Speed Limiting Drogue

Do any of you carry a drogue on board? Has anyone used a speed limiting drogue to maintain better control in a following sea that has gotten bigger than you were comfortably handling?

Thank you!

A sea anchor.Nope,never used one.I'm a wuss tho.If there's a ripple.I skip rocks from the docks. :lol:

A drogue and sea anchor are 2 different animals.

I have used a lot of drogues when towing vessels...especially sailboats coming through inlets where the seas want to push the sailboat ahead of the towboat.

Never on my primary vessel.

I think myself and many others might have the opinion to run a different course where the drogue may not be needed and just change your destination or the days run if the seas get that bad. But I can see times when one would be beneficial and before I venture too far offshore...some type of drogue will be purchased or made.

A sea anchor and drogue are not the same thing and have different applications.

psneeld said:

A drogue and sea anchor are 2 different animals.

I have used a lot of drogues when towing vessels...especially sailboats coming through inlets where the seas want to push the sailboat ahead of the towboat.

Never on my primary vessel.

I think myself and many others might have the opinion to run a different course where the drogue may not be needed and just change your destination or the days run if the seas get that bad. But I can see times when one would be beneficial and before I venture too far offshore...some type of drogue will be purchased or made.

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I'll have to research that sumoar.

Correct sea anchors and drogues are two completely different animals and used for different purposes. My question was specific to a drogue for use in keeping the stern square to a following sea and limiting speed going down the face of a wave.

I certainly agree with picking a better day but the thought is to carry one for an emergency in the event we're out and the seas build higher than was anticipated. It can happen!

We built this boat two years ago knowing it would take a couple of years to get it equipped while we wound down careers, well the time has come and we're down to the last few items when this came to mind.

I'm particularly interested to hear from anyone who has had experience using one to control a primary vessel.

Thank you very much!

I think Seabrake is what you're looking for, which is advertised as an anti-surfing/broaching device;

Seabrake

MurrayM said:

I think Seabrake is what you're looking for, which is advertised as an anti-surfing/broaching device;

Seabrake

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I have a Seabrake and it is a truly amazing piece of equipment. It has a variety of uses as you can see from the link. Some, more useful than others. I have only practiced deploying it in moderate weather, but it works well and deploys easily. I rigged it to the boom-end and it works well as a flopper-stopper at anchor. Another use is one that is intriguing, a rescue seat/boatswain's chair for hoisting a person aboard. I will try that one out as soon as I can find a willing volunteer.

Overall quite pleased, but difficult to find in the U.S.

Larry
M/V Boomarang

Not necessary in our estuary.

Burke, sailmakers who extended their business, are based in Sydney Australia. That doesn`t necessarily mean "Seabrake" is made here, we`re not big on making stuff. Except, dare I say it,for a particular anchor.

I have two of them in different sizes but have used only to slow the boat for slow trolling. Never had to use one for a following sea.

Thank you all for the responses. It wasn't that I was looking for the product, there are several in the market and each claims to be better than the rest. What I haven't been able to find is anyone who's used one in an actual situation.

It`s more a sailboat thing. Used in bad weather when still making 8 knots + under bare poles(no sails), with the risk of still 5 knots+ under no poles ie.after a dismasting from a 360 roll.

Hi Bruce, thank you and to all the others for your responses, but it's becoming evident my original question was misunderstood. I didn't ask what they were, how they were used or where to find them. I've done an exhaustive amount of research into that. I was merely asking how many on the forum carried them on board and if anyone had any experience using them.

To the comment that they are "more of a sailboat thing" I would say to the contrary. Most sailboat's sterns will handle a following sea better than most of ours. Most of our boats are more susceptible to broaching than most sailboats. If in reading you find references to drogues used on sailboats more often than to power boats it's purely due to the fact that there have historically been more sailboats in blue water than power boats.

Many respected publications written on the use of drogues and sea anchors apply equal benefits to power and sail both.

Thank you again.