Drogue anchor

[gotchiguy]

Been searching through the forums but I can't find anything definitive. Everyone says they're really useful and we've been meaning to get one for ages but only just getting round to it. Found a few links in old thread but all to american sites, and I don't think the £19 one on ebay is big enough?

So any recommendations gratefully received on size and where to get one for a ~1400kg RIB

[Nick Hearne]

Had one for 10 years, never needed it to date!
Have you tried a bucket on a line?

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Been searching through the forums but I can't find anything definitive. Everyone says they're really useful and we've been meaning to get one for ages but only just getting round to it. Found a few links in old thread but all to american sites, and I don't think the £19 one on ebay is big enough?

So any recommendations gratefully received on size and where to get one for a ~1400kg RIB

Last time this debate raged it was a 38FF and a length of rope

[SteveHall]

I have one, and its a good size, I can get in it when I unfold it.

I have never used it at sea, but find its handy for some extra padding in the locker.

[Peter_C]

We had one for the sailboat. It was used overnight on the open seas to keep the bow pointed into the waves. No auto pilot, nor weather vane.

Most folks that I know using drogues are using them for fishing. Buckets work great for that but are not as easy to store.

[Mollers]

Please tell me what use a sea anchor would be on a rib that could possible warrant taking up valuable storage space?

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Please tell me what use a sea anchor would be on a rib that could possible warrant taking up valuable storage space?

Engine fails, sea too deep for normal anchor, without it would turn beam on which is much harder to work on engine

GD has heart attack, trying to deal with situation, much more unpleasant to be beam on and rocking like crazy than held bow into waves where the boat rides them much better/safer

[Ribochet]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Please tell me what use a sea anchor would be on a rib that could possible warrant taking up valuable storage space?

Simples

My sea anchor takes up very little space



Redbay cruising ground with Torr Head in view where the 10m contour line runs a couple metres off the cliff face - so a conventional anchor is useless.



Whats the alternative ?

[treerat]

I've bought one of these, pretty large and packs down really small. Seems ok but yet to test it out. Weakest link seems to be the cord that attaches the drogue to the boat, but I'll replace this with a length of rope should it be required.
Boat Fishing Drogue, Anchor - Fly fishing - CHEAPEST ONE ON EBAY!!!! RRP £19 | eBay

[Erin]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Engine fails, sea too deep for normal anchor, without it would turn beam on which is much harder to work on engine

A nervous E-tec owner eh?

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

GD has heart attack,

He's going to be having that on dry land when he sees the invoice for all that Garmin gear you've put in his cc

In all fairness, whether the boat is beam on or not won't make a huge amount of difference to hanging over the transom if the sea is rough enough to warrant your concern.

[Boatnomad]

Some nice Drogue anchor work in this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ3tkQYn9to

[Ribochet]

Originally Posted by Boatnomad

Some nice Drogue anchor work in this!

A crackin video - the "proof of the pudding"

Originally Posted by Erin

In all fairness, whether the boat is beam on or not won't make a huge amount of difference to hanging over the transom if the sea is rough enough to warrant your concern.

Do you still reckon that is right

[Nos4r2]

I've used a drogue on a yacht. I have got a SEA ANCHOR. However, getting one to work on the 5.4 is difficult so I don't carry it anymore. It needed to be thrown out a fair distance upwind in order to work.

Throwing a parachute upwind isn't easy.

[Erin]

Originally Posted by Ribochet

Do you still reckon that is right

Nope not entirely, but then Gotchi is not the RNLI. In that particular video there is nothing you could meaningfully do to the 'broken' engine(s) whilst bouncing as violently as that other than just check nothing had fallen off. You certainly wouldn't be chaning plugs or cutting rope off the prop.

Aside from that, I can't foresee him being stuck on a lee shore in conditions like that anyway, and also having two crew members available to deploy the drogue and fix the engine whilst he hangs on to the helm. I think a liferaft would be more suitable and comforting to his usual passengers

[willk]

Originally Posted by Erin

I think a liferaft would be more suitable and comforting to his usual passengers

I'm sure you're joking, but other than a fire - what would tempt you out of a RIB and into a liferaft?

[Erin]

Originally Posted by willk

I'm sure you're joking,

What, moi? When Gotchi's involved. Nah.

Originally Posted by willk

other than a fire - what would tempt you out of a RIB and into a liferaft?

Built-in drogue pockets (plus the ration pack and stugeron tablets). An inversion might tempt me too.

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Engine fails, sea too deep for normal anchor, without it would turn beam on which is much harder to work on engine

Have you looked under that cover? If that Etec went fart, where exactly would you start with your rusty justy and junior spanner set?

If things ever went as Pete Tong as you suggest, I'd get on the wireless and get the orange and blue tug out, quick smart.

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Have you looked under that cover? If that Etec went fart, where exactly would you start with your rusty justy and junior spanner set?

If things ever went as Pete Tong as you suggest, I'd get on the wireless and get the orange and blue tug out, quick smart.

Yup, here's a video of it in case you haven't seen your own

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YenNAD-u23Q

Well I admit there isn't a whole lot that could be done, but changing a spark plug, checking all leads are still connected... Pull starting the engine, changing the master fuse (spare right next to it on an etec that's probably about it Till now the VHF (touch wood) there was no main VHF anyway...

Originally Posted by Ribochet

Simples

My sea anchor takes up very little space

Attachment 78754

That looks perfect could you tell me where you got it/ what size it is?

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Till now the VHF (touch wood) there was no main VHF anyway...

You were making channel crossings with only a 5watt 'walkie talkie'?

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Mollers

You were making channel crossings with only a 5watt 'walkie talkie'?

6....