Deploying a Drouge Anchor

[phil kelly]

Anybody had any experience of using a parachute type drouge off the stern to slow the boat down in windy conditions ?
The reason I ask is because now and again I like to have a rest whilst sailing, make a cup of tea etc. My Mac X doesn't seem to respond very well to 'hoving to' or I'm not very good at it and somebody suggested I try using a stern drouge instead
I'm not too sure what the result would be like but if you have any experience in this I'd love to have your opinion.
Phil, UK.

[mastreb]

Huh. My 26M hoves-to very easily (often by accident) and comes to a dead stop. You can put the prop in the water (in gear) to easily increase drag and assist in pointing. You could also drag an anchor on a 10' line for additional drag. Beyond that I'd just reduce sail. Drogues work but every extra thing on a boat this small has to be used all the time to be of value in my opinion. I wouldn't consider carrying anything that is rarely used.

[dlandersson]

"Drogue"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drogue

Anybody had any experience of using a parachute type drouge off the stern to slow the boat down in windy conditions ?
The reason I ask is because now and again I like to have a rest whilst sailing, make a cup of tea etc. My Mac X doesn't seem to respond very well to 'hoving to' or I'm not very good at it and somebody suggested I try using a stern drouge instead
I'm not too sure what the result would be like but if you have any experience in this I'd love to have your opinion.
Phil, UK.

[Boblee]

Did carry one for a few trips as we do get off the coast a bit and the motor was playing up but never used it and don't carry it now.

[Crikey]

Quote: "Most drogues are best deployed out of sync with the boat by one-half of the length of the prevailing waves, thus the drogue climbs a wave when the boat slides down a wave. Nylon rope is widely used for hauling drogues since it best absorbs the shock loading by stretching."

The main function of the drogue is to steady the boat more than slow it, if you are going to be without propulsion for any length of time. Hoving-To leaves the actions of the waves intact and the boat will move around much more than without a deployed drogue.

[Oskar 26M]

I carry a Seabrake as part of my safety gear, but have not yet been caught in conditions where I've needed to deploy it. It packs in a flat bag and stows easily in the aft berth.Their web site has some videos of how it works.
There US Coastguard produced a good research paper on drogues and breaking waves in 1987, which can be obtained from Jordan's web site and various other sites.
It is interesting to note that the Seabrake advises NOT to use nylon rope and IIRC the Coastguard's paper came to similar conclusions. The stretch in nylon absorbs the shock but can also delay the drag effect allowing a breaking wave to overtake and accelerate the boat too much.

[NiceAft]

Phil,

There seems to be two issues here.

(1) Slowing the boat down.
(2) Having some tea.

The first issue may best be addressed by reducing the amount of sail on the main (reefing). The problem is, the stock sail of MacGregor's only have one reef point.

The second issue, well, that may mean Installing an automated steering system. Other than having someone else steer the boat, how else do you go below and make some tea? Maybe a Thermos bottle

Ray

[mastreb]

Phil,

There seems to be two issues here.

(1) Slowing the boat down.
(2) Having some tea.

Now THAT'S how you get to the heart of the matter.

[DaveB]

Usually a Parachute or cone shape device is used to slow the boat down and keep the bow to downwind or so in a following sea. This usually helps big time to prevent pitchpooling or broching. There are diffrent ways to do this and for a Mac. I would use a bridal lines that attach to Port and starboard cleats to a cone shape canvas with cut outs and a second 1/8 line at the small end of the cone to trip it for retrival.
This will help to keep the boat in a following sea without overworking the helm and will greatly help your control at the helm.
For a Mac. all you need is a 12 inch diamater cone or less.
Important to have the trip line, as you will never get the cone back aboard and may have to cut the line.
Dave

Anybody had any experience of using a parachute type drouge off the stern to slow the boat down in windy conditions ?
The reason I ask is because now and again I like to have a rest whilst sailing, make a cup of tea etc. My Mac X doesn't seem to respond very well to 'hoving to' or I'm not very good at it and somebody suggested I try using a stern drouge instead
I'm not too sure what the result would be like but if you have any experience in this I'd love to have your opinion.
Phil, UK.

[c130king]

You know...with the way the Mac will dance back and forth in the wind when on anchor or even sometimes on a mooring I wonder how a Mac with its high freeboard would behave in a wind/wave situation if one did deploy a drogue anchor????

Cheers,
Jim

[Crikey]

I've tried that and it only wraps around your outboard, over time. Drogues need direction.

[DaveB]

Jim, it is actually simple. It's not like swinging on a anchor rode as the cone with bridel acts as a reversed anchor to slow the boat and it never drags unless the cone brakes the waves and that is almost imposiable unless you are in 30-40 ft. seas and you don't have enough line out.
I Have used Sea Anchors (thats what they are called) on my 35 ft. Alberg in 40 ft. seas from Beafort NC to St. Thomas.
I tried to keep it simple for a Mac. owner who has a problem with wave height to reduce forward movement in a following sea. This would help prevent a brouch or pitch pooling in a following sea and keep a steady helm.
Dave

You know...with the way the Mac will dance back and forth in the wind when on anchor or even sometimes on a mooring I wonder how a Mac with its high freeboard would behave in a wind/wave situation if one did deploy a drogue anchor????

Cheers,
Jim

[Ixneigh]

You must have a great gimbaled stove with super pot clamps and a screw down lid on your coffe pot.
While I am able to get my M to sail herself very easily and for lengthy times, even in a moderate nearshore gulfstrean romp, it was so bouncy below that the floor was the only secure place to sit, and FORGET about cooking anything. At least on my boat. I think I was able to make a sandwich and grab an ice tea from the cooler.
So far as dragging stuff to slow down in a storm...don't be out there.
No like, I mean, don't be out there. The boat is not a deep ocean boat (without a lot of mods) and the motor and weather report and planning hopefully will keep you from wishing you had a drogue. I took my v 22.2 through the Bahamas and never felt the need. I did wait around for weather to improve, and hustled across the deep areas as fast as I could. I plan to use the M as a similar, no more seaworthy, but more comfortable, cruiser.

My secret to getting the M to sail herself is to put the boat close hauled, and raise the board till she starts to make leeway. Then lock the helm with the rudders almost neutral, and ease the jib a bit. She should just gallop on her merry way. Don't fall off! She will ( or mine will) do this so well I wear a harness if I'm too far from shore to swim.
With a bit of trial and error, one can almost "park" the boat with her bow to wind. This is very uncomfortable in lumpy conditions. The boat will also heave too nicely, but bother. As soon as you depower the main by coming up tight into the wind she slows right down.

Ixneigh

[ronacarme]

As posted a while back, we heave to our 2011 X as follows.
1. Sail a close reach with full main and working jib drawing , CB line out about 7/8 (CB almost fully down), wheel maintained centered , so helm is balanced and boat is steering itself. Wind enuf for boat speed 3-6 mph..
2. To heave to, douse the jib. This unbalances the helm in view of the substantially fully down CB. Bow hunts a bit between close reach and on-the -wind. Boat speed drops to under 1.5 mph, going forward with some leeway. Very calm ride. Boat steers itself and the singlehander can tend to other business on board, assuming a clear path ahead.
Have not tried this in extreme conditions or with reefed main and storm jib.
This form of heave to seems to make good use of the refusal of the X to tack with the CB fully down. when sailing with main and no headsail .
Ron

[NiceAft]

we heave to our 2011 X

2011

Ray