David,

before I dare draw any half-firm conclusion, I must do some towing tests of my ball fenders and my new parachute drogues. I plan to use Ingeborg, with the engine running flat out, and record the speed drop with each of the drogues and fenders deployed. Maybe my digital luggage scales will be able to record the braking force as well.

The ball fenders, being symmetrical, will most probably not rotate and need any swivel. When making two more parachutes before the towing test (one at 0.1 and one at 1.0sqm), I will remember to make one of the sectors from the sand-coloured roll of canvas, and the other 5 from the white roll. This will let me see if they tend to rotate. If they do so, I might add a bit weight to 3 sectors (one chain link in each?) and a bit buoyancy (closed cell foam?) to the 3 others.

I realise that I am straying badly away from my original, humble specification, which was to restrain my Ingeborg from running away during the few minutes it takes to raise her sail. Such things happens when the outdoor temps invites one to stay indoors for a while.
The brain turns into a restless animal.

Cheers, Arne

Annie wrote:

I'm astonished at that, Arne.  My instinctive thought is that a fender would simply skip over the surface.  They are pretty strong, too. 

Sure, Annie, if you tow a normal ‘sausage’ fender, it will make no resistance at all. I learned this once I sailed with a friend and his little son was allowed to tow a ball behind us. I was more than a little surprised to see how it dug into the water. My friend said he sometimes tied that little ball (15-20cm?) behind the tender to keep the towing line (painter?) taut when sailing downwind in some waves.

Towing the anchor sounds interesting. I would fear that some of them might ‘kite’ along and misbehave rather badly, but symmetric anchors should do fine. I hope to make some towing tests of my parachute drogues ( I will also make a smaller and a bigger one, at 0.1 and 1.0 sqm), and also ball fenders.

Over the years, I have read books about long voyages done by local youngsters. They always seem to carry a few old car tyres. These do a number of jobs. They are good as fenders, they can be used as very solid springs on a towing line, and they can be towed behind (one, two or more) to aid steering in a downwind gale. I bet this is common practice by many long distance sailors.
Car tyres are cheap, available and capable of doing several jobs.

Arne

Arne Kverneland wrote:Now, one idea leads to another: Although I am a fairweather sailor, I would like you to consider this simple form of speed brake and yaw damper for offshore downwind sailing: Tow a 20, 40, or 60cm ball-shaped fender. You will be surprised how much drag they produce. They certainly don’t just jump on top of the sea. They literally suck themselves under until only the top scalp is visible, and they produce drag. I suggest you try one when motoring to see what size is needed for your boat.

Sometimes the simplest solutions are good enough.

I'm astonished at that, Arne.  My instinctive thought is that a fender would simply skip over the surface.  They are pretty strong, too. 

Another simple solution that really appeals to me, but which I've never tried (simply because I've never been on a boat that required anything dragged behind) is Blondie's brilliant idea of streaming your anchor and chain.  A good-sized anchor (especially a modern one such as a Manson Supreme) has a large surface area, and I'm sure chain must create a huge amount of drag.  And you have all the gear on board, ready to go. It would be a bit of a mission to get to the end of the cable and bring it aft, but once that is done, it should all be quite straightforward to deploy.  And it would winch back in a damn sight better than a Jordans series drogue!

" ... it's a shame he's never actually tried it in anger. " 

I don't t hink it's a shame; I am actually very pleased ... jds

Can I just add that I thought I'd better make a drogue and a parachute before I left the UK, and I've never deployed either in anger, in the course of sailing the length and breadth of the Atlantic and the Pacific. Of course, one day, I might be glad that I've got them aboard, but it hasn't happened in 6 years and 40,000 miles. Meanwhile, they're taking up space.