Drift anchor advice

[hydroforce3]

Hi guys i have just purchased a 450mmX600mm sea anchor or drogue as some may prefur to call them and i have a question...the straps that are already attached to the drogue are only about 2ft long, is this sufficient enough or will i have to attach a piece of rode to the straps to lengthen the drogue so it operates further away from the boat. If so what sort of length would you recomend as a good length between the boat and drogue? Also would it be safe to deploy from the bow and would it put too much strain on the bow D ring as i only have one D ring at the bow. Any suggestions on best and safest way to use drogues?

Cheers guys

Dan

[Mikefule]

If your boat only has one D ring then you should be able to assume that the D ring is strong enough to be an attachment point.

IMPORTANT: by D ring I mean a strong metal D shaped ring. Some boats have a plastic handle which is only good enough for moving the boat about on shore.

The drogue should be on a length of line. You will need to experiment a bit to find the ideal length. As with an an ordinary anchor, the length of line will act as a shock absorber and will allow the drogue to sit at a convenient angle. The purpose of a drogue is to keep the boat head to wind (head to the waves) and to reduce the amount of down wind drift. IMPORTANT: the drogue will be affected by currents.

Best way to attach any anchor:

Have a strong painter (line) permanently attached to the bow ring.

Put the anchor over board and let out sufficient line.

Make a bight in the line that is attached to the anchor.

Attach the painter to the bight with either a sheetbend or double sheetbend.

Let further anchor line out until the sheetbend is ahead of the boat and under tension.

The length of anchor line between the sheetbend and the boat should not be under tension.

Loosely tie off/tidy up the inboard end of the anchor line.

When you want to unhitch, pull on the anchor line until the sheetbend comes aboard. Untie the sheetbend.

https://www.seaanchor.com/sea-anchor/

[paintman]

I use a Wychwood drogue for trout fishing on hired boats on reservoirs (its primary use) & also with my 17' dory for sea fishing on the drift.
(https://www.theessentialfly.com/wych...SABEgLP3_D_BwE although mine is an earlier one without the central hole as on the one pictured)

I have a length of cord attached to each of the web straps on the drogue which gives me options for controlling the direction of drift on the trout boats by positioning each cord at a different point on the side of the boat. These put the drogue around 20' from the boat. In competition trout fishing the aim is for the boat to drift side-on to the wind as there are usually two fishing & neither's casting is adversely affected by the wind which now comes from behind.

On the dory I put both ends together into a ring & use a short length to attach that to various points on the boat as required.
A side benefit of the two cords is that pulling one will collapse the drogue & make it easier to recover. It's never affected deployment although I do keep twist out of the two cords before dropping it over the side.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Mikefule

If your boat only has one D ring then you should be able to assume that the D ring is strong enough to be an attachment point.

Your faith in the designer to understand the loads you plan to subject that d-ring to is greater than mine. They probably expected it to be used to tie a boat to a pontoon or perhaps be left on a sheltered mooring.

[Mikefule]

Originally Posted by Poly

Your faith in the designer to understand the loads you plan to subject that d-ring to is greater than mine. They probably expected it to be used to tie a boat to a pontoon or perhaps be left on a sheltered mooring.

On a quality SIB, the rings should be strong enough to use as towing eyes.

That aside, the shock load on a properly set anchor is not that great. Many people, perhaps most, use a short anchor line under too much tension. A properly set anchor has enough line out that it forms a catenary curve which acts as a shock absorber. Of course, with a drogue, it won't be a catenary curve, but the principle is the same that there should be no large shock loads.

However, point taken that rather than assuming that the eye is sufficiently strongly attached (as I wrote in my earlier reply) you should check.

[willk]

There is also the possibility that the OP has not considered using the pair of eyes located to the sides forward? A bridle attached to these can be run forward through the central bow eye. If these eyes are not fitted, then a similar arrangement can be extended aft to attach to the transom - quite often there are existing holes for light lines or eye bolts to be fitted.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by willk

There is also the possibility that the OP has not considered using the pair of eyes located to the sides forward? A bridle attached to these can be run forward through the central bow eye. If these eyes are not fitted, then a similar arrangement can be extended aft to attach to the transom - quite often there are existing holes for light lines or eye bolts to be fitted.

Agreed you could also use dynamic rope which takes the shock effect out, but a drogue is an open funnel slowing down not stood.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Mikefule

On a quality SIB, the rings should be strong enough to use as towing eyes.

oh I agree, and not meaning to criticise the OP’s boat but I’ve never heard of the brand so it’s probably a generic mass produced thing.

That aside, the shock load on a properly set anchor is not that great.

and again without meaning to insult the OP - he was asking if he attaches the drogue direct to the boat or uses a rope...

[willk]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Agreed you could also use dynamic rope which takes the shock effect out, but a drogue is an open funnel slowing down not stood.

Agreed hardly required for a drogue or sea anchor (not the same device, I presume he has a drogue) - but he needs to know how to get a solid fixing point/system in any event - for a ground anchor or beach mooring.

[paintman]

Perhaps the OP can post a pic of or link to a pic so we get an idea as to what he's actually got.

[hydroforce3]

Hi guys thanks for the replies seen as my boat has only 1 D-ring at the bow I have ordered 2 additional D-ring patches and 2part poly marine PVC adheisive to add my own extra points on the bow, id rather be safe than sorry and ive made my own bridle out of 10mm braided anchor rode and 1,100lb breaking strain stainless carabiner clips which would come in handy to use for the drogue as you are all saying but also an extra safety measure for winching the sib onto the trailer and security in case I ever need a tow.

I will post pics of my setup as soon as I get a chance.

thank you all for help and advice guys,

greatly appreciated

Dan