Chines and tracking

thataway,
Thanks, that helps a lot to let me visualize what's going on.

Mind you, I run mainly in protected waters, but they get plenty bad for a little 16 footer. As many have noted, I am sure the 16 moves around more quickly/suddenly in rough seas (narrower beam, lighter weight), so here's one more question for you and the collective.

What about the possibility of using a drogue if caught in really bad stuff? For the record, my definition of a drogue is basically a sea anchor with a bigger hole in it, to allow use when a boat is making way with it deployed.

The thought here, based on your comments, would be to slow down the real sudden roll and yaw (in particular the yaw), but not add anything to the hull that would cause it to trip down the face of a wave, etc.

I've also seen a rig a time or two (intended for boats without power) that involved a triangle from bow to stern, with a pulley in the middle of the triangle. On the other side of the pulley was about 100' of line to a sea anchor. By adjusting the pulley's position, the operator could keep the boat a given angle off the seas when the motor had died, i.e. not with the seas directly behind as would be the case with a traditional sea anchor setup. It also seemed to create a slick to the windward side, which helped as well to keep seas from breaking next to the boat.

Here again, how about replacing the sea anchor with a drogue to allow use of the motor (slowly), but still get some assistance holding the stern in place as waves slide by?

OK, I promise this is my last post about this--but it is an interesting one for me.

Thanks and talk soon,
bmc
 
bmc,
As a former owner of a 16' Cruiser, I too was concerned about being caught out in "perilous seas". (Even had a drogue that I carried on board.......never used it and it just took up more space on a small vessel).

Since we cruise in the same waters, I found that there were times that it was just plan smart to not venture out, the few times that I did get "caught" out in conditions that created a bit of "pucker factor", I was always able to cruise to a protected area and sit tight until conditions improved. (That is one of the many joys of cruising in the Puget Sound and San Juans.....you are never far from a "safe harbor").

It is may opinion the 16' C-Dory will take a lot more turbulence than most all other 16' brands.....but remember it is "just 16' ".

Bottom line to me is to enjoy the 16' as it is, don't get too carried away with filling the small storage space you have by toting around too much of the "extra what if equipment".

One of the reasons we "traded up" to the 22' was so we could feel a bit safer out there and take a little more weather. (Now I just have to keep reminding myself that it is "just 22'" ) :wink .
 
Thanks, Dave. You remind me of the plaque mentioned in a previous post: "Oh lord, thy sea is so big, and my boat so very small..."

tx,
bmc :beer
 
If you want to read about drogues and proper use, get Earl Hinz's book Heavy Weather Tactics using Sea Anchors and Drogues. But I would not use a drogue on a C Dory. If you want to use a sea anchor--ok--but a drogue will put you at some risk. The most vulnerable part of the boat is the transom--and with a relitatively low transom, you have the risk of a breaking sea comming over the splash well, and getting into a non self bailing boat. Most boats which use drogues, these days, use the Jordan series drogues--these are multiple small drogues, which are space out over a long line.
See; http://www.jordanseriesdrogue.com/

If you are in "ultimate condtions" this is one place where I would consider a real sea anchor. But these have their problems also--one is chafe, another is how to deploy, and how to retrieve, and finally exactly how to position the boat for best safety.
 
bmacpiper":3ffrqv3p said:
Thanks, Dave. You remind me of the plaque mentioned in a previous post: "Oh lord, thy sea is so big, and my boat so very small..."
tx,
bmc :beer
Click to expand...

That statement is so true. Often times I've reminded myself that there are a lot of BIG SHIPS at the bottom of the sea! :disgust
 
thataway":1naya66t said:
But I would not use a drogue on a C Dory. If you want to use a sea anchor--ok--but a drogue will put you at some risk.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input Bob, that is one of the many things I like about this site.....the vast knowledge that is imparted here.
I mistakenly referred to my Sea Anchor as being a drogue, when in fact it is a Sea Anchor. As I stated I never used it and the reason I purchased it was in case of engine failure on my 16', which never occurred.
 
Hi Folks,

While we are talking about heavy weather cruising, If you can find an earlier edition of Chapman's Piloting Seamanship and Small Boat Handling (1965 or earlier), there is a great article about running inlets. It is in reality an article about heavy weather sailing with a power boat. This is what I used on my trip across Nantucket Sound including running half way up a wave as I was going into Nantucket Channel.

The later copies still have info under the Seamanship chapter. From what I have seen, the newer the copy, the less about heavy weather sailing.

Fred
 
I don't know if this relates directly, but the most significant handling change I made to our 16 was the addition of the Permatrim. "Don't leave home without it".
 
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