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Noel.Dilly - 5 Apr 2021

I have very much enjoyed the expert contribution to the Drogue forum. I have only deployed my home made drogue on three occasions, twice in anger(near terror) and once in a series of experiments.

If you can use a sewing machine you can make a drogue. If you can read Don Jordon”s articles you can work out the dimensions for your boat. If anyone needs any advice or a template for cutting out the drogues I will help. I would not use dyneema as the line . All arresting devices should have some elasticity to avoid impact loading. Hitting things breaks them. I prefer good old nylon anchor plait.

The bridles need massive snap hooks, hanging on trying to put pins in shackles with only two hands available is not easy. The anchorages as has been stressed should be substantial. It in not wise to introduce chafe in the system by having them inboard. The transom or the flanks of the stern are far better sites.
Storage. I use a drum (photo)

Deployment. Start early the preliminary steps are easy to reverse if you are lucky enough not to have to complete the deployment. Take your time fitting the bridles first. They should already be marked with equal distances from the junction with the main line. I have one bridle twice as long as the other. This extra length bridle is very useful when retrieving the drogue. What I do basically is take it to the bow, and put it via the stem head fitting on the anchor winch. Release the other bridle swing round facing the drogue start the engine, and using the winch slowly motor up the drogue retrieving it. Take care as the cones mass through the fitting.
Actual deployment. I prefer the loop method- Bridle and cone free line in first then the first of the cones will enter the water facing backwards. At this point I remove the paddle and vane from the self steering. Let out the rest of the drogue until only the spliced in chain remains abroad . Then drop the chain over the side of the stern. I once added more chain with no obvious difference to the angle of dangle. My unit has 3 metres of 10mm chain.

The drogue is now deployed and it is time to have a tot of malt whisky with Lord Neptune.

Noel Dilly