bumblefish
Well-Known Member
Having read total loss and heavy weather sailing, I am at a loss, how do I decide what is best for me and my boat? Without picking a force 10+ in the channel with both to test?
Possibly related to Jester Challenge, sea anchor or drogue?
- Thread starter bumblefish
- Start date
Talbot
Well-Known Member
USCG testing favoured the series drogue as the best option, but both demand very secure deck fittings (windhs have been known to be pulled out of the deck due to the loads) The drogue demands a stern that can take being overtaken by a wave without filing up the bilge.
joliette
Well-Known Member
I thought that sea anchors were now generally regarded as a bad idea, as when they are streamed forward this results in a tremendous strain on the rudder fastenings and the risk of damage? Assuming there's a lack of sea room to run down wind then an alternative strategy would be to attempt to hove to - perhaps under storm jib and trysail, or just trysail. Do you carry these? Faced with the option of a down wind run then yes, a drogue could be of use. However, long warps, anchor chain and anything else you could find to chuck out the back would probably suffice?!
bumblefish
Well-Known Member
I don't yet have a trysail or storm jib, but they are are on my Jester shopping list. Some how I feel more comfortable sailing at sea, rather than 'anchoring' so maybe the question is, are they worth it?
Talbot
Well-Known Member
A sea anchor needs to be one of the parachute anchors that is so large that it effectively anchors the boat into a spot in the ocean. These do not allow enough sternway to damage the rudder. However the strain on the rig and particularly where the parachute system is attached to the boat is extreme.
heaving to on a cat can be done with some (not mine) but leeway is excessive, and you are better just lying ahull, but not in breaking seas. then you need to keep bow or stern to the seas (and pray a lot!)
heaving to on a cat can be done with some (not mine) but leeway is excessive, and you are better just lying ahull, but not in breaking seas. then you need to keep bow or stern to the seas (and pray a lot!)
Salty John
Well-Known Member
I haven't read any report of successful deployment of a sea anchor on a small boat since the Pardy's back in the early 80's. I've read several accounts by sailors that have tried them and all conclude they wouldn't try it again. My own experience with heavy weather leads to me to the view that running is better, if you have the sea room, and towing warps is a successful means of slowing the boat. I read the USCG report on the series drogue which has always struck me as a good alternative to warps, but I've never tried it. In my most difficult encounter with a storm, off the Cape of Good Hope in the severe storm of April 13, 1993, we ran under bare poles, often at hull speed, in a relatively controlled manner for over twelve hours. I think towing warps may have given greater control, but the dangers associated with deploying and managing them exceeded the likely benefit.
Regarding trysail and storm jib, I wouldn't even go coastal cruising without them in the sail locker. Heaving-to is the first line of defence, running under bare poles comes next and then lying ahull.
Regarding trysail and storm jib, I wouldn't even go coastal cruising without them in the sail locker. Heaving-to is the first line of defence, running under bare poles comes next and then lying ahull.
Lee_Shaw
Well-Known Member
When i run thru in my head what i'd have to do to deploy and then tweak/running repair/check and eventually recover on a sea anchor, and in the conditions that id have to do it in, it doesn't really seem a viable option.
Ships_Cat
Well-Known Member
You mention the Pardey's.
They demo setting a para anchor in their video "Storm Tactics" (that video is a couple of years old now). In fact much of the video is about them. They did it in calm water but after seeing it done, it is not a task I would ever consider undertaking myself in the seas that would accompany a storm that could not be sailed out - I would think the risk of going over the side oneself would be considerable. Actually would not like to do it even in relatively mild conditions, but there again I am not one for getting near the edge of the roofs of high buildings let alone willingly leaning over the side of a yacht at sea.
John
They demo setting a para anchor in their video "Storm Tactics" (that video is a couple of years old now). In fact much of the video is about them. They did it in calm water but after seeing it done, it is not a task I would ever consider undertaking myself in the seas that would accompany a storm that could not be sailed out - I would think the risk of going over the side oneself would be considerable. Actually would not like to do it even in relatively mild conditions, but there again I am not one for getting near the edge of the roofs of high buildings let alone willingly leaning over the side of a yacht at sea.
John
snowleopard
Well-Known Member
If properly set up in advance (i.e. before setting out, not when bad weather has started) setting a sea anchor need not be particularly difficult or dangerous.
The warp and/or bridle is secured in place, then led aft to the cockpit outside all and secured to the stanchion bases with thin cable ties. When the time comes to deploy, shackle the main warp and chute to the bridle and toss it all over the side. As the chute fills the bridle will rip away from the stanchions.
Recovery need not be hazardous either. The key is to join the chute to the warp with a length of chain. When ready to recover, motor forwards. The chute will collapse and sink under the weight of the chain until it is suspended from the recovery buoy. Pick up the buoy and haul the kit in.
The warp and/or bridle is secured in place, then led aft to the cockpit outside all and secured to the stanchion bases with thin cable ties. When the time comes to deploy, shackle the main warp and chute to the bridle and toss it all over the side. As the chute fills the bridle will rip away from the stanchions.
Recovery need not be hazardous either. The key is to join the chute to the warp with a length of chain. When ready to recover, motor forwards. The chute will collapse and sink under the weight of the chain until it is suspended from the recovery buoy. Pick up the buoy and haul the kit in.
Ships_Cat
Well-Known Member
Yes, the Pardeys showed something similar.
I think the difference may be that in our and many other cruising monohulls' cases the boat will handle any conditions while it is still not totally stupid to be on deck (which is never likely to happen so the carrying of a para anchor or similar is then probably not worth even considering - especially given the alternatives others have mentioned).
So for it to work one has to take a passive approach of setting it when not needed just in case it becomes so - which in a monohull (can't speak for cats) may invoke dangers of its own. May also be different for small monohulls like the Pardeys, where the risk to the boat is many times greater than that for one not much larger, again I could not comment on that.
Note, in all the above I am referring to cruising monohulls.
John
I think the difference may be that in our and many other cruising monohulls' cases the boat will handle any conditions while it is still not totally stupid to be on deck (which is never likely to happen so the carrying of a para anchor or similar is then probably not worth even considering - especially given the alternatives others have mentioned).
So for it to work one has to take a passive approach of setting it when not needed just in case it becomes so - which in a monohull (can't speak for cats) may invoke dangers of its own. May also be different for small monohulls like the Pardeys, where the risk to the boat is many times greater than that for one not much larger, again I could not comment on that.
Note, in all the above I am referring to cruising monohulls.
John