Paravane questions

[Trawler_traveler]

We've experimented with our paravanes after replacing cables and doing some other servicing to the rig. Now I have some questions for those of you who have used them in the past or are still using them.

- Our booms have a second boom that can be deployed to keep the boom from lifting up (Beebe calls them arm Braces). I have tried to imagine deploying that boom without committing suicide since the inboard/higher attachment point is just about unreachable without hanging out over the side of the boat from the upper dinghy deck. We're inclined to put those booms in storage but wonder under what circumstances such a boom might be required ?

- Beebe says that you chose the downward angle of your fish based on your speed. How sensitive is this setting ? Should we just leave it where it is (far back for slow running) or is it worth experimenting ?

- Beebe refers to some Canadian studies which he states make it obvious that the fish should be connecting to the tow-line with an anchor swivel. Does anyone here know what studies those are or why the swivel is needed ?

- Have any of you run with the fish i the water and then have the weather turn so nasty that you wish you could retrieve them before they become wrecking-ball missiles ?

I'm sure I have more questions but that will have to do for now.

Thanks.



-Sven

 

[bligh]

Sounds like you should connect the outboard end of the braces before deployment and then connect the inboard end after deployment.


If you want to experiment with the settings , do it in calm water in a manner in which you can test the tension on the rig.

 

[Trawler_traveler]

Sounds like you should connect the outboard end of the braces before deployment and then connect the inboard end after deployment.

Yes, that's the only way. The problem is that the inboard attachment is where the red arrow points and if I stand on the caprail I can reach it with one hand only and there is no way I could put in the pin.

Reaching it from the dinghy-deck would be doable but I'd need a second person to hand it up to me and it would be exciting unless it is dead calm. I've considered putting in a jackline for just the deployment of that arm brace.

Thanks.



-Sven

 

[Jim Cooper]

Could you take a page out of the sportfishing boat outrigger and cut the brace in two piece, 70/30 and put a knuckle there.

 

[Sealife]

Sven,

Every design is different, but we don’t have any hardware to prevent the outriggers, you call them booms from coming back up. In 12,000 miles they have never come close to moving even w/o birds in the water. As for running the birds more or less aggressively, I use a larger bird run less aggressively as I feel it is the best compromise. No scientific data though. We also would never consider pulling birds out of the water when it is “too rough” as that is when they are needed the most. We have never had a bird out of the water. Ours run 15’ beneath the surface at rest in calm water. Richard Bost on Dauntless has done more experimenting, there seems to be a margin of personal preference in such things.

 

[Sealife]

Also the swivel was to make up for the twist n the 3 strand as it stretches. My swivels never did, the chain attached to the birds seemed to rake up the twisting as needed. We eventually eliminated the swivels, as felt they were a weak point and unnecessary.

 

[Simi 60]

Might be worth looking at nylon double braid (not 8 plait) to stop twist

 

[Trawler_traveler]

Could you take a page out of the sportfishing boat outrigger and cut the brace in two piece, 70/30 and put a knuckle there.

Interesting idea ! I wonder if those rigs resist compression.

Thanks.



-Sven

 

[Trawler_traveler]

Sven,

Every design is different, but we don’t have any hardware to prevent the outriggers, you call them booms from coming back up. In 12,000 miles they have never come close to moving even w/o birds in the water. As for running the birds more or less aggressively, I use a larger bird run less aggressively as I feel it is the best compromise. No scientific data though. We also would never consider pulling birds out of the water when it is “too rough” as that is when they are needed the most. We have never had a bird out of the water. Ours run 15’ beneath the surface at rest in calm water. Richard Bost on Dauntless has done more experimenting, there seems to be a margin of personal preference in such things.

That's a pretty solid endorsement for not keeping the 'brace'.

Appreciate the feedback.



-Sven

 

[IRENE]

We have downhaul lines on our outriggers. I don’t have more than a few days experience with ours, yet, so I have little to offer.

I will say the rig has been particularly wonderful at anchor utilizing the standard paravanes.

 

[hollywood8118]

We have a lot of experience using paravanes and I really like them. Why not shorten the brace and put a new mount lower so you can attach it from deck level.. it's only needed if you have the poles deployed and no fish out in a rolly sea .. the angle of the poles looks a touch steep in the pic.. I would drop them a bit.. just dont want them to dip , the further out the better they will work. The other thing is we typically deployed the poles just outside of the marina in calm conditions so all we needed to do was idle the boat down if we wanted to drop the fish.. just do it at dead slow as they will do a crazy arc and can fly in the wrong conditions.
Great looking boat by the way!
Hollywood

 

[Lepke]

Many commercial fishermen with bigger poles have a hinged brace. Usually with some metal stop that locks the brace straight. Some even put the poles out with a hydraulic or air cylinder. I ran my floppers at least 10' below the surface and used 3/8" chain from the wl down. I used mine mostly to slow the boat for trolling. When running or trolling tuna, I adjusted them to minimize drag and added a wire line from the flopper to near the bow to keep the strain off the pole. But normally left them on board unless the ocean was bad.

Another way to keep the pole down is an attachment point low on the hull. Usually an eye bolt. The line to it has a steel rod, eye on one end and a hook on the other that allows you to reach the eye bolt by just leaning overboard slightly. To hook, the pole is lowered below normal, the hook set and tension controlled buy the pole tackle.
My setup was with a brace, but it fitted to a support on the top edge of the cabin, and the other end stayed pined to the pole. I did use them in very bad weather. With floppers in position, I could make a turn in very big, steep rollers without a fear of rolling over.