Drogues

[doris]

Chatting in the pub the other day, as one does, the subject of drogues came up. In the latest YM someone mentions how vital they are for any serious offshore sailing.

It was suggested that a couple of small car tyres as just as good, if not better, than expensive drogues and don’t need weighting down. Just tie them to a long rope and chuck them out the back. If you make up a bag the tire also makes a good fender if up against a wall etc.

Comments????

 

[Flossdog]

I think that sounds a damn good idea. Anything on board with two uses is great!

 

[CPD]

A certain Jester Challenger towed a milk crate to slow down. Ingenious.

 

[Noddy]

[ QUOTE ]
A certain Jester Challenger towed a milk crate to slow down. Ingenious.

[/ QUOTE ]Damn! Thats blown my milk marketing idea.

Yes it worked like a charm. Whether by luck or judgement it seemed to plane downwards when a strain came on the line. I guess you would have a problem if it planed upwards and jumped out of the water.

I ought to point out that was actually a Britvic drinks crate. I suspect that a modern milk crate might be a bit flimsy.

I would agree with the 'tow any old crap' school of thought, with the proviso that whatever you tow must remain in one piece if it is to keep the boat under control. It must also stay attached to the boat - wear and chafe were significant.

P

 

[damo]

I'm sure that tyres etc would create plenty of drag, but remember that one of the features of the Series Drogue is the elasticity of the system, and consequently lower stresses on the boat. There is the added advantage that the deep-lying section seems to take energy from the contra-rotating part of the wave cell, so reducing or eliminating the breaking crest.

But I haven't thought of a secondary use yet, except as an emergency anchor rode! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[boatmike]

How many boats have storage room for milk crates and old tyres? A series drogue, properly designed takes up very little room and is far better than just towing any old crap that will probably jump the waves anyway. Having actually used one in anger twice rather than just talking about it I have only 2 opinions that are at all constructive.

1. Unless going true blue water sailing forget it. Mine lives in the garage and will continue to do so unless I go well offshore again.
2. You can indeed make one, and I have posted previously on how to do so but the commercial SERIES drogues (caps intentional) are very good and far outperform any single drogue or other crap towed behind. They also stow in a small space.

 

[fisherman]

Ever tried towing a round dahnfender, (or buff, to me). Very hard to move through the water, used them as drogues to steer home when the rudder failed. Try it.

 

[Noddy]

Its all very well recommending things like the Jordan Series Drogue. I haven't done the research but I expect the price will be prohibitive.

Another criticism is that its not that adjustable for different conditions (I can tow a milk crate, or a milk crate and a fender, or just a rope).

I'm really not that convinced. Sailing on a budget means we have to find ways to see through the sales blurb and do what we want without paying others too much money for the priveledge. Of course fear is a great motivator and it is too tempting to pay lots of money for kit on the basis that 'more expensive is better.'

 

[boatmike]

With respect Noddy. Sailing in the Thames estuary on a budget with an Iroquois is not the same as blue water cruising...... Frankly old bean a milk crate would probably stop you dead anyway. Others may decide that they need to be properly equipped for blue water cruising and don't go in for drowning on a budget...... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[rogerthebodger]

I saw on a mast ladder web site ( cannot remember which one) that it could also be used as a drogue.

Any one any comments.

 

[boatmike]

Yeah and if you hoisted a series drogue up the mast you could probably climb up it, but nothing works as well as kit designed for the purpose.
Seriously, anything you chuck over the stern when running downwind will slow you down, but a properly designed series drogue will do the job better than anything else. To climb the mast I have solid mast steps attached permanently to the mast too. Also designed for the job. I accept that many boats are on a budget though and that's fine, especially for day sailing and channel cruising where you have the luxury of running for habour if poop happens. In mid atlantic you don't though and thats why peeps carry drogues.

 

[Noddy]

The 'milk crate drogue' adventure happened off Finisterre with big seas etc. No point in a drogue in the Thames Estuary, the waves are nowhere near big enough.

I've only been in the one proper blow and my strategy was inspired by all the stuff I have read in books, it seemed to work.

Its probably fair to tell you that I feel a crusading spirit when it comes to finding affordable ways to do the things that the sailing industry tells us we should pay them for.

Besides, if I have to drown I would rather do it in a cost effective way.

Paul

 

[ChrisE]

I think you'll find the series drogue is not promulgated by the sailing industry. In deed until about 5 or 6 years ago you couldn't buy one, you had to make them yourself from the drawings of Dan Jordan who thought the whole thing up. 150m of multiplat plus a few sq metres of spinnaker canvas and tape plus a lot of hard work to stitch the whole thing together.

Still if you are happy with your crate then best of luck, my SD is a companion whenever I go offshore.

 

[damo]

[ QUOTE ]
I haven't done the research but I expect the price will be prohibitive.


[/ QUOTE ]

It cost me 99p per cone, I already had the rope on board (about 85 - 130 cones iirc, depending on displacement). And for the milk crate or whatever to be effective it needs to be towed a couple of wavelengths behind the boat, so you would have that length of rope anyway. So the only "extra" cost is for the cones. And most a of day to splice them on /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

And it IS "adjustable" - I have made mine in 3 sections - although pointless, because it is designed to slow and stabilise the boat in heavy seas.