Using a 2-line bridle.

Since towing the drogue from the lee, and then the weather quarter of my Ingeborg resulted in different pointing angles (see posts below), I guess the ultimate version would be to tow the drogue from a 2-line bridle as shown on the diagram below. By adjusting the relative length of the two lines, one should make the boat point closer to or farther from the wind.

My guess is that this also has a more positive course stabilising effect than using just a single line. This could be very useful on fin-keeled boats, which lack much of the built-in yaw-damping that my boat has.

Arne

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

  

 David:

      I just watched a Utube last night on how to make an "mid line eye splice"......... Perfect for assembling a series drogue of your type, though the eyes would be permanent.  While they would be permanent eyes, they would probably run over a winch more readily than a tied knot.   It is incredibly simple, and two such splices in opposing directions would allow you to have the slack line needed for your ply series drogue.  It's a neat very simple quick process using 3 strand nylon line:    Mid Line Eye Splice

                                                      H.W.

Howard, thanks for this link.  The loops look perfect for 3 strand rope.  Alas, my rodes are 8-plait.  In my case, it's not a problem so far, as the figure 8 loops have been easy to untie.  We'll see what happens in harsher conditions as the rode comes under more tension. 

David:

       Another easy to remove knot that would be suitable for drogue sections is the knot I use for the tree straps on my backpacking hammock.  It's called a marlin spike hitch.   A simple and elegant knot.    You can find dozens of utubes on how to tie them.   I put a carabiner through the loop which also goes through a loop on my hammock.  When the "biner" is removed, the knot collapses.  Looking around I found this Utube for anybody who is interested in this knot.  I've used it for years for many applications.

                                                    H.W.

Marlin Spike Hitch

Arne

It's interesting that your heaving to method works over various combinations of variables, depending on sail area, attachment point of the drogue rode and rudder angle.  Makes me wonder if one combination is more stable than others over a range of wind and sea states. 

It's encouraging as you note, that by experimenting with those variables it may well work on other boats.           

--David

David O.

I have also considered using a piece of square (or round) plywood of similar area, possibly perforated. This should be easy to make without needing a sewing machine, looking much like a squared version of my bosun’s chair. I guess that the parachute version and the plywood version will work in a similar way. However, my parachute version has the advantage of taking up very little space in my cockpit locker. Maybe the plywood version could do double duty as a fish-gutting board?

Anyway...
yesterday I had another go on heaving to with the drogue. This time I tied it to the cleat on the weather quarter, to see if the boat would head up more. This turned out to be almost too good: At one point, with three panels set, Ingeborg threatened with coming about with the tiller fully ‘down’. With only two panels set, and with only half rudder angle, she once again ‘parked’ herself nicely. For some reason I didn’t get the idea to try the setup with only one panel set. Maybe next time.

My conclusion is that towing the drogue from the weather quarter may suit boats which otherwise would be reluctant to head up sufficiently (like Tystie?). On Ingeborg, I will rather tow the drogue from the lee quarter.

Cheers,
Arne

Anonymous wrote:

I'm always interested in outside-the-box thinking, so thanks Arne for sharing your new method of heaving to.  In my experience, being able to safely and comfortably stop a boat is an undervalued and under-utilized skill.  I agree with Hans-Erik that heaving to is not necessarily about extreme weather.  I've often used it to "hold station" offshore, waiting for daylight to approach a harbor. 

The most novel use is one I encountered more than 40 years ago. We were crossing from the southern tip of Baja, California to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in our 20' sloop.  It's a 300 mile open ocean crossing and when we arrived in Puerto Vallarta, we met an elderly couple in a 25' trimaran.  They asked how long it took us and we reported 3 days.  They'd taken 5 days, which of course surprised us, given their much faster boat.  Then they explained their unorthodox sailing routine at sea. 

They sail from dawn until a couple hours after dusk, then take sails down, put out a parachute sea anchor and an anchor light, have dinner and get 8 hours sleep before continuing the next day.  Over the years, they'd found it an effective way to keep fatigue at bay and to make passages more enjoyable.       

Bravo for them!!    It has bothered me for some reason that people seem inclined to rush from port to port (tiki bar to tiki bar or marina bar) as if the sea is something to be feared and gotten behind as quickly as possible.  One of the things I appreciate deeply about your project (Minimus II) is that you have the opposite philosophy.  Experiencing the ocean close up and personal is important to you........The immersive voyage.  The ocean is not your "friend", nor is it the enemy. It is what it is and it is a place full of life, full of beauty and wonder.    Of course mid ocean a drogue is hardly needed over night unless just to provide a stable and comfortable ride while you cook and sleep.