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From: Peter Osman <PeterO_at_ambri.com.au>
subject: [Paddlewise] Down Wind Sails and Drogues
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 18:46:58 +1000
G'Day,

Can anyone recommend a down wind sail for use with a Klepper Aerius 1. I'm
going up the coast for a few days in December with friends who have downwind
sails and need something which can be stored on deck and easily assembled at
sea. Also am fitting a Boulter of Earth drogue to the Klepper - any
recommendations on how best to fit it?

All the best, PeterO
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From: <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Down Wind Sails and Drogues
Date: Sat, 09 Oct 1999 11:17:29 -0700
Peter Osman wrote:
> 
> G'Day,
> 
> Can anyone recommend a down wind sail for use with a Klepper Aerius 1. I'm
> going up the coast for a few days in December with friends who have downwind
> sails and need something which can be stored on deck and easily assembled at
> sea.

The jib portion of the traditional Klepper sail (S-4) works very well as
a downwind sail and can also be used for beam reaching, i.e. going 90
degrees to the direction of the wind.  It can be left lying on the front
deck until you need it.  You have to setup a special line for this.  I
have done it but forget at the moment how you do it; it is in the
Complete Folding Kayaker.  You would however have to leave the mast in
place.

If you can get your hands on the Balogh Twins sail (which is no longer
made) or even the Folbot imitation of it, you would also have a good
downwind sail and you could deploy it all while underway on the water.

> Also am fitting a Boulter of Earth drogue to the Klepper - any
> recommendations on how best to fit it?

When I used one on my Aerius I, I worked the back attachment end under
the front of the spray cover and into the cockpit to tie off to a loop
connected to the crossrib in front of me.  BUT I would not recommend
that.  It seemed sensible at the time ane worked BUT the movement of the
cord back and forth eventually wore a hole in the deck seam in that
area.  The suggestion from Balogh for folding kayaks is that you create
a line that runs around the entire circumferance of your coaming and use
that to secure the inboard end of the sea anchor.  I never tried that.

Whatever you do, try to minimize how much the inboard cord might rub
across deck material or re-enforce the area with a sacrificial patch to
to take the punishment.

Another possiblility is to mount it as I did through the front of the
coaming and out under the spraycover ONLY use a line loop that has a
RUBBER or PLASTIC coating on it so that it doesn't abrade the deck
material where it touches the deck.

I have not used my Drift Stopper in a long time because I have not felt
a need for it...no long crossing where I need to take a break and avoid
lossing any progress I have made against wind.  If I were, I now have a
Nautiraid Raid 1 that has a beefy huge D-ring in front of the cockpit
that is well mounted and has a hypalon protective patch between it and
the deck.  The D-rings (there is also one at the back of the cockpit)
are meant to attach hoisting lines to lift the Raid 1 on to a mother
ship (or lower from a helicopter...as the military does with the
Nautiraid doubles)...so it can take a big load.

ralph diaz
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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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From: Elaine Harmon <eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Down Wind Sails and Drogues
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 13:50:12 -0400 (EDT)
Hi

I thought sea anchors went in front, to stabilize you in a bad situation,
and drogues went in back, to keep you going straight, and were smaller
than sea anchors. And I also have assumed that either should be fastened,
or led away, from the very end of the boat, not near the cockpit? So I'm a
bit confused.

And another question: I feel I need a sea anchor and am having trouble
finding the Boulter of Earth Drift Stopper. Can someone post a phone
number of a mailorder place that sells it? BoE aren't answering their
email. I'm about to give up and build the military-flare-parachute anchor
as I've found them readily available. 36" diameter was recommended; is
that about the same size as the Drift Stopper? (The parachutes are $5-$10
depending on size and condition.)

Last(?) question: I gather drogues are real nice when having to land in
heavy surf. Am I right in assuming a sea anchor would be too big to serve
as a drogue? e

Elaine Harmon - eilidh_at_dc.seflin.org - eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu

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From: <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Down Wind Sails and Drogues
Date: Sat, 09 Oct 1999 15:43:32 -0700
Elaine Harmon wrote:
> 
> Hi
> 
> I thought sea anchors went in front, to stabilize you in a bad situation,
> and drogues went in back, to keep you going straight, and were smaller
> than sea anchors. And I also have assumed that either should be fastened,
> or led away, from the very end of the boat, not near the cockpit? So I'm a
> bit confused.

It does sound confusing.  The sea anchor indeed goes off the bow end but
it lies on your foredeck when not in use.  It needs to be attached to
some place near you in the vicinity of the cockpit in order for you to
be able to retrieve it on to the deck.  That near-cockpit attachment
point is under a lot of stress and should be pretty solid.

The Boulter of Earth one has a neat large ring at its attachment point
on the bow that draws the sea anchor into a nice tight bundle inside of
a nylon sleeve.  The 30 feet (or whatever it is) of line that runs from
your boat to the sea anchor is coiled under a velcro strap within reach
of you.  Also next to you somewhere the end of that line is attached to
a some webbing that is in turn attached to a solid point that will bear
all the weight and pressure of the sea anchor in action.  Also near you
is the sea anchor's float which is attached to the sea anchor by a short
line and is near you.

To deploy from its sleeve, you first loosen the velcro holding the long
sea anchor line.  You then pull on the float, which in turn pulls the
sea anchor from its sleeve through that ring at the bow.  You let go of
the float and your boat moves backwards until the sea anchor catches. 
The sea anchor's line has gone out through that bow fitting and there is
a straight line of force or tension going from the sea anchor through
the line, through the bow fitting to the attachment point near you.  
> 
> And another question: I feel I need a sea anchor and am having trouble
> finding the Boulter of Earth Drift Stopper. Can someone post a phone
> number of a mailorder place that sells it? BoE aren't answering their
> email. I'm about to give up and build the military-flare-parachute anchor
> as I've found them readily available. 36" diameter was recommended; is
> that about the same size as the Drift Stopper? (The parachutes are $5-$10
> depending on size and condition.)

You might try the New York Kayak Company, 1-800-KAYAK-99 since I have
seen it in the shop and they will phone order.  The Drift Stopper is
specifically made for kayaking and is superior to those cheapo military
surplus things in terms of making a nice tight package, having all the
hardware in the right place for a kayak deck, and ease of deployment and
retrieval.

One can, of course, do stupid things with the Drift Stopper even with
all its special help you get from it.  And I have made every one of the
possible mistakes in first using one.  Example, I once just took the
float and tossed it out on the water.  Of course, that was not enough to
pull the sea anchor from its tight storage sleeve and looked pretty
silly.  Another time, I pulled the float and line but failed to loosen
the velcro holding the 30 feet or so of sea anchor line.  So I had the
sea anchor just inches from the front of my boat.  Another time as I
came up to retrieve it, I got the sea anchor wrapped around the bow of
my boat like an octupus.  So it is worthwhile practicing and imagine me
making all the mistakes and laughing at them in order not to do the
same.

ralph diaz
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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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From: Elaine Harmon <eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Down Wind Sails and Drogues
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 16:37:29 -0400 (EDT)
On Sat, 9 Oct 1999 rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com wrote:

  Another time as I
> came up to retrieve it, I got the sea anchor wrapped around the bow of
> my boat like an octupus.  

How did that happen, and how can it be avoided? Isn't there a weight of
some kind at the bottom of the risers, and if not, would it help? e

Elaine Harmon - eilidh_at_dc.seflin.org - eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu

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From: James Lofton <n5yyx_at_etsc.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Down Wind Sails and Drogues
Date: Sat, 09 Oct 1999 08:01:00 -0700
Might look at these, if you havn't already.
http://www.tassie.net.au/~lford/

I have made a couple and they work just fine on my folders.

I also use a spinaker from Easyrider kayaks, altho it is a bit pricey, it 
works ok. 
As far as mounting, I used PVC that was the same size as the mast hole on 
my folbots(1.5"). Cut it flush with the deck, and made the inside hole 
large enough for the spinnaker mast(looks like a heavy duty fishing 
pole)to stab down in it. couldn't be simpler.

I perfer the sail over the spinnaker, as the spinnaker if allowed to get 
in the water is real fun on a windy day.

You might try this list for more help.
http://www.shipwrecked.com/kayak-sail/index.html

James


Peter Osman wrote:
> 
> G'Day,
> 
> Can anyone recommend a down wind sail for use with a Klepper Aerius 1. I'm
> going up the coast for a few days in December with friends who have downwind
> sails and need something which can be stored on deck and easily assembled at
> sea. Also am fitting a Boulter of Earth drogue to the Klepper - any
> recommendations on how best to fit it?
> 
> All the best, PeterO


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From: Dave Flory <dflory_at_earthlink.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Down Wind Sails and Drogues
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 17:58:56 -0700
> Last(?) question: I gather drogues are real nice when having to land in
> heavy surf. Am I right in assuming a sea anchor would be too big to serve
> as a drogue?

I am a new kayaker who has just done some surf entry and exit, this morning at Santa Cruz, CA. I saw some experienced people tumbled end over end and since I'm no longer in my 20's (3 times that) I'm not interested in trying that adrenaline rush. I gave up riding Ninja motorcycles for kayaking because I thought maybe I'd used up some of my lifetime allotment of luck by coming off a Motorcycle, twice, at over 100 m.p.h.

I'd be very interested in hearing about anoyone's ideas on drogue use for exiting thru' surf (or anything else they for which they are useful). I made it fine this morning by just being patient and picking my moment, but almost messed up and started in at the start of a big set. I backed off just in time or I probably would have bought some sand. It seems that some kind of drogue could be quite helpful if you find yourself facing bigger stuff than you feel competent to handle. 

In one my prior lives as a dive leader, about 25 years ago, I was paddling a Royak and helped a SCUBA diver who had gotten tangled in the kelp and started hyperventilating. He held on to the back of the Royak and our progress thru' the multiple lines of breakers at Carmel Beach was quite staid and uneventful. We'd pick up and surf 6-10 feet before the wave would run out from under us. The Royak wasn't what I'd call a hot surfer (it's quite possible the problem was me), it always seemed to 'sub', broach and roll on me in any meaningful surf, when unencumbered. With him on the back it really was quite enjoyable and totally stable. He said the ride back was comfy for him and it sure was easier for me than the roll and crash routine, whenever I didn't judge the waves perfectly. 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Dave Flory, San Jose, CA.     dflory_at_earthlink.net
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Speak softly and study Aikido, then you won't need a big stick.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------


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From: Peter Osman <PeterO_at_ambri.com.au>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Down Wind Sails and Drogues
Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 16:17:07 +1000
G'Day Ralph and Elaine and all the Paddlewisers who helped me with advice

One place to buy the Boulter of Earth Driftstopper is the Klepper Service
Centre  Their email addresses on the web page are a bit confusing but this
one works: - KlepperA1_at_aol.com - ask for Tammy. They are fast, helpful and
sell by EMail or Fax. I'm not sure about putting this on Paddlewise because
it might be construed as advertising but on the other hand know just how
difficult it can be to make contact with firms sometimes - so this is
intended to be helpful rather than advertisement. I hadn't thought about the
distinction between drogues or anchors but the Drift Stopper goes on the
front so I guess it is an anchor - Does this make a difference to your
advice on mounting Ralph? By the way your advice on chafing of the deck
material was particularly useful? I wouldn't use the Drift Stopper routinely
but we're going to be a bit isolated at some points of the trip so think its
worth it - sounds like "fun" learning how to use it!

Has anyone used the Klepper Freewind Downwind sail - can it beam reach? The
M4 sounds good but I'ld rather not have a mast as a permanent fixture during
the trip.

Thanks PeterO




-----Original Message-----
From: Elaine Harmon [mailto:eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu]
Sent: Sunday, 10 October 1999 6:37
To: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
Cc: Peter Osman; 'paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net'
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Down Wind Sails and Drogues


On Sat, 9 Oct 1999 rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com wrote:

  Another time as I
> came up to retrieve it, I got the sea anchor wrapped around the bow of
> my boat like an octupus.  

How did that happen, and how can it be avoided? Isn't there a weight of
some kind at the bottom of the risers, and if not, would it help? e

Elaine Harmon - eilidh_at_dc.seflin.org - eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu
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