The jib-only sailing stinks upwind, after trying several times, we got so close to the lee shore that we had to use my electric motor to prevent being pushed on people's peers.
Heaving to: worked very well, we got on the (1) starboard tack, (2) tightened the jib with the starboard sheet until it backfilled, (3) locked rudder to the lee and (4) loosen the main a little. While heaving to you can relax as your hands are free and the boat sails itself on the beam reach at a slow knot or two, depending if the main is helping or not. I tie the main just enough not to luff.
I installed a quick jib douse line: tied up the the top of the jib, a thin line goes thru some hanks to the tack and from there to the cockpit. Once I release the jib halyard, and pull on this line and the jib gets pulled to the deck without need of going to the bow. Great safety feature.
I tested the ballast of two 50+ pound bags of sand paced in the midship. I think they added the some stability to the boat in addition to 65 pound battery I am carrying aft. I will need all stability I can get when sailing with my wife and daughter.
We sailed whole day, making a point of docking with the wind in our nose, it took us quite a while to beat upwind, with a lot of close calls in shallow waters, or maneuvering near the swim line. We did make it back without the help of the motor.
