Sea Anchor/ Drogue

[sum escape]

Been trying to source an appropriate emergency sea anchor / drogue for sale on line for a reasonable price and performance. Something appropriate for the Great Loop.... Bahamas, Gulf and Great Lakes crossings for an emergency power loss. Found this. Any other suggestions team?
LALIZAS #10240, SEA ANCHOR FOR BOATS UP TO 49&#39. The Chandlery Online

 

[psneeld]

Do you know they are really 2 different things usually used in 2 different fashions?

The link is for a drougue...not a sea anchor as it's wayyyyyy too small to be one.

for a proper sea anchor...the loading can get so high...most boats need to reinforce a specific attaching point....really...unless you plan on running way offshore with the threat of winter nor'easters or hurricanes...a sea anchor just takes up space.

....both MIGHT be useful doing the loop...but not many have them or ever used one while doing the loop...GREAT anchoring gear with multiple anchors and rodes would be a better place to spend money...unless you have it all then by all means.

Drogues or similar devices can be made from gear on board in a pinch...a good sea anchor though is pricey...but often for sale on forum classified sections or ebay.

 

[sum escape]

Thanks for the response. Yes, I was actually referring to a drogue (they called it a sea anchor) for use in case of... let's say a fuel filter plugging up on the trip to the Bahamas....keep bow into the waves until one can get underway again. This $175 or so seems like a good insurance policy so one does not have to rig up buckets, a bunch of lines etc. as a temporary drogue. Sort of a "peace of mind" purchase. This seemed like a halfway point between the full 18' sea anchor and the 3' fisherman's drogue.
Might also be useful on a relatively calm day to "float" in Lake Michigan allowing the bow to stay into the wave action instead of going beam to the waves.

 

[psneeld]

spend your money..take your chances...

have no idea about the link you provided as far as quality....a few have posted what they have bought in the past...opefully they will chime in soon.

 

[dimer2]

Embellishing on what Scott said, I believe a drogue is towed from the stern to prevent surfing/broaching and a sea anchor is run from the bow to keep you head to. One is small (as in buckets, ropes, etc) the other massive.

 

[FF]

Always great for mental masterbation , but would be hard pressed to give it room for the operation you have projected.

However if you will be far enough offshore with bad enough weather to need to lie ahull and rest the crew ,

http://forum.ssca.org/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=17255

has a sea anchor for sale.

 

[HopCar]

It's an interesting size. Probably too small to slow your drift much but it might keep the pointy end into the waves. I'd be more comfortable with a parachute type sea anchor.

Sounds like it might be nice to have if you are trying to enter an inlet in bad conditions. Drag it off the "not pointy end" to keep from broaching.

The fishermen around here use parachute type sea anchors to hold them over a fishing spot that is too deep to anchor. We sell them the Para-Tech sea anchors.

Para-Tech also makes interesting drogues and what they call a Sea Brake that sounds similar to what you're looking at.

Sea Anchor: Your First Line Of Defense When Facing Heavy Weather

 

[sum escape]

It's an interesting size. Probably too small to slow your drift much but it might keep the pointy end into the waves. I'd be more comfortable with a parachute type sea anchor.

You correctly pegged my goal, just keep the pointy end into the waves.

We certainly don't plan on long extended passages in rough weather. I could be wrong but my guess is many who routinely go the Bahamas or cross any of the Great Lakes actually have a sea anchor and maybe not even a drogue. This of course does not make it "right" and for me, I think having something aboard would be a good safety and comfort measure.

To rig this for rough weather it needs 5X the length of the vessel so it is not an easy set up either. I am hoping that 3X will suffice for the use we foresee.

Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[FF]

>I think having something aboard would be a good safety and comfort measure.<

Folks that frequent rough inlets usually deploy a larger truck tire , chain wrapped to attach to tow line.

 

[SaltyDog]

I boat Lake Michigan. If things went south the 1.1:1 scope with 300 ft. of chain would be pretty useless.

Under the berth there is a sea anchor setup. Just a lucky talisman I hope.

Never had the need to use it. Practice changing fuel filters and bleeding the diesel in less than 5 minutes has paid off more than any other skill set.

Still feel much better having the chute aboard.

 

[psneeld]

Unless you boat in the only area that has a shoreline where its more than 100 feet deep right up to the beach....a deployed anchor acts as a drogue keeping your bow into the waves till you get into water shallow enough to have your anchor hold.

The sea anchor is really needed to keep you off a lee shore where the breakers would be farther out than your anchor would hold (usually storm or worse conditions) or the bottom is just so steep yo would never get to 3:1 or 5:1 before the boat would be in dangerous waters.

 

[AusCan]

A proper drogue is towed from the stern. They are normally used when running with gale force winds, or entering an inlet in a big following sea to minimize the risk of broaching. With a trawler, the added risk of a drogue tangling in the prop(s) in rough seas may not be worth the benefits they offer.

The cheap little mini drogues sold at the local tackle shop can be of some use attached to the bow. They may not slow you down much but will often swing your boat into a more comfortable position in moderate seas, depending on current & wind. And they are easier to store than a tire. In serious weather they would be just a nuisance.

A sea anchor attached to the bow will slow your drift in nasty weather and make things much more comfortable under lost power conditions. The length of line out is critical to ensure the boat and sea anchor are in synch. Practice launching and retrievable often before you really need it in bad weather.