The sea anchor is deployed off the bow, to attempt to keep the bow into the wind as the boat drifts slowly backward or to leeward. For the most part, boats like the C Dory will not lie directly into the wind--either from an anchor or sea anchor. The bow eye would be ideal, for a sea anchor, because if you use a screw type of D shackle, into a spliced eye with a thimble there will be no chafe from the deck or fittings on the deck. The problem with the bow eye, is reaching it safely when the boat is disabled and drifting. It is a bit easier to reach the bow eye on the Tom Cat, than a CD 22 or CD 25. A snap shackle is generally not strong enough, and it presents the possibility of comming open. The bow eye could be used, if re-enforced, and backed properly. The line would have to be attatched ahead of time--or some risk taken to secure it.
You want the sea anchor to float, but just below the surface. Many will use a short length of chain attatched to the sea anchor with a swivel, with a float at the place where the rope rode and chain meet. Chafe is a major problem--some larger boats will have a length of chain shackled to the nylon rode at the bow end, and then that shackled to a strong point or a cleat. I prefer to handle chafe on anchor or other lines foreward with small diameter fire hose. (my local fire chief gave me a lifetime supply) I would say that generally the bow cleat is strong enough for a Sea Anchor--but I would be sure that there are either fender washers or a plate of metal under the bolts securing the bow anchor. (I prefer an aluminum plate). I have mixed feelings about the trip line on a C Dory. Definately this is necessary on larger boats, but there is always a risk of the trip line wraping around the sea anchor and the rode--this causing a fouling and then loss of effectiveness--and even compounding where it became wrapped in the running gear, since there was no longer much resistance foreward, and the boat's bow blows off. With a boat as light as the C Dory, one could drive and pull the boat up to the sea anchor and horse it a board. (difficult to do as the boat and sea anchor gets bigger).
The actual deployment on a C Dory or Tom Cat, would probably be best accomplished via the foreward hatch--I would not go foreward on the side deck in heavy sea conditions. Now, sometimes in the Gulf of Mexico, fishing boats lie to sea anchors at night and in this calm water application, it would be safe to walk around (usual precautions with life jackets, safety harnesses and lifelines).
The Jordan Series drogue is to be used from the stern, mostly to slow a boat down as in running a breaking inlet and prevent pitch poling. I would not consider a series drogue on a C Dory in heavy weather. There may be use for it in fishing, to slow the drift of the boat--but the sea anchor will also do that. The stern of the C Dory is the most vulnerable part and you don't want to expose this to the waves.
The best book on Sea Anchors and Drogues is by Earl Heinz.
Bear in mind that an appropiate Para anchor will cost about $350 for a 22 footer and $600 for a CD 25 or the Tom Cat. I don't own one and don't see that I would be going anyplace where I would use one. But if I was going offshore in some areas, I would give it serious consideration. We have always managed to keep way on even in very rough weather. The control with way one, even in hurricane force winds allowed us to maneuver appropiately and run off with the wind and seas. Near a coast, or in a small craft, one may not have these options. But I know of a multihull which broke up when riding to a sea anchor, so the sea anchor is not the ultimate solution.
