Don Jordan and the Jordan Series Drogue

[sailingdog]

Scottyt—

Yes, I do have a JSD, but it is down on the boat. You can see most of that at the two websites I've linked to in the OP.

[scottyt]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Scottyt—

You can see most of that at the two websites I've linked to in the OP.

thanks for pointing out there was more than one link there, i read the first one last night. i just watched the video.

i wonder if it would work as well if the cones where stitched to webbing instead of woven in to the line. it would be much faster to stitch than go thru threading and knotting 600 tails in to the line ( based on 100 cones ). i just looked 1 inch webbing has a normal strength of 4000 lbs, so the leader would still need to be double braid. new england ropes is 8500 lbs for 1/2 inch

i also had a retrieval idea that may or may not work. if every other cone had a small ring stitched to it and a line that was a few feet longer then the whole rig was run thru the rings and attached to the last cone. when the smaller line was pulled it would collapse the whole thing on to itself. using double braid as the main line would make sure it would not twist much or at all

[bobmcgov]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Bob—

That's an interesting idea... I don't know if it would work. You need to have a weight at the end of the drogue, to sink it down into the water so it can absorb the loads. The problem I see is that the double strip of webbing and the central trip line are going to be even bulkier than the existing design is. Also, the cones would probably be far more complicated to make, since the terminal end isn't connected to a central rope, and without the terminal end connection to the central rope, they'd have to be re-designed and heavier material.

Anchor was left out for clarity; easy to add to the end of the webbing. Sewing the cone apexes (apices?) to a central line contributes little to strength on normal JSDs, since the force is mainly at the perimeter webbing anyhow. Bet 4oz dacron sailcloth would do fine. The whole point of the design is each cone bears only a fraction of the strain.

My design should actually pack flat, as the cones will flatten somewhat and nest inside one another accordion-fashion, with the webbing folded out to the sides. I could imagine a mesh pouch packed like a parachute: hang it over the stern rail, tie off the bridle leads, and rip open a velcro flap. Mushroom anchor falls out, pulling the drogue after it. Three minutes from lazarette to deployed. Most JSDs I've seen have to be packed in daisy chain fashion, which takes up lots of room and invites tangles.

Hey Maine Sail -- we got yer next field test for ya!

[AdamLein]

How about a remote-controlled auto-inflating balloon on the outboard end? Could be powered by a little CO2 cartridge. Maybe a wire running to a solenoid valve for the control? I'm thinking the sort of balloon freedivers use to carry them up from deep dives... just needs to be triggered from the boat.

[smackdaddy]

Naaa - just train a dolphin to continually swim beside your boat. Then after an F11, chunk it some cod and have it retrieve the JSD for you. MUCH easier! And you have some good entertainment for the kids.

There's got to be a better way. When the product's website admits it's a PITA and is still trying to figure out a good way to get it back on the boat...you have to wonder.

[Omatako]

Maybe because the line I'm suggesting below will interfere with the set of the 'chutes but what if you had a loose lighter line running idle alongside the series drogue and connected to the trailing end?

It needn't be as strong as the main line because when recovery begins, you can simply jettison the boat end of the drogue and haul it in on the spare line with all the 'chutes collapsed.

Yep, OK, it is twice the length now but it's certainly a lot less complicated and a whole lot less drag.

[blt2ski]

Along with the, "some folks just cut it, instead of hauling it back in" Come on now, not that it could happen, but you could need this twice or three times on some crossings, depending upon the year you travel. That is an expensive use of funds!

They need to fix the retrieval part of this thing, otherwise, like a lot of things, it may be the best at what it does, but if you cannot fix it etc, it might as well be the worst! This one appears to fall into the worst catagory due to retrieval, not that any one really asked me!

Marty

[bobmcgov]

Agree we need to simplify retrieval. Then the design will become standard. ALL sea anchors or drogues are hard to recover -- they are made to resist pulling! People cut JSDs loose because they are tired, seasick, drenched, and can't muster the energy to winch the bastard back on board. They'll regret it later, but it's the sort of decision you make when you've been pounded senseless for three days.

SD's method of running forward and aft with nippers works fine on multis, in decent conditions, or with multiple crew; but I could see that sort of muscle-work being functionally impossible for me (140 lbs) after a blow, and possibly dangerous when the wind has dropped but the sea is still cutting up, the boat is heaving every which way, and you can't put up sail to steady it because (because why?) you're trying to winch the damn JSD aboard.

I'm going to make a couple prototypes this summer and troll them around, see if we can sort out a trip line scheme for these things. They really are a great development in storm tactics and people will be less hesitant to use a JSD if they know getting it back aboard isn't a nightmare.

[camaraderie]

Perplexed by the difficult retreival issues presented by his brother's
drogue, Mike set about designing something to remedy the situation.
Extensively tested and mass produced in China by Nike...introducing the
Michael Jordan Series Drogue! Just DO IT!!


mj.JPG

[bobmcgov]

There's the UK version of the "Jordan": twenty Katie Prices tied together by their bra straps and thongs.



Outstanding drag coefficient, unpalatable to sharks, popular in many warm-water cruising grounds. But in field trials we've been unable to overcome the natural buoyancy of her head, even using quite heavy anchors. So we're modifying the design: now every second drogue will incorporate Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block. They sink very well.