Caught in a gale 8 | Heaving to in rough seas | Saga47swan Sailing

Support us making these videos: https://ko-fi.com/saga47swansailing Website: https://www.saga47swan.com “𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤” During our crossing from Andenes, Norway to the Faroe Islands, we encountered gale-force winds and after 24 hours, we were all tired from battling big seas and strong winds with gust up to 50 kts, rain and wind chill. So we decided to heave to, allowing us to take a much needed break instead of fighting the elements. In gale-force conditions, sailing to windward is hard work for little gain and can be dangerous and counterproductive. Heaving to significantly reduced the motion of the boat, making it more stable and amazingly comfortable compared to continuing under sail in such conditions. In “heave to” position , Saga47swan drifted sideways drift in a calm and safe manner despite the rough sea state allowing the crew to get some sleep. Decision-Making Time: Heaving to gave Skipper Chris the time to assess the situation, consider alternative routes or tactics, and wait for the weather to improve before continuing the passage with a well rested crew. After 12 hours and a hot meal, we continued our passage towards the Faroe Islands with two deep reef in the main and staysail. 𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 “𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗼”? #heavingto #galeforcewinds #storm #oceancrossing #offshoresailing #safety #weather #sailing #decisionmaking #passageplanning #sailingnorway #sailingfaroeislands #fightingtheelements