Csail
N/A
Got one on board but no idea how they work.....say tonight in the irish sea, where do you position it etc?
sea anchor
- Thread starter Csail
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Boatman
Well-Known Member
You keep sailing not enough sea room to anchor, but I don't want to be onboard.
I am a comfort cruiser jus f8 and above
Seriously they only work with mega length lines to slow the boat down. but you don't say what sort of sea anchor, parachute or drogue type
I am a comfort cruiser jus f8 and above
Seriously they only work with mega length lines to slow the boat down. but you don't say what sort of sea anchor, parachute or drogue type
Searush
Well-Known Member
Idea is to reduce drift when lying ahull. Problem is that modern ropes lose a lot of strength when wet & the snatch loads caused by waves acting against a sea anchor mean that the warp will part about 6' from the bow roller, where it dips in & out of the sea.
Can't remember where I read this but it was a result of a previous thread - I just can't be *rsed with the new "search" facility to not find it! Someone had written a paper on the use of a sea anchor.
Can't remember where I read this but it was a result of a previous thread - I just can't be *rsed with the new "search" facility to not find it! Someone had written a paper on the use of a sea anchor.
roly_voya
Well-Known Member
All depends on what it is, do you mean a drouge - looks like an open ended cone about 2' accross or similar - in wich case you drag it astern to keep straight and slow you down when running. Or do you mean a parachuit - 6-8ft in which case get larry pardy, storm tactics. Also have a look at Alard coles 'heavy weather sailing' for ideas on alternatives. Most people giving advice (including me) have never done it and I think the best survival tacktics for a small boat (smaller than a destroyer that is) in the Irish sea today would be prayer. Even if you can walk on water can you breathe it!! Highest gust I have is 86kn at Seven stones and 17m seas at K2 - Yes that is meter not feet. (F12 is 70kn+)
Csail
N/A
Yes it is a drouge, about 1m opening.
saltwater_gypsy
Well-Known Member
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I've never used one but I've read loads about the pros and cons. It seems there are two clear situations .
(1)The first situation is if you are running downwind and there is a danger that you might surf and go submarining into the back of a wave or you may have difficulty in holding the boat on course because of reverse waterflow from surfing. Here you should trail the drouge from the stern to slow the boat down and regain control.
(2) The second situationis in more desperate circumstances where you would want to hold station until the storm has passed.Here you would deploy the drogue at the bow so that the boat presented its bow to the oncoming waves. This seems to be what is recommended for catamarans and Para sea anchors.
My own philosophy about this is that the loads should be kept reasonable and the load should be well distributed. To this end I have two drogues of 1.35m diameter giving an area of 2.86sq m. This was based on a US Navy document which recommended that the correct size of Drogue for a 43ft yacht would be 1.9m in diameter giving an area of 2.84sqm. I think it would be nightmare to recover a drouge of this size and the loadings would be horrendous.
A keen Googler will probably turn up the US navy article.
Lets hope, like so much safety equipment, we never have to take it out of the bag.
(1)The first situation is if you are running downwind and there is a danger that you might surf and go submarining into the back of a wave or you may have difficulty in holding the boat on course because of reverse waterflow from surfing. Here you should trail the drouge from the stern to slow the boat down and regain control.
(2) The second situationis in more desperate circumstances where you would want to hold station until the storm has passed.Here you would deploy the drogue at the bow so that the boat presented its bow to the oncoming waves. This seems to be what is recommended for catamarans and Para sea anchors.
My own philosophy about this is that the loads should be kept reasonable and the load should be well distributed. To this end I have two drogues of 1.35m diameter giving an area of 2.86sq m. This was based on a US Navy document which recommended that the correct size of Drogue for a 43ft yacht would be 1.9m in diameter giving an area of 2.84sqm. I think it would be nightmare to recover a drouge of this size and the loadings would be horrendous.
A keen Googler will probably turn up the US navy article.
Lets hope, like so much safety equipment, we never have to take it out of the bag.
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
Nylon rope
when wet, and under cyclic tension, heats and loses up to 40% of it's working load. One can cater for that by using larger diameter rope.
Not splitting hairs, but are you referring to a drogue (or series drogue) or a para-anchor.
The uses, principles and advantages of each are totally different.
Having used drogues in the RNLI I have considerable respect and time for them - however the para-anchor always strikes me as having as many snags as benefits, and I'm not sufficiently bold or curious to attempt the use of one in anger.
A drogue is usually towed from astern, to slow one down and prevent surfing (and possibly. pitchpoling when you run into the next wave).
The para-anchor is theoretically deployed from the bows, and the scope of its rode is intended to place it 3 wavelengths away from the boat.
They appear to work well in the early part of a storm, whilst windspeeds are building, but may be problematic when recovery is attempted in the later stages when wind is dropping and seas are at their worst.
You could, of course, always cut it away!
when wet, and under cyclic tension, heats and loses up to 40% of it's working load. One can cater for that by using larger diameter rope.
Not splitting hairs, but are you referring to a drogue (or series drogue) or a para-anchor.
The uses, principles and advantages of each are totally different.
Having used drogues in the RNLI I have considerable respect and time for them - however the para-anchor always strikes me as having as many snags as benefits, and I'm not sufficiently bold or curious to attempt the use of one in anger.
A drogue is usually towed from astern, to slow one down and prevent surfing (and possibly. pitchpoling when you run into the next wave).
The para-anchor is theoretically deployed from the bows, and the scope of its rode is intended to place it 3 wavelengths away from the boat.
They appear to work well in the early part of a storm, whilst windspeeds are building, but may be problematic when recovery is attempted in the later stages when wind is dropping and seas are at their worst.
You could, of course, always cut it away!
damo
Well-Known Member
Also be aware that each boat will have it's own characteristics, with some preferring a sea anchor from the bow, others from the stern. Extensive tests (see Heavy Weather Sailing) showed that my particular boat behaved best with its stern to the weather - there is no "right" answer it seems, just general principles for deployment.
I must remember to try out my builders bags this year - the cheap and cheerful alternative. If they work /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I must remember to try out my builders bags this year - the cheap and cheerful alternative. If they work /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
swampthing
Well-Known Member
Para anchors of large diameters are excellent in survival situations. Very popular with cats and tris. Also, those guys who row the Atlantic in 22ft ply boats use these to maintain their position when it all goes to rats. Use an adjustable bridle so the yacht lies slightly beam on. As she slowly makes way downwind ,a slick is created on the sea surface which will lessen the chances of breaking waves. Chafe to the warp will be a problem. Let the warp out a few feet every few hours so wear is not all on the one spot. Good DVDs are available for techniques.