Heave to drift?

[lukemax]

What does Heave to drift mean?

 

[CatalinaThePirate]

Heave to means to furl sail (heave all sail to the yardarms and tie them up) and drift means don't go anywhere or steer, just stay where your ship will drift. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/onya.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="onya.gif" />

 

[`Cut-Throat` Jur]

I belive drifting means going sideways cus of the currents and wind... atleast thats whut they told me at school, are you 100% on this one Cat? <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/bookish.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":mm" border="0" alt="bookish.gif" />

 

[Wolfwood]

Well, I think you'll drift in whatever direction the wind and currents will take you. It is not like they have another word to replace "drift" if you are going forwards or backwards...

 

[CatalinaThePirate]

I suppose drift could be used that way, yes. In the "`heave-to` and drift" expression it just means to stop using the sails and let the ship go where it will on whatever current or winds against the hull or to wherever your decreasing momentum will take you. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="yes.gif" /> <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/par-ty.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="par-ty.gif" />