True Spirit

[harrytom 641]

On netflix now.About a young (16) yr old girl do a solo round the world trip. Sydney to imaginary mark on the Equator down to cape horn,acroos cape of good hope up to mark Indian Ocean around outside Tasmania back to Sydney. 270 days?Nice yacht "pink Lady"

Not much of a film but I have question.  Big seas,bare poles,with a drogue out. Do you run it from the bow so head to wind. She ran it out off the stern and Im thinking waves would push her around and water be inclined to mount transom.

https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/02/07/jessica-watsons-true-spirit-re-inspiring-13yrs-after-solo-global-voyage/

[Black Panther 1,579]

Off the bow it's called a sea anchor and should be big enough to stop the boat going backwards. Off the stern it's called a drogue and should allow some forward movement.  I used to run the bridle to the primaries and trim it for the speed best suited to the sea state.

Some prefer one, some the other.  IT has used a sea anchor successfully,  I have used a drogue successfully. 

[Black Panther 1,579]

Never had a problem with waves climbing the transom with a drogue.

[harrytom 641]

which would give you the best ride? one way going forwards the other way backwards.Still covering ground?

Only read/heard the theory of use.

[CarpeDiem 427]

I used a parachute drogue off the bow and the stern, on a Farr 1020 on the way to Fiji. 

Set in a way as to hold the boat at about 70deg to the waves it allowed the boat to stay in a hove to position in 50knot+ winds for a day while we waited for things to settle down. Would like to claim I knew what I was doing, but I had literally read it in Parry's book a couple of months earlier and we were kind of desperate to try something after exhausting ourselves for two days trying to keep the boat from forereaching - that is the first and only time I have deployed a parachute drogue - worked an absolute treat.

On the same journey we deployed a sea brake out the stern that was attached too both primaries, we did that to slow us down while screaming down the face of waves.  18 knots of boat speed down a 40 foot wave in a Farr 1020 in the middle of the pacific was kind of scary in the daylight, the sea brake kept us at a respectable speed and she didn't start planning so their was no risk of rounding up or down at night and while it was all fun and games during the daylight, broaching at night was a very real concern.

[Island Time 1,214]

A drogue is for off the stern. A sea anchor (parachute) is off the bow. A drogue slows you down and helps prevent broaching. A Parachute basically holds you stopped in the hove 2 position. Both have been used successfully by multiple people/vessels. You do your research, and make you call. Ideally I'd like both, so I can decide depending on the situation.

[Island Time 1,214]

2 minutes ago, CarpeDiem said:

I used a parachute drogue off the bow and the stern, on a Farr 1020 on the way to Fiji. 

Set in a way as to hold the boat at about 70deg to the waves it allowed the boat to stay in a hove to position in 50knot+ winds for a day while we waited for things to settle down. Would like to claim I knew what I was doing, but I had literally read it in Parry's book a couple of months earlier and we were kind of desperate to try something after exhausting ourselves for two days trying to keep the boat from forereaching - that is the first and only time I have deployed a parachute drogue - worked an absolute treat.

On the same journey we deployed a sea break out the stern that was attached too both primaries, we did that to slow us down while screaming down the face of waves.  18 knots of boat speed down a 40 foot wave in a Farr 1020 in the middle of the pacific was kind of scary in the daylight, the sea brake kept us at a respectable speed and she didn't start planning so their was no risk of rounding up or down that night.

Interesting. In my experience 70 deg is too much, I used a bridle back to a primary so I could adjust the angle. At 30-40 deg I could stop sternway and fore reaching, and sit basically stopped, while the storm passed over. But every storm and every boat/skipper is different and everyone must make their own calls..

 

[CarpeDiem 427]

1 minute ago, Island Time said:

Interesting. In my experience 70 deg is too much, I used a bridle back to a primary so I could adjust the angle. At 30-40 deg I could stop sternway and fore reaching, and sit basically stopped, while the storm passed over. But every storm and every boat/skipper is different and everyone must make their own calls..

 

Yip!  There was lots of discussion that the angle we had wasn't optimal, but as it was working and we were staying in our slick we decided to stick with it rather than change anything.  From memory the boat speed was reading ~0.3knots - so while we were not completely stopped it was sufficient and we suddenly all got some sleep

Could certainly have been optimized and if we had not been so exhausted I think we would of played around a bit more fine tuning it.

[Island Time 1,214]

Indeed. Many who have not been in the situation don't realise how detrimental exhaustion is, and how it can really put you in danger! Now for ocean passages I pre rig the parachute, run the warp around the toe rail, tied with cable ties. All I have to do to launch it is shackle the cable to the chute, cable tie the shackle, and kick the chute off the stern. Chute opens, pops the cable ties, and sets itself . The running block for the bridle is floated with a fender, and you just adjust it so the float is directly to weather, with a primary winch. Worked amazingly well, and is my go to for a really serious storm - which should be able to be avoided with modern weather forecasting! I'd prefer to sail away from the path a few days before!

[Black Panther 1,579]

Definitely do not go backwards with a parachute as the risk is serious rudder damage.

 

I've  used a drogue several times,  once when totally unnecessary just because I could and knew I could get some  sleep. I love them but you need searoom. 

As above the goal is to have no one on deck, all crew warm dry and well fed and in their bunks.

[Steve Pope 243]

I've carried a Jordan series drogue for ever, and have never used it, I also have a 3m drogue that I have only used when anchored in a hole in a tidal river to keep me in the stream when the tide ebbs, otherwise wind can take the boat out of the flow and onto shallow areas that might be rocky before the sides of the hole preclude that happening. I have had several experiences where I have needed to heave to, and have also lain ahull without any issues. The type of hull has some relevance.