Rigging a Parachute Sea Anchor a la Pardeys

killarney_sailor · #1 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

Not sure who has read the Pardeys' book on handling storms. I have all of the stuff needed to do this on my boat (the sea anchor, heavy hardware, spare anchor rodes) but one problem remains. They say that the main rode of the sea anchor (as opposed to the pendant that pulls the sea anchor aft) should be set through a heavy duty snatch block. I have the block but cannot figure out how to position it. My boat has fairly high bulwarks forward (~6") and not many places, other than the stem fitting and cleats, to attach anything. The stem fitting has extra holes in it (other than for forestay) but I am not sure if it is designed to take a very heavy load from the side - I would imagine not. Another possibility is to rig a heavy rope strop to a blow cleat or windlass to allow the rode to ride over the toe rail. If the sea anchor is riding 200 feet or so to windward would the rode always be coming in high enough to clear the rail? Having the line go out through the bow chock would defeat the purpose of reducing chafe with the snatch block.

Hope I have made myself clear here, it is hard to describe the situation.

klem · #2 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

I suspect that the problem with rigging the line to go over the rail is that with your boat pitching up and down, it would come in and out of contact with the rail causing chafe.

Do you have a picture of your bow setup?

Would it be possible to use a short length of chain to get out through your hawsepipe and then go to line for the sea anchor? This is how tows were traditionally done so that the towline would not chafe.

St Anna · #3 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

You can use a short length of chain ( over the bow roller) attached to the nylon rode; through the s.s snatch block. This way you can adjust the position of the yacht - on the shoulder to the seas to purely head on. You will need enough rode to be at least one wavelength away from the Parachute or the 'jerking' motion could be dangerous.
Good Luck

killarney_sailor · #4 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by St Anna

You can use a short length of chain ( over the bow roller) attached to the nylon rode; through the s.s snatch block. This way you can adjust the position of the yacht - on the shoulder to the seas to purely head on. You will need enough rode to be at least one wavelength away from the Parachute or the 'jerking' motion could be dangerous.
Good Luck

Their belief is that you want to lie about 50 degrees off the wind with a pendant going from a sheet winch through a mid-deck chock to a snatch block on the main rode. By tightening and loosening this pendant you can control your angle of attack to the wind. They feel this reduces the stress on the rudder if the boat gets thrown back. Also you get a wider slick being created by the boat that you can 'hide' in.

I can see how I could attach the snatch block to a piece of chain but the rode still has be brought on board from the snatch block to a cleat or the windlass (recommended in the book). Wherever this lead occurs there would be possible chafe problem. It is almost that you need a block built into the rail itself through which you lead the rode. I agree that as the boat rises and falls the rode will contact the rail and chafe would happen.

Thanks for the thoughts.

St Anna · #5 (**permalink**) 10-26-2009

Killarney - I just sold a para-anchor. This was our setup for previous yacht. A chain off the bow - attached to the rode - thro' the snatch block and return to Genoa sheet block. Chafe - get a cutoff from a fire hose and double it up. If you see chafe - tighten the sheet winch so new area exposed. You will see this as the line will stretch enough.