What is this?

[Winkfish]

I have one on my Whaler. Where I bought, they called it a "drift anchor". It's for when we want to drift over an area to fish. Slows the boat down and keeps it heading forward.

 

[shyamh]

Thanks for all the answers and I'm glad this was amusing (and informative). So it is A surface anchor and what you do with it really depends. Fishing, drifting, keeping the bow into wind while drifting, etc

 

[dlewis812]

golden fleece

FWIW it is made in use by a company called Golden Fleece designs inc

i think we need to start a new thread with comments on this catalogue!

 

[The Garbone]

How can you go wrong.

http://www.goldenfleecedesigns.com/

You have girls in swings, girls in harnesses and Elvis. Pure win here.

 

[BudGates]

great caption contest fodder, but looks like a sea anchor, er drogue, errrr what's the difference anyway...something to toss over the stern in heavy seas.

Not sure if that was a real question or not. Incase it is I'll go ahead and answer. A sea anchor is a relatively large parachut used for slowing the boat down in a storm. A drogue is a small anchor used in series (several drogues in one line) for the same purpose. The main difference is that using drogues allows you to adjust the ammount of drag you want by the number of drogues set out.

 

[sailerman3]

Found this below decks, but have no idea what it might be for

I think this is a home made sea anchor.
Thanksmom111

 

[Apex]

Not sure if that was a real question or not. Incase it is I'll go ahead and answer. A sea anchor is a relatively large parachut used for slowing the boat down in a storm. A drogue is a small anchor used in series (several drogues in one line) for the same purpose. The main difference is that using drogues allows you to adjust the ammount of drag you want by the number of drogues set out.

yes real ? thanx Bud!

 

[centerline]

sea anchor, er drogue,

errrr what's the difference anyway?...

fundamentally, CaptRon has it right
it depends on what you need it for at the moment, and thats what it will be.

it was actually designed and built as a drogue/drift sock for smaller boats.

a sea anchor is big, and almost stops the boat in the water, in relation to the wind.... a drogue is much smaller and only slows the boat in the water, in relation to the wind.
either can be used for positioning the hull in the water in relation to the direction of the wind. some boats react better to this "attempted" positioning than others....

size and durability is the main difference....