Sea anchor (Drift chute) rode length?

[MystyBlue2]

Hi folks im wondering how long the rode should be?

I can't determine if the chute i have is rubbish or if my rope is too short and not allowing it to work efficiently.

Does it also work better fully submerged or does it need to be skimming the surface only as if i remember rightly it sank under about 1-2m...Dont know if that makes any difference.

Last time i used it, It made no difference whatsoever to my drift speed. I'm currently using about 6m of 10mm poly prop rope and my boat is 14ft long.



Cheers folks ?

 

[BruceK]

It wont slow your drift speed. It will slow the variables of wind and waves, but as far as current goes, neither your boat nor droque know you're in it.

 

[MystyBlue2]

It wont slow your drift speed. It will slow the variables of wind and waves, but as far as current goes, neither your boat nor droque know you're in it.

So as far as "slowing my drift" over the fishing marks depends on the variables on the day?

So there's a good possibility that its as much good as left at home alot of the time then.

 

[jrudge]

How to Deploy and Use a Sea Anchor or Drogue

Also keeps bow into wind

 

[simonfraser]

sea anchors anchor to the sea, so if that moves the boat moves
they are designed to be used in a big storm and reduce the downwind drift speed and keep the bow into the wind
in those v uncomfortable conditions the rode needs to be long enough to span from one big wave to the next
the coastal mobo in your image would likely have sunk before you get to use one in those wind speed

if you want to stay in the same place use an anchor and rode that reaches the bottom and use that to keep yourself in place

 

[BruceK]

So as far as "slowing my drift" over the fishing marks depends on the variables on the day?

So there's a good possibility that its as much good as left at home alot of the time then.

If in calm conditions then there is not much point. But remember if there is any wind it has a greater affect on you than most currents. When you start your fishing drift over a mark or wreck you go up current and drift over it, rince and repeat right. The only way to stay on a mark is to anchor over it by going up current / wind and drifting down laying out your scope until you are over it. A drogue will now hold you over the wreck despite wind affect

With no anchor
Now lets say there is a cross wind on your drift. You go up current and drift down but by the time you get to the wreck you're 50m off down wind. Well you can compensate with where you start but if it's gusty that's a problem. Use a drogue
If you are upcurrent and the wind is with you, use the drogue to slow you down so you get more time over the mark.
If you are up current going into wind your boat will randomly go in any direction that is nigh on impossible to predict. Use a drogue to cancel wind affect.

Now in saying all this, few actually use a drogue. Most learn to predict the drift and some just settle and anchor. Just remember if you are anchoring over a wreck use loads of scope and drift to the wreck ESPECIALLY if you plan on using your alderny retrieval. You dont want to join the wreck.

 

[MystyBlue2]

Brilliant thanks so much for clearing that up, dont think i will be anchoring anywhere near the wreck just yet, as you know I'm new to Alderney ring and if its got a fast hold in the wreck OR rode tangles in prop i will be in the deep doo dar!

I will try the drift chute on Saturday and play around, Thanks so much folks ?

 

[AndieMac]

Hi Dan, the link jrudge posted sums it all up.
If you have a proper parachute sea anchor (spend the money, they are worth it), they are fine sitting out five metres or so from your bow, just below the surface for general fishing or fixing a quick problem on the boat, the windier the day, the better they work.
I view them as a useful safety device in case i need to spend time in the engine room on passage, while sitting dead in the water or slowing the drift rate onto a Lee shore etc.

The essential must do, is to have a retrieval line attached to the central part of the out dome of the parachute to collapse it when bringing it back to the boat. It seems simple logic, but many folks try to pull the parachute back to the boat “fully inflated”, which of course offers huge resistance, turning them off using them again.