drogue (sea anchor actually) question.

MarcinG

Hi. got myself a "lalizas" sea anchor (125cm cone one) for use with my 17 feet sheelin boat (manufacturer note said it is suitable for boats up to 25 feet). AFAIK sea anchor is mentioned to use in order to point bow against waves. But wherever i put it (including very tip of the bow) I'm always drag sideways with sea anchor rope making 90 degree turn after leaving bow. It is nothing I expected. Is there a reason for it?

Ps1: I have problems with this thing just floating on surface for quite time (i already used some lead flashing - few hundred grams one? on one of the strings but it didn't helped a bit).

ps2: once it finally submerged i was doing 2-4 mph! (max speed on 6HP outboard around 7 ;P fact is it was quite windy on blessington today but i thought it will be a greater help.

Are all of those normal?

Tabnabs

Are you using it on a lake or sea?

What exactly are you hoping to achieve from it (i.e. you do realise that it slows your drift and not stops you like an actual anchor?). It sounds like either your boat is too light to engage the anchor or the rate of drift was too slow.

MarcinG

Tabnabs wrote: »

Are you using it on a lake or sea?

What exactly are you hoping to achieve from it (i.e. you do realise that it slows your drift and not stops you like an actual anchor?). It sounds like either your boat is too light to engage the anchor or the rate of drift was too slow.

I would like to:
turn it so bow turns toward wind (so it is more steady than when waves are banging it from side).
Slow it down in its drift.

SO far it does 2nd but doesn't do 1st.

+ if i want it to work quick (lets say there is narrow passage with wind pushing me through too quick for fishing but i don't want to stay in one place with standard anchor). I just cast it away and if floats on the water (takes good time minutes maybe) till it sinks (of course quicker the drift quicker it happens). i have about 10m of rope attached to it and sometimes if i want to make it work quicker i actually using reverse gear on the outboard and it works for submerging it - but just wondering is this normal? my boat is standard sheelin 17" with usual load of around 250-300kg and empty balast tanks (if they are ballast tanks they are mystery for me:


there are 2 of them one on each side of the boat and they both not leading outside (or i don't see outlet) so my guess it they are for leting water in to the 2 chambers located at the ends of the boat.
But how to fill them (you would have to have boat full of water) and how to empty them (you would have to tilt the boat at quite an angle) is a mystery for me. So is how they work. It is my first boat.

fergal.b

I don't know much about these but are drogue's not used on the stern of the boat and sea anchors used on the bow.

Tabnabs

fergal.b wrote: »

I don't know much about these but are drogue's not used on the stern of the boat and sea anchors used on the bow.

Well spotted, move to the top of the class!

Tabnabs

MarcinG wrote: »

I would like to:
turn it so bow turns toward wind (so it is more steady than when waves are banging it from side).
Slow it down in its drift.

SO far it does 2nd but doesn't do 1st.

+ if i want it to work quick (lets say there is narrow passage with wind pushing me through too quick for fishing but i don't want to stay in one place with standard anchor). I just cast it away and if floats on the water (takes good time minutes maybe) till it sinks (of course quicker the drift quicker it happens). i have about 10m of rope attached to it and sometimes if i want to make it work quicker i actually using reverse gear on the outboard and it works for submerging it - but just wondering is this normal?

I'd say add some chain onto the rope (at the anchor end) to allow it to sink quicker. But it may come down to speed. They are designed to keep a boat head to wind and seas in heavy weather, but you're looking to move at a slower (or higher) rate than the current and hence when you use the engine the boat speed increases above this and the anchor deploys.

What's the answer? I'm certainly no expert but would try three things:

A section of chain to sink the anchor more quickly.

A bridle on the bow to set the boat at an angle rather than bow on and it may be a best compromise.

The poor man's sea anchor is a 1 ton builders supply sand bag (or a skip bag), it will be much bigger than what you have and may do the job? Worth a try as they can usually be picked up for little or nothing.

MarcinG

fergal.b wrote: »

I don't know much about these but are drogue's not used on the stern of the boat and sea anchors used on the bow.

yes. but most of fishing tackle manufacturers will call them drogues - well look at mpd site for instance they call it floating anchor). English isn't my first language and i'm not too familiar with proper boating terminology so i used both terms.
From what i found i'm looking for sea anchor so i dropped it from the bow and while normal anchor will set me facing wind sea anchor seems to do opposite

MarcinG

A section of chain to sink the anchor more quickly.

will try but i already used some lead flashing (10x20cm?) wrapped around one of the straps.

A bridle on the bow to set the boat at an angle rather than bow on and it may be a best compromise.

well :
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OE5eS27Iplk/ThMtf_qFeKI/AAAAAAAAACs/5aNuyAbm5R0/s800/DSCF0679.JPG
i'm puting rope through this and i can clearly see rope making 90 degree turn right after it - you can even see timber being scratched at the bottom of it.


The poor man's sea anchor is a 1 ton builders supply sand bag (or a skip bag), it will be much bigger than what you have and may do the job? Worth a try as they can usually be picked up for little or nothing.[/QUOTE]

heh. i already heard about people using ikea bags and pop up bags for garden waste (this is actually quite sensible - work as a bag or sea anchor + due to its rigidity can by submerged by hand in instant.

but I paid for my sea anchor less than 20 euro so i guess it was good price anyway.

Pigeon Reaper

The tanks you're asking about are floatation tanks and not ballast tanks. I couldn't tell you why the bungs are so high but it's possibly retro-fitted. Don't fill these with water as it can cause you to capsize. Smalll boats will normally use fixed ballast. some hull shapes wil cause the boat to drift sideways to the wind. If the wind isn't strong or your drift rate is slow the sea anchor won't be effective. They improve as wind strength increases and strain is put onto the anchor.

MarcinG

Pigeon Reaper wrote: »

The tanks you're asking about are floatation tanks and not ballast tanks. I couldn't tell you why the bungs are so high but it's possibly retro-fitted. Don't fill these with water as it can cause you to capsize. Smalll boats will normally use fixed ballast. some hull shapes wil cause the boat to drift sideways to the wind. If the wind isn't strong or your drift rate is slow the sea anchor won't be effective. They improve as wind strength increases and strain is put onto the anchor.

Thank you.

Bungs are on the bottom (picture is sideways). what are they for anyway? how could water possibly get in without hull being damaged?

Shape of the hull may be the answer then (guy from shop where i bought my sea anchor said he never had any one complaining about it and my thoughts are right it should turn boat towards the wind.).

Pigeon Reaper

Small cracks and condensation can cause some water to build up. The bungs are in place in case the tank needs to be drained. If the tank was ever damaged the boat would still float but the weight of water in it would make to difficult to recover. The bung will allow the tank to be drained. Also if the hull does get holed the tanks sould give enough floation to get home quickly. The boat will wallow and possibly capsize but it shouldn't sink once the tanks hold out.