your vessel, you’ll be able to reduce its speed while still providing adequate power output through a smaller amount of canvas than when running under full sail conditions; this results in greater stability while underway which translates into comfort and safety for those aboard during stormy weather conditions such as gale force winds (35 mph). Additionally, reducing speed allows fuel consumption per hour during emergency situations where there may not necessarily be landfall within reachable distance (i.e., “out at sea”). Lastly but certainly not least important aspect: reduced windage makes handling easier!

Heaving to without Furling or Reefing the Main Sail.

Heaving to without furling or reefing the main sail is a good option for boats with large mainsails, but it’s best to be on a long reach and not in close proximity to land. Use this technique only if you have plenty of time before the storm hits, because it will take some time to set up and execute correctly.

To heave to, first turn off all sheet lines (attachments) and backwind all controls so that they are loose when the boat is heading into the wind. This will allow the sheets to run freely through blocks without catching on anything. Once you’ve done this, ease your jib as much as possible before setting it at dead slow so that there’s no pull from either side of your vessel; keep it trimmed until you’re ready for steering control again.

Now trim in both mainsheet blocks as tight as possible against their respective masts without creating any slack between them; these will probably be hard turns away from one another due to how far apart they are located from each other at rest position—this means you may need help holding onto them while they’re being tensioned out toward opposite sides of their respective vessels; make sure you don’t let go until everything is set up securely!

Other Precautions When Heaving to your Boat

• Make sure your boat is well secured.
• Make sure all lines are properly tied and secured.
• Make sure you have enough fuel.
• Make sure you have enough water.
• Make sure you have enough food.
• Check your radio for weather updates and make a note of any changes to the forecast, in case other boats may be out at sea as well. The last thing you want is to get caught in a storm that was predicted but not reported by anyone else nearby! You might also want to consider bringing along an emergency beacon or satellite phone so that if something goes wrong while heaving-to, there are reliable ways of communication with other vessels nearby who can come help out if necessary (or alert authorities). And finally…if possible…make certain that someone knows exactly where your vessel is located at all times during this type of voyage; there may come a time when SAR will need this info as well as AIS data from its system​

You can properly prepare your boat for stormy weather.

You can prepare your boat for stormy weather.

• Use a storm jib. A storm jib is the most effective way to protect your boat from bad weather, including storms and other potentially damaging winds. It should be used in addition to lowering the main sail so that you don’t have to worry about capsizing during a severe storm.
• Lower your main sail. When you lower your main sail, it will decrease the chances of being carried away by strong winds or rough seas during adverse conditions. However, lowering the main may also reduce visibility on deck and make steering more difficult if done incorrectly so take extra precautions when doing this step in order to avoid any accidents!
• Heave To: When heaving-to (or “hove-to”), a ship holds its position by sailing close hauled into wind with one or both points of sail aback (with sails set but aback so they don’t fill) while running off before the wind with reduced speed but zero direction change due to inertia . This strategy is often used in heavy weather when being blown downwind would mean being overtaken by high seas coming from ahead; however care must be taken when executing this maneuver as it can cause even more damage than just letting go all sheets/lines etc.. If not executed correctly then no amount of protection will save you from having your boat capsize!

Conclusion

The last thing you want is to be caught unprepared in a storm. Luckily, there are many options available to help keep your boat safe and secure in rough water conditions. When choosing what type of storm jib works best for you, consider these factors: the size and weight of your vessel, how much wind it can withstand before capsizing or breaking apart due to its size/weight ratio (and thus how high upwind), and how long it takes you get there. If none of these options work for what type of sailing experience that you’re looking for – don’t worry! There’s still plenty more ways out there too!