Stretchy Drogue line or not?

[GMac]

Those numbers aren't that big at all Gord. So we can rule out straight strength, nice.

Chatted with him today and he's still keen to go the Spectra so I'll make sure he tells us what happens. This bloke is a complete loony and just goes whenever he wants. Never waits for weather windows or seasons, just goes. On occasion I've been chatting with him and a few days later talking to his wife and see says things like "Oh he woke up yesterday morning and decided to go to Fiji, he left this afternoon". And the bloody bugger hasn't really been caught in a real big nasty yet. Luck of the Loonies by the looks.

[Evan]

This posting from Ace Sailmakers (most way down page) shows that they do make them with Spectra lines:

SSCA Discussion Board :: View topic - Fabricating a Jordan Series Drogue

[GordMay]

Thanks for the link*, Evan.

*Wherein Dave Pelissier, of Ace Sailmakers, says:
“We have recently completed many Spectra Jordan Series Drogues.
Lighter, smaller, easier to deploy, easier to recover.

Some of them:

14,000# MONOHULL:
In 5/16ths Spectra tapered to ¼" Spectra 104 cones, Pearson Vangaurd 32.
Drogue weighed 9.25 lbs w/o weight for end. Fit in box 16" x 14" x 7"
Nylon version would have been approx 32 lbs plus bridle, weight ..."

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Thanks for the link*, Evan.

*Wherein Dave Pelissier, of Ace Sailmakers, says:
“We have recently completed many Spectra Jordan Series Drogues.
Lighter, smaller, easier to deploy, easier to recover.

Some of them:

14,000# MONOHULL:
In 5/16ths Spectra tapered to ¼" Spectra 104 cones, Pearson Vangaurd 32.
Drogue weighed 9.25 lbs w/o weight for end. Fit in box 16" x 14" x 7"
Nylon version would have been approx 32 lbs plus bridle, weight ..."

Wish I had know that I would have done it with Spectra. I am in the middle of one made with octoplait. The Advantage of the plait is that it can serve more than one purpose. I believe mine is 300' long total and if you need an extra anchor rode or some other such need of a stretchy line the spectra would not help out too much.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Charlie

Wish I had know that I would have done it with Spectra. I am in the middle of one made with octoplait. The Advantage of the plait is that it can serve more than one purpose. I believe mine is 300' long total and if you need an extra anchor rode or some other such need of a stretchy line the spectra would not help out too much.

Re-use works for a rode that will be used for a standard drogue. It doesn't work for a Jordon drogue, as the cones are sewed into the line.

Paul L

[Talbot]

It is interesting to hear a number of people have or are now creating their series drogue using octoplait.

I had a long dialogue about 4 years ago with Brian Glover of Series Drogue Australia, about the use of octoplait, and they would not recommend it as the appropriate rope for the job at the time, because they had not done any trials on it.

[Fi2010]

Originally Posted by Talbot

the characteristics of the Jordan series drogue mean that snatch is not such a problem as for a single large drogue. However, when it comes to that very large breaking wave, I would prefer the stretch characteristics of the nylon to allow the boat to ease through the breaking wave rather than the more rapid deceleration characteristis from the spectre.

Another feature to remember is that the drogue itself helps to create a lee, and I would expect tha the larger diameter nylon would also play a part in this.

My choice would definitely be the nylon. As far as I know, this is either braid on braid or 3 strand. I asked sometime ago about the use of octoplait, as I prefer the characteristics of this sort of rope for these heavyweight tasks. Unfortunately nobody has done any trials with it, and there is a concern that the very factors that make octoplait such a good rope, i.e. the loose lay,, might allow the droguelets to pull out.

Snatch is a problem for all storm drogues, including the JSD. The trick is to remove as much slack in the rode as possible -- to maintain Constant Rode Tension.

The pros and cons related to storage and weight of rode are accurate. Other comments about rode not so much. If you want to learn more about the pros and cons of Dyneema/Spectra type rodes vs. Nylon for drag device deployment, then check out post #54 http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2875279

Would have pasted the info here, but it might be against forum rules to completely edit, copy, paste a previous post. Even if it’s relevant to a new thread.

[Boatguy30]

I really think the bouyancy of the dyneema is going to be the problem. Dacron or nylon both sink and still require weight at the tail end? No honestly sure in that bit, but I would think dyneema will need some weights all along the length to stay submersed.

[DefinitelyMe]

There are a couple of potential benefits to using low-stretch lines for series drogues that have not yet been mentioned. I can't offer much advice either way myself having only used nylon and a single large cone drogue. But:

Those who have used nylon lines with series drogues report huge wear on the cones closest to the boat, to the point that they can be shredded pretty quickly. Makes sense since these cones will experience phenomenal forces. Low-stretch line is said to eliminate this problem.

Some who have used nylon rhode have reported risk of rudder damage from the boat being dragged astern rapidly by the recoil of the line. I experienced this myself in about 40kts sustained but not to the point of risking damage. If my cone had been larger, if I'd had a powerful series drogue or if conditions had been worse it may have been a problem.

For my part I think there are benefits to either system. If I were building from scratch I'd choose polyester as a compromise. :-)

[Fi2010]

Regardless of the materials used in the anchor rode weight should be attached. Rode and weight requirements are detailed in post #54 https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post2875199