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Using a drouge while coming to a sandy beach.


sandgrownen

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I was looking around for images of a drogue I could make and came across this

http://seriesdrogue.com/vs/ ( If you think you have ever had problems coming in through surf check out the guy at the bottom coming under the Golden Gate Bridge)

 

It got me thinking of using a drouge from the stern while coming through surf to a sandy beach.

The only problem I could see would be when you beach. The wave that has brought you in would grab the drouge on its way out. So you need to be out of the Yak quick and drag it up the beach.

It would need some serious testing with no tackle to see if it would work?

 

Cheers

Chris

Edited by sandgrownen
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How would that work? The drogue would be pushed towards the beach by the waves wouldn't it, and nullify it's effect? Don't know. As you say, the undertow would pull the drogue back into the sea near the beach.

Might be worth a try.

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The drogue (sea anchor) is to stop the stern of the boat from coming around and causing a broach it should work, but as you say the "out going wave" would try and take you back out, well worth a try though

Lat/Long :- N50°58.366 W001°26.468

 

I must go down to the sea again

To the lonely sea and sky

I left my shoes and socks there

I wonder if they're dry?

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Seem to remember reading about this on one of the american sites, from memory it got a mixed reaction, the guy had a retreival cord fixed to a ring in the centre of the drogue, as he jumped off the kayak he pulled the cord, this pulled the centre of the drogue towards the yak (inverted it) and stopped the waves having any further action on it. (Wish I could post a drawing - much easier to draw than explain!

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You don't need a drogue when coming in through surf. If it is too big for you to handle coming in to the beach, turn before you get into the surf zone, face the waves, and come in stern first. just paddle astern between waves. Keep the bow to the sea and just back her in, in your own time. You want as little rigging as possible when coming in through surf - and mean surf, not a small breaking wave on the beach!

 

A drogue is useful if you have to tow a casualty kayak though - it doesn't need much and a bight of rope will do the same thing - it stops the towed kayak from yawing about and also stops it from over running the towing kayak.

 

That yacht coming under the Golden gate - he is coming in over the reef!! Look beyond at the next arch - there is deep water there and no breaking water!!!

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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The drouge idea came to me because it had come up when I sent for information on my Great Grandads invlovment in a RNLI rescue as part of the Blackpool Lifeboat. As you can see they used to use a drouge, even a bucket!

 

This was sent to me by the RNLI and I thought I would add this by way of interest

 

The Lifeboat Journal “2nd August 1880”

 

BLACKPOOL - On the 26th February, at 7.30 A.M., the coxswain of the Life-boat was informed that a vessel had just been seen on the Salthouse Bank with a signal of distress flying, The wind was blowing a gale from the N.W., and the sea was very heavy at the time. He at once went down the pier, and, finding the report to be correct, the Robert William Life-boat was got out immediately, and placed in position for launching. It was found that only seven of the crew had arrived, and the coxswain then selected three landsmen whom he knew could pull pretty well, and as no time was to be lost, the boat was launched, even now undermanned, her proper complement being ten oarsmen in addition to the two coxswains and a bowman. She proceeded under sail as near to the wreck as was possible, shipping heavy seas nearly the whole of the time, The oars were then got out, and after two hours' very hard pulling, she got alongside. Great danger was incurred in approaching the vessel, as her spars were adrift and working about. The Lifeboat was therefore hauled to within ten yards or so of the rigging, and a line was passed on board, by means of which the crew were dragged one by one through the sea and into the boat; they were in a most exhausted condition, and almost unable to assist themselves. Having safely got the 4 men into the boat, the grapnel line was cut, the" anchor weighed, and her head put for the shore, which was about four miles away. Being close on to the bank, she was obliged to run over it, the sea being terrific, but the drogue was got out and put in charge of the bowman, the sub-coxswain not being on board. One great sea broke right over the boat's stern, filling her completely, and driving her like an arrow for about a quarter of a mile. At last, despite all efforts, she broached to and was thrown on her beam ends, one man being washed overboard, and the remainder hurled to the side of the boat. The crew, however, by directions of the coxswain, quickly sprang to the weather side, which manoeuvre brought her almost to an even keel, and prevented a capsize. Her head was once more got before the sea, and the man who had been thrown overboard and had held on to the life-lines, was pulled into the boat, They, however, still had a critical time, for when the boat had been struck by this heavy sea the bowman had been knocked over, and had lost his hold of the drogue line, and the drogue was consequently lost, The coxswain then got out the bucket, and having attached lines to it, extemporised a drogue. At 12 o'clock at noon the Lifeboat safely landed at St Ann's, and was rapturously received by an immense crowd, the vessel proved to be the schooner Bessie Jones, of Fleetwood, bound from Glasgow to Liverpool with

Steel railway metals, one of the shipwrecked crew (the cook) had unfortunately been washed overboard from the vessel and drowned before the Lifeboat arrived.

 

The Silver Medal of the Institution was voted to Mr, ROBERT BICKERSTAFFE, the coxswain of the Lifeboat, in acknowledgment of his genera] gallant exertions in the boat, and particularly for his good services on this occasion. A double reward was also granted to the crew of the Lifeboat, in addition to the local presentation of a special Silver Medal commemorative of the occasion, accompanied by a sum of money, amounting to nearly 5l., which was paid into the Post Office Savings Bank to the account of each man.

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Stirring stuff - and what good old Blighty is reknowned for around the world - tough men and determination.

 

Note how the drogue was used - to keep her head to sea (the clue here is that the bowman was put in charge of the drogue) it would have been used to keep her head to sea in the running surf, undermanned the oarsmen would have been tired from their ordeal already and so would struggle to prevent the boat from broaching even head to sea - as a wave hits it wants to trun the boat broadside, it is nly control from with the boat that prevents this natural reaction.

 

The system is very similar to what I have suggested for someone not confident of their ability to cope with the surf on a landing. It is much easier to keep the head to sea, than the stern - if you can surf in, fine. If not come in head to sea and back her in.

 

The drogue in this instance was to assist the oarsmen to keep the now heavier (4 more men aboard) boat head to sea and to back her onto the landing. The drogue in such circumstances takes a great deal of starin off the oarsmen - the waves take the boat in and the oars are merely used to keep the boat in line - the drogue also takes much of the sudden snatch out of a wave hitting the boat.

 

I did whaler training when I was at sea - which is now lost on the new entry. My father was one of the last cadets to serve his time before the mast. I was taught the old way before I was let loose with modern contraptions.....

 

A wonderful tale and a good outcome. The RNLI leads the world in lifeboatmanship. They deserve and should command our respect - joining OFFSHORE would not be a bad idea for any one of you. Costs £5 a month. How much do you value the service covering you????

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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