Have you ever been caught in a gale or in a building storm? how about surviving a Southern Ocean storm battling against the huge swell, rough seas, and ridiculous winds. Wind so hard it feels like you're being wet blasted. 

How do you maintain control of your yacht in these terrible conditions? If you have a light modern racer/cruiser 5000-7000kg fully loaded the tried and true method of Hoving-to may not work. You have read all the books about sailing in storms, but Hoving-to in a storm, even in a heavy displacement yacht is no picnic. You may have Hove-to a few times on a rough passage to eat a meal or grab some sleep. But will it work in Storm conditions, 15m seas, and breaking waves? 

This is when sailors need additional heavy-weather sailing tools. One of these tools is known as the sea drogue or sea anchor. I like to think of them as drogues as once deployed we are drifting.

Sea drogues, sea anchors, and parachute sea anchors are powerful tools specifically designed to help yachts navigate challenging conditions by controlling drift and improving stability in a range of sea conditions. These tool are not always used in storm or survival conditions however this is when sailors most often think about using these tools.

Do Sea anchors and sea drogues work, and how can you effectively utilize them for your yacht?  This guide will answer your questions about sea drogues, empowering you to employ these techniques in rough seas, gales, and storms with greater confidence.

The Science Behind Sea Drogues: How They work

The answer to "do sea drogues really work?" is yes they do work.  I have used sea drogues to sail a disabled yacht with no rudders 1600nm from Antarctica to Australia, was it fun or easy a resounding No.

The Science Behind Sea drogues: How They work

Sea drogues work by harnessing the power of water resistance.  A sea drogue typically resembles a large parachute or a cone-shaped fabric structure.  In my case experience, I have used the following, 200m roll of 20mm rope wrapped in chain and on another occasion a car tyre wrapped in chain.

Sea drogues when deployed from the yacht, create water resistance while being dragged through the ocean, this slows and controls the yacht's drift and keeps it pointed in a specific direction. This controlled drift offers several advantages:

Improved Stability: In rough seas, uncontrolled drift can cause your yacht to roll and pitch erratically, making it uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. A sea drogue acts like a giant underwater rudder, reducing this erratic movement and providing a more stable and predictable drift. This is crucial for activities like deploying life rafts, and maneuvering crew in a rescue. Maintaining course direction, speed of drift, and integrity of your vessel during a storm in massive seas.

Reduced Loads: Uncontrolled drift can place immense loads on your yacht's steering system, not to mention the crew. Controlling your yacht's direction, speed of drift, and its aspect relative to waves and swell, a sea drogue minimizes the constant threat of being broached or even rolled in following or confused seas.

Holding station off the coast: Sea drogues allow you to control the direction of your drift. This can be vital in situations where you need to stay clear of hazards such as reefs or a lee shore while waiting for daylight or foul conditions to improve.

At times you may need to sail into a port through a dangerous passage or over a bar. You can use sea drogues strategically to hold station while you wait for weather, tides or conditions to change, to conduct repairs, or even conduct sail changes. 

Types of Sea Drogues: Choosing the Right Tool for the Job

Not all sea drogues are created equal, the ones found on many small fishing boats should be left in your dinghy. In a storm, if all your other techniques have failed you, such as Hove-To, lying-A-Hull, sailing bear poles, or running with warps trailed behind the yacht, then you will need a sea anchor or sea drogue built for a storm. 

Understanding the available types and their specific functions is crucial for selecting the right tool for your situation.  

Here's a breakdown of the most common types:

Para-Anchor: This classic design resembles a parachute made of strong, water-resistant fabric. It's a versatile option, effective in a wide range of wind and sea conditions. Para-anchors are ideal for slowing drift and improving stability when hove-to on a lighter vessel. I carried one on my previous yacht for 10 years, but It was never used, I did 3 Southern Ocean crossings of 3000nm each, I was hove-to a lot over the years, I ran have with bear poles and towed warps on occasions in upto 70 knots and 15m seas but never felt the need to deploy the parachute. 

I have spoken to some catamaran owners who have deployed a parachute sea anchor in storm conditions, they survived, but the vessel did receive damage. Was deploying the parachute sea anchor the best choice.  Did it save them? only the Gods will know. In my opinion, do whatever you need to to survive. Making a plan and act on it, is the best course of action. Somebody can always second guess your decision in hindsight, but you were the person fighting for survival in a mid-ocean battle against the gods. If you survived it was the correct decision.

Some fishing boats operating in Bass Straight in Australia use these or large Hydro Drogues to hold station in big sea while waiting to pull fishing nets, this allows them to save fuel and sleep.

Hydro-Anchor or drogue: This type utilizes a large, cone-shaped design that creates significant drag. they are normally triple-stitched webbing and heavy canvas. most are fitted with a heavy swivel These drogues are particularly effective in heavy weather conditions with strong winds and currents. However, hydro-anchors can put a great strain on your yacht's deck equipment and also the sea anchor towing line compared to para-anchors. They may also provide too much drag, start with towed warps.

Drogue Chute: These compact, lightweight sea anchors are designed for slowing drift in calmer conditions. They're often used for activities like trolling or drift fishing off a coast. Drogue chutes are not suitable for heavy weather situations.

Towed warps: Often used by lighter vessels and racing yachts, towed warps are long heavy ropes towed behind a vessel in a U formation when sailing downwind, towed warps create some drag while still providing some directional control. They're ideal for situations where slowing down drastically is not desired. They help control directional stability and help to reduce accelerating down a wave or being broached by following seas. They also stop or reduce following seas from breaking over and into the cockpit as the following waves generally break over the towed warps first.

Deployment Strategies: Mastering the Art of Using a Sea drogue

Knowing when and how to deploy your sea anchor effectively is critical.  

Here's a step-by-step guide:

Assess the Conditions: Before deploying your sea anchor or drogue, carefully evaluate the wind, wave height, and current direction. Choose the appropriate type of sea anchor based on the severity of the conditions, the direction you want to travel in, and the aspect of your yacht you want to present to the sea.

Prepare the Sea Anchor: Ensure the sea anchor is properly assembled and attached to a strong rode (rope or chain and rope) of sufficient length. The recommended rode length typically ranges from 2 to 3 waves or swell in distance. Attach a trip line to the apex of the sea anchor, this is essential for a parachute sea anchor allowing for retrieval when required,  Recovery of a parachute sea anchor will not be possible until conditions have calmed a lot.

Deployment Point Selection: For most situations in a storm and you need to hold station or you are just trying to survive, a sea anchor is deployed from the bow of the yacht. 

However, in situations where you have chosen to sail with following seas at your stern (waves coming from behind), deploying the drogues or warps from the stern can be more effective in preventing broaching of your yacht and control in massive swells and sailing down waves that feel like mountains (wave overtaking the yacht).

Controlled Deployment: While underway, slowly pay out the rode with the sea anchor attached, allowing it to fill with water and deploy fully, there must be enough weight to keep the sea anchor or drogue in the water at all times. It must stay clear of props and rudders.

Deploying from the stern: you may choose to set up a Y bridle that allows you to adjust the direction of drag on the yacht, this is like moving your rudder, you can steer about 20 degrees, its how I sailed back to Australia without rudders. This also enables you to select how the seas impact your yacht. I would also consider at least one towed warp, and provide the following seas, waves a rope to break on. 

Conclusion

Monitoring and Adjustment: Once deployed, monitor the yacht's behavior and adjust the rode length and angle as required to achieve the desired shock loading, drift, and course. Keep a close eye. Sea anchors and sea drogues and the other methods discussed do work however they require to be monitored. In severe storms, it is possible for your yacht to be picked up and tossed off a wave, this could cause the rode to catch rudders or your prop. I have been in a 60ft alloy yacht towing a drogue and warps and have still been tossed about in a storm like it was little more than cork in a bathtub. You will need to monitor the chafe on all ropes.

If you are caught in a storm, do one thing "Fight for the yacht" and remember you only ever step up into a liferaft never step down. 

Safe sailing and I hope to never see you in a storm

Regards Trev