I saw an picture of a sailboat with some kind of parachute device off the bow...I think. Would that be a sea anchor or droge? What is the purpose of a sea anchor and how are they to be used correctly. I assume that they are used in storm or heavy sea conditions when the crew needs a rest and they seas are too serious for the crew to to outside. Comments
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Sea Anchor
If it's hung off the bow, it's a sea anchor; off the stern, a drogue. It's purpose is to slow the boat down and keep the bow into the wind. There's lots of info on both on the web. An interesting drogue is discussed at the included link.
If it's hung off the bow, it's a sea anchor; off the stern, a drogue. It's purpose is to slow the boat down and keep the bow into the wind. There's lots of info on both on the web. An interesting drogue is discussed at the included link.
Stop the backwards slide
Picture this: there is a perfect storm with 100 Ft. waves; the boat is faced with a 100 ft. wave and is close to 90 degrees sliding to the stern or backwards. What would possibly stop the backwards slide? Answer: a large light weight cloth that would spread open and prevent a boat from sliding backwards. (that would prevent it from flipping onto its top backwards)
Picture this: there is a perfect storm with 100 Ft. waves; the boat is faced with a 100 ft. wave and is close to 90 degrees sliding to the stern or backwards. What would possibly stop the backwards slide? Answer: a large light weight cloth that would spread open and prevent a boat from sliding backwards. (that would prevent it from flipping onto its top backwards)
perfect Storm
Watch the movie Perfect Storm the last wave that was the one that took out the Andre Gail was perpendicular. The wave or water was towering over the boat causing it to slide aft and capsize by flipping backwards. A parachute storm anchor would enable the boat to stop sliding backwards and capsize by flipping backwards. The storm sails job is to provide a resistance againstwater preventing the boat "Sliding" backwards.
Watch the movie Perfect Storm the last wave that was the one that took out the Andre Gail was perpendicular. The wave or water was towering over the boat causing it to slide aft and capsize by flipping backwards. A parachute storm anchor would enable the boat to stop sliding backwards and capsize by flipping backwards. The storm sails job is to provide a resistance againstwater preventing the boat "Sliding" backwards.
For Danny
Danny, The wave you saw in The Perfect Storm was created in a Hollywood computer lab. Real waves don't behave that way. Get a copy of Oceanography and Seamanship by Wm. Van Dorn ($40 at Barnes and Noble) and learn more about waves. The maximum height of an ocean wave in deep water is about one seventh of its wave length. If steeper, the wave breaks and the top tumbles down the fron of the wave at high speed. It is this fast moving jet that injures boats. The only place where waves achieve vertical faces is in the surf zone where interaction with the sloping sea floor causes sudden slowing and steepening of the wave which collapses almost immediately.
Danny, The wave you saw in The Perfect Storm was created in a Hollywood computer lab. Real waves don't behave that way. Get a copy of Oceanography and Seamanship by Wm. Van Dorn ($40 at Barnes and Noble) and learn more about waves. The maximum height of an ocean wave in deep water is about one seventh of its wave length. If steeper, the wave breaks and the top tumbles down the fron of the wave at high speed. It is this fast moving jet that injures boats. The only place where waves achieve vertical faces is in the surf zone where interaction with the sloping sea floor causes sudden slowing and steepening of the wave which collapses almost immediately.
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