by Roger » Sat Feb 04, 2006 9:54 am
Try heaving to instead. It is quieter than drifting, because the sails are not flapping. With a sea anchor the boat is head to wind, riding any waves along the length of its hull. When hove to, you are at an angle to the wind, the wind is blowing against the jib only, the main is neutral, and you are quartering the waves riding the boat in its own wind shadow or flat slick of water. There are many books on how to hove to but essentially, you tack without releasing the jib sheet. This puts the jib on the upwind (or wrong) side of the boat, loose the mainsheet, and position the tiller at about the same angle as the jib, (ie parallel). This effectively stalls, the jib, neutralizes the main, and the rudder quarters the boat to the wind to keep it in that positon. You move slowly at about 1 knot.
If you are really bend on a sea anchor, experiment with a two gallon plastic pail, a float to keep it from sinking more than 5 feet and a long line to the bow. Compare the two technigues, and you will soon be convinced that heaving to is easier and more comfortable.