Re: [Paddlewise] Sea Chutes/Drogues

Wayne Langmaid wrote:
> 
> G'day -
> 
> Does anyone have any advice on using sea chutes with kayaks on long open
> water crossings??
> 
> I am specifically looking for information on deployment and recovery;
> stowage suggestions; length of attachment line; suggested size of the
> chute for a single kayak loaded with expedition gear; suggested
> materials; suggested floatation size, etc.
> 
> AND  Do's and Don'ts.
My only experience is with the Driftstopper made by Boulter of Earth. 
It is beautifully setup and well made.  I have not used it in long
crossings but experimented with it in strong winds that were trying to
send me backwards at a very fast clip.  The Driftstopper stops this on a
dime and pretty much keeps you in place with possibly a bit of backdrift
if the winds are real severe.

Dos and Donts:  I did everything stupid one can imagine with the thing. 
Would have made a wonderful movie!  For example, it has a small float
and I tried absentmindly one time to just throw the float out.  That, of
course, did nothing as you have to pull the drogue from its storage
sleeve on deck in front of you.  I have also in trying to recover it,
have come up on it too fast and had the drogue wrap itself around my bow
as it an octupus.  Things like that.  All of this is to say to practice
with such a piece of gear and don't let your mind wander.

ralph diaz
-- 
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Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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