How Do I Keep My Sailboat From Heeling? How Far Can A Sailboat Heel?

Going fast and heel over as much as you can is a fun exciting experience. But heeling too much will not make you go faster. It may give you some sense of speed but not necessarily quicker. let’s see why.

Several factors and elements play a major role in sailboat heeling. Some are unchangeable, and some you can get around. 

To know-how, first, you must understand what makes a sailboat heel? Three major factors cause sailboats to heel; Wind on the sail, Weight, and Boat Design. The angle of the wind hitting the boat also has some effect.

There are more issues related to the construction and design of the boat that plays an important role in the heeling of the sailing boats. I will not discuss these factors, I will discuss the things you can do.

The wind on the sails gets the lion’s share. The larger the sails and the faster the wind, the greater the resulting heel force. It’s that simple.

The weight has a major role also, the gross boat’s weight and weight distribution. The impacts of these factors vary from one design to another. 

For example, on a small sailing boat, you can place a 100 lbs - 50 Kg (some cargo or a crew member) on the other side, and you can reduce the heeling degree slightly, while it is impractical on large boats. But it exists. 

Thus, the next question is;

Can You Stop A Sailboat From Healing? 

The heeling degree can be controlled and reduced to an acceptable degree. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent the sailboat from heeling completely. Even sailboats designed to resist heeling or multihulls, heels’ to a certain degree. 

Some boats are designed to resist or reduce heeling, at the expense of other things. Which makes them somewhat less heeling than others. Though, still heels’.

So, how much heeling is an acceptable degree?

How Far Can A Sailboat Heel?

In other words how much heel is too much?. How many degrees can a sailboat heel?

On average the optimal heeling degree is 15 degrees. It varies from boat to boat depending on many factors. Some boats can handle more and some less. As a general rule between 10-25 degrees is an acceptable degree. More than that you might lose speed and slide sideways.

You may also be risking tipping over the boat’ if you exceed that degree and you do not know how to handle the situation. 

So, the best thing you can do is to reduce the sails and\or change your point of sail. The boat should right itself and you can have a moment to catch your breath and gather your thoughts. 

That will lead us to the next question.

What Point Of Sail Has The Most Heel?

The beam reach is the point of the sail that has the most heel force. When the wind is at a 90-degree angle to the boat beam. The point where the wind is most harnessed will cause the most heel. The more sails the more excessive the heeling will be.

At this angle is where the strongest gusting wind will be. If you’re going to face that, ease the sails if you are uncertain if you can handle the situation or not. Gather your thoughts then act.

How Do I Keep My Sailboat From Heeling?

As mentioned earlier, you cannot prevent the boat from heeling. But there are some things you can do to reduce the heeling (leaning over) and keep the sailboat from heeling too much.

Flatten the headsail as flat as you can

Tighten the headsail as tight as you can. Want it to be flat and stiff, not flapping and loose. The tighter the sail, the more it resists the heeling force. Hence, less heeling.

You can also reduce the heeling by tightening the out-haul, tightening the halyard, move the traveler to leeward.

Pay attention to the sheet, the lines, and the winches. Be sure that they are in good condition and that there are no cracks or rips. Because you’re going to put in a lot of force, and you don’t want to break anything.

Reef the headsail forward of the mast

Furl the headsail (Genoa, Jib) more, about 1 foot forward of the mast this will help split the wind a bit while still harnessing the wind but more comfortably. This means less heeling and cozy sailing.

You can have a comfortable ride by reefing the mainsail and furling a few turns of the headsail.

Clear the front deck of any extra weight 

You should move any extra weight from the front deck and store it and secure it farther aft. Extra fuel or water, kayak, life raft your sailboat will ride better and smoother.

These extra weights will strengthen the existing heel force from the wind. Not only that, but it might create extra windage. Making the boat heel more.

Adjust your point of sail

Turn close to downwind or upwind, and choose the closest. this way you are reducing the wind on the sails without much resistance. Adjust until you find the perfect angle.

Balance the weight inside the boat

Ensure the weights inside the boat are equal on each side. For example, if you have a ( 25 gallon – 113 L ) fuel tank on each side, one should never be full and the other empty. ( It means over 240 lbs – 110 kg ) off weights on one side. This will unbalance the boat and cause more heels. Measure everything based on this.

The size and type of the sailboat will play the main role. Still, developing a good sailing skill set Is the key. knowing when and how to reef, flatten the mainsail and head, drop the traveler, etc 

Understanding how to right the boat and how the boat right itself. understanding what causes the boat to heel and how to balance the boat is what sailing is all about.

The more you sail your boat, the more you know how to handle it, and the more confident you will be. It just takes time and experience.

I hope this post was helpful and you learned something new. If you did; Please share this post with your friends and help someone else.