Para-anchors

[bluet36]

I know it seems stupid, but I don't see why I should pay approx $500 for a parachute type drouge from a certain supplier who seems to think that a 25ft boat requires a 12ft chute.

The gospel according to L & L Pardey suggests that an 8ft para-anchor would be sufficient.

In England a 20ft parachute from army surplus is approx 40 quid($60).

My question is: I know I require a BOURD chute, but where can I find one? I have tried looking up army surplus on the web but get loads of hits (even when narrowed down to parachutes) and the smallest available parachute appears to be 20ft and I am unable to find any references to BOURD.

 

[vyv_cox]

http://www.swedeandsons.com/para/ sell the Buord parachutes at $150. A Buord (Bureau of Ordnance, I think) chute is not just a parachute, it's designed for dropping stores and is more heavily built than one for a person (less expendable?) They only seem to come at 12 ft.

Reading the blurb of the commercial sea-anchor suppliers, there's a lot more to it than just the parachute. At least one says that they virtually rebuild the parachute with extra stitching, renew lines, several include a swivel, pick-up buoy, bag and other bits and pieces. At least one includes the warp. So check what you are getting first, maybe they are not such a rip-off as you think..

 

[PaulJ]

A few years ago I went to a seminar hosted by PBO at which the Pardys spoke about their para-anchoring technique and showed us their chute. Last year a friend of mine got a 12ft chute from Swede and Sons and as far as I can see it is identical to that used by the Pardys. It is a good chute and should do the job though apart from a much smaller drogue chute, 12ft is the only size they do.