Seabrake and other drag devices tested.

[thinwater]

I got on the water for testing, got on the web for research, and combined a my tests with web and magazine data, and adjusted all of this to fit the PDQ 32. I've been dragging stuff all over Herring Bay, no doubt making on-lookers wonder. Oh yeah... there are no on-lookers this time of year!

Anyway, there are some graphs and links you might find useful. I had fun doing it and feel just a bit smarter now. I am also quite sure I know how to rig all of these in quick time. Watch your fingers - when you dump a chute off the back at 7 knots, the lines come some-tight when the slack runs out!

http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2010/ ... r-but.html

[Marc Gershel]

Just curious, Why did you give up on the sea anchor so quick. I realize that 5' is way too small for your boat. From what I understand, a proper sized sea anchor would stop you almost dead, except for any local current. I have a 15' para-anchor, that I've never used, but feel it would the correct one for your boat.
Marc

[thinwater]

I don't disagree, Mark. The best of all worlds would be to take all of these.

I'm sure, based on my expereince with my Stiletto and the expereince of many others, that the 15-foot parachute will work fine. If I have a concern it is that I have seen my PDQ 32 bury the front beam in waves too easily, because the beam is so close to the bows. I have taken hard wave strikes on the front of the cabin. I've also pitchpoled a beach cat more than once, so I know that down side.

If there is one point against a parachute, it is that setting it in big waves could be risky. You have to be beam-on for about 2-3 minutes, while you drift down range. The moral is to set it earliy. It also cannot be recovered until the wind and waves are quite moderate.

But no, I would not argue against a parachute. My current feeling is that the parchute, JSD, and Seabrake are all good designs, but not for the same purpose. If I were crossing a big ocean, I would carry a chute and a Seabrake, without question. For running 600 miles in a weather window, I made my choise. The lower-drag devises seem less useful, IMHO. I will use an Abbott Drouge if I'm just tired of yawing.