Ken
Years ago on a sail from New York to Bermuda on a friends 38' LeCompt, we were caught in the edge of a tropical storm that came off of Georgia. There was 30 kts of wind from the southeast and 15' seas from two directions, SE and SW. In daylight we were able to steer up, over and around the wave patterns. At night we couldn't see the approaching waves to steer at them properly. We decided to heave to until we could see again. With a triple reefed main and a 90% working jib backwinded we laid quietly for 5 hours. The main and the helm wanted the boat to round up and the backwinded jib pushed the bow off the wind. We all rested below, not really sleeping, and the boat performed well. When, in the early dawn, we could see the waves again, we released the jib sheet and continued on our way. During the night we had drifted about 8 miles backward. The whole heaving to event was just like a textbook exercise.
Jim