[MHml] [Harrys, heavy weather and jordan drogues

[rob dalton]

How do you slow a boat down so that you can set a drogue to slow you down? 
   
  I have been told by people that have actually used a Jordan drogue in nasty conditions, that you simply drop the end of the short section of chain overboard and let it take it self out, presuming you have the bridle preset. No drama at all.They said there was an initial deceleration once the bridle took up, not too dramatic and then peace of mind.
   
  I was starting to wonder if there wasn't such an advantage of a Harry over a cat for cruising until I compared them (9m cat against a 9m wwhull/13.5m lw hull) by redoing calculations of  diagonal stability in a sea, windage, weight, cost, righting moment compared to capsize moment,  the ability to stop and reverse for picking up people overboard,  prismatic coefficients, comfort and  torsional loads resulting from two bows meeting seas and the possibility of organising self righting after a knockdown. Have to make sure the masts are strong enough to take a knock down and then the righting moment is always positive.
   Disadvantage is extra length for marinas - I can't afford them anyway, and public perceptions if I want to sell it- I've plenty of children who would be happy to look after it and initial cost, if I make it myself, is probably a third the value lost on a new cat at the moment you buy it and make it second hand. . . ,
   regards,
  Robert
   
   Peter Lillywhite <azuli1 at nildram.co.uk> wrote:
          Thanks Robert, its good to see such a radical idea making good progress. As most of my sailing is spent between the UK and North Europe I hope to be able to see Blind Date in action at some time. My current interest is regarding a workable drogue, a number of manufactures of towing drogues recomend slowing down when deploying! We tested our at only 9 knots on a flat sea, it was out of control the moment it hit the water and was potentially very dangerous. Fortunately once it had started to slow the boat it blew up which made recovery much easier. I still have a lot to learn.
  Cheers Peter. 
    ----- Original Message ----- 

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