Seabrake - Any views?

[Sy-Revolution]

Hi folks,
Has anyone on these fora any experience of the above?
I currently have no means of slowing the boat down if I have to run before a storm and/or to aid heaving to.

Would one of these be a worthwhile addition to the armory?

Are there any better alternatives?

 

[Piers]

No experience, but I have seen adverts which show parachute devices. Try,

Para-Anchor

Para-Tech

 

[curve]

Why not just stream all the warps and anchor chain off the stern?

 

[Sy-Revolution]

[ QUOTE ]
Why not just stream all the warps and anchor chain off the stern?

[/ QUOTE ]

Lol, because I don't have a great deal of that either! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Yet.

 

[webcraft]

Hi,

I would consider a series drogue.

Have a look HERE - we made our own quite cheaply.

Making Fairwinds' series drogue

 

[Jonny_H]

The video in the link above ( http://www.seriesdrogue.com/vs/ ) is impressive - the size of those seas, and thats not a small yacht either!!

Nick - any more info on how you made your series drogue? (Materials used, patterns, length between cones, time taken, cost etc)?

Thanks

Jonny

 

[sailinglegend420]

We have the Seabrake from seabrake.com but have never used it as a seabrake. It can also be used as a bosun's chair, as a MOB recovery harness, as emergency steering if the rudder fails, as an anti-roll device at anchor when hung from the boom, and as a sea anchor when deployed from the bow - although no where near as good as a proper parachute anchor. Anything with so many uses has got to be worth it.

 

[KellysEye]

Looking at the Seabrake I don't think it would function efficiently as either a parachute anchor or drogue - wrong design for both functions.

Of the two routes to go, parachute anchor or drogues, IMO the type of boat you have determines what you need. If you have a long keel or long fin and full skeg rudder then I'd choose a parachute. If you have a fin keel and spade rudder I'd choose drogues.

Reason is with a parachute the boat can be pushed back and spade rudders get damaged. The benefits of the parachute are taking the weather on the strongest part of the boat and rate of drift is slower.

Bear in mind that drogues don't necesssarily stop pitch poling, particularly if you don't have a big enough/long enough system. There is some USCG footage of a big yacht pitch poling if you want to see what happens.

 

[beneteau_305_553]

I had a para anchor but it just blew out in the first time i needed it. I now have a jewsons builders bag which works brilliantly.

 

[KellysEye]

>I had a para anchor but it just blew out in the first time i needed it.

What make and size was it?

 

[beneteau_305_553]

It was a genuine Para anchor and 9ft diameter . 30 kts wind was too much for holding a 34 ft yacht. Pathetic. No where near strong enough. The builders bag is a much better construction

 

[Noddy]

Planning to use a milk crate as a drogue.

Lots of other uses: Sit on it, carry milk in it, etc etc.

 

[mobeydick]

[ QUOTE ]
Looking at the Seabrake I don't think it would function efficiently as either a parachute anchor or drogue - wrong design for both functions.


[/ QUOTE ]

Why is it the "wrong design" for a drogue??

 

[ChrisE]

I think you'll find that it does the job. That intrepid American couple, Beth and Larry Starzinger, have used and recommend the Sea Brake. Like webby, I have a series drogue, for extreme conditions and (I guess like webby) I've never used it or been in conditions that would merit it's use, the Starzingers have so I take their advice seriously

 

[KellysEye]

HunterWanderer:

I wonder if it was too small. We have an Australian para anchor (I assume that's the same as yours) and it's 18 feet diameter for a 38 foot boat.

Mobeydick:
The design seems to me to be a cross between a parachute and a drogue. Hence not efficient as either. In particular (as I'm sure you know) drogues have a hundred plus small parachutes on hundreds of feet of line and it slows the boat but lets it keep moving. The parachute effect of the design could stop the boat with deadly consequences.

 

[Sy-Revolution]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I'll order one and give it a whirl..............And perhaps try the builders bag too!