Jordan series drogue

[David Matt]

I'm planning to buy a Jordan series drogue kit from Oceanbrake in the U.K.

I'll appreciate comments on the installation, particularly on issues peculiar to boats with a canoe stern, like ours. The drogue's inventor, Don Jordan specifies a 116 cone drogue made up on 90 meters of line which is capable of exerting up to 10,000 lbs. of pull force across the two stern points of bridle attachment (shared 70% / 30% between the two points of attachment). The boat will swing (yaw) to the drogue's set at approx. 20 degees, depending on the dominance of the swell or wind. The bridle should be attached by horozontal chain plates bolted to the hull as far aft, on port and starboard, as practical.

I have a roll of 8 inch wide bulkhead tabbing I want to lay up in 3-4 layers on the interior of the hull to back up the drogue's chain plate, bolts, and backing plates. I will have the chain plates and backing plate formed to the hull curves, and use heavy bolts.

I hope the chain plates can (given the 20 degree swing / set) be attached near the aft bulkhead without the bridle impinging on the stern when the boat yaws to the drogue.

Dave Matt
S.V. "Seascape"
lodl...@gmail.com

[Alan]

 I think that a Jordan Series Drogue is an excellent choice. On Norwegian Steam, I have a 124 cone drogue with a 280' Spectra rode that was built for me by Ace Sailmakers, 3-D Colton Road, East Lyme CT 06333. They sized the drogue for a 35' monohull cutter, weighing 25,000 pounds. The drogue is very well made.

I also had a Galerider Drogue but sold it recently. 

I sailed Norwegian Steam in Western Mexican waters for two years, then sailed back to Seattle via Hawaii. I never had a need to deploy either of my drogues, so I can't really comment on the extent of yawing. I do think that 10,000 pounds of force may be an exaggeration, however. Are you familiar with the excellent book "Oceanography and Seamanship"? The author, William Van Dorn, recommends anchoring by the stern in extreme conditions, especially with double ended boat, because this greatly reduces yawing and hence the extreme stresses that yawing can cause. Deploying a drogue, of course, is very similar to anchoring by the stern.

Ace Sailmakers recommends a bridle that is an isosceles triangle, with an altitude that is 2.5 times the base. 

On the stern of Norwegian Steam I have a custom made arch constructed of stainless tubing. The base is through bolted in an area of the hull that is not cored. The bolts are in shear and there is a stainless backing plate. On each side of the arch, about six inches above deck level is a 12" stainless steel cleat. The cleats are there to anchor the drogue. From the cleats aft there is a direct line to the drogue which minimizes chafe.