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From: Phil Sherwood (no email)
Date: Thu Jun 24 2004 - 14:40:56 EDT
To very briefly summarize Roth (and keep this msg short):
Roth cites four problems with a sea anchor:
1. It leaves fin & spade, relatively light displacement yachts lying at an
angle that makes it vulnerable to breaking seas. Vessels with long,
straight, full keels, and he includes the Pardeys' boat in this category,
do much better.
2. Shifting winds can lead to two sets of waves and swells battering the
vessel (and even to a rogue wave).
3. Use of a sea anchor puts "appalling" strain on the rudder.
4. The enormous loads on the sea anchor warp -- he says "sometimes up to
15,000 pounds for a 40-foot yacht" -- accelerate chafing and can even cause
the line to part (and thus the chute to be lost at the worst time).
Roth notes the Galerider drogue as an improvement on dragging tires, picnic
coolers, and whatever else is handy, but particularly likes the Jordan
series drogue, which is simple (if tedious) to build at relatively low cost
appropriate to a boat's displacement. He likes that the bridle used to
deploy the series drogue keeps the loads down and provides a turning moment
to keep the boat stern-to the wave, thus freeing the crew from having to
steer and making it possible for them to go below. The drogue decelerates
the vessel as it's being affected by the seas and according to Roth is
easier and safer to use than a parachute.
He does note that it's best to have a boat with a strong, small cockpit
with excellent drainage, and strong latching washboards and sliding hatch
but also says that in conditions requiring a drogue the boat's velocity and
the velocity of a breaking wave are close to the same.
His discussion is much more comprehensive of course, and includes anecdotal
information from many sources, many facts, and some of the engineering
background behind the Jordan series drogue. The book's well worth reading.
HTH,
Phil
At 07:45 PM 6/23/04, you wrote:
>Phil,
>
>I read a couple of Roth's books but am unfamiliar with yours.
>
>Other than maintaining steerage, less rudder strain and less rigging
>strain possibilities, are there any other reasons why Roth prefers
>drogues to sea-anchors ?
>
>But if the storm lasts, how can some rest and relief be gotten without
>something like a sea-anchor, especially if shorthanded ?
>
>Other than a small cockpit, canoe-like stern and using enough sail to
>maintain steerage, does he have any other advice pertaining to avoiding
>being swamped while running ?
>
>Any particular drogues recommended ?
>
>Appreciatively,
>
>Courtney
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