How to keep stern into wind when drifting?

Codger · Post by **Codger** » Tue May 17, 2011 9:59 am

Maybe this is a weird question, but maybe somebody can help.

I like to drift fish, pulling crawler harnesses while the wind pushes the boat.

The issue is my F-26 sits sideways to the wind when drifting. This results in not being able to run the lines right out the back of the boat and also the boat rocks a lot being perpendicular to the wind/waves.

I tried using a drift sock off the center of the stern of the boat, thinking that it would result in the stern being "anchored" and causing the boat to pivot with the stern to the wind. It had no effect and just kept drifting perpendicular.

Has anybody else noticed this about their boat or done anything to get it to drift with the stern to the wind?

Thanks!

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Tue May 17, 2011 10:29 am

My experience has been that a non-sail type of boat that is adrift will always turn sideways to the wind. This is because when a boat is sideways it presents the largest possible cross-sectional area for the force of the wind to act upon. So even if you are pointed directly into or away from the wind when power is lost, the force of the wind will push on the available cross-sectional area causing the boat to turn until it has turned completely sideways to the wind.

This is one reason that dropping an anchor is the recommended procedure if you lose power while underway until someone comes to tow you to shore. The anchor will obviously cause you to have your bow to the wind thus minimizing any wave affect.

I personally know of no way to stop that while drifting without attaching a small mast and sail. But any use of the sail will cause motion and will stop the drifting.

Like I say - this is just my experience and I'm not an expert so others may differ.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Tue May 17, 2011 1:04 pm

Sea anchor

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Tue May 17, 2011 1:23 pm

or two...

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Tue May 17, 2011 8:47 pm

Like Paul and Peter say - a drogue or sea anchor, unless that's what you meant by 'drift sock'. It will depend on how fast you are drifting as to how useful it will be though (if it can't fill and cause any real drag, it won't do much).

How deep is the water - any possibility of a line with a bunch of chain on the end to drag across the bottom (anchor-less)?

Otherwise you could always mount a trolling motor on the bow

Codger · Post by **Codger** » Tue May 17, 2011 9:00 pm

Yeah, drift sock is the same as a sea anchor.

I tried tying it off both rear cleats so that it centered behind the boat. My theory was that if the boat started turning to one side, it would load up the line going to the opposite side cleat and correct it straight again.

When I actually tried it, the sea anchor filled up like it was supposed to and began dragging in the water, but the boat just kept drifting perpendicular to the wind. I have a 54" sea anchor, which is one of the larger ones made for a boat this size.

I tried different lengths of line out to make the sea anchor go deeper/shallow, but that didn't seem to have any effect.

I'm in about 8-10 foot of water.

captainmaniac wrote:Like Paul and Peter say - a drogue or sea anchor, unless that's what you meant by 'drift sock'. It will depend on how fast you are drifting as to how useful it will be though (if it can't fill and cause any real drag, it won't do much).

How deep is the water - any possibility of a line with a bunch of chain on the end to drag across the bottom (anchor-less)?

Otherwise you could always mount a trolling motor on the bow

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Tue May 17, 2011 9:15 pm

If you can't find a way to hold the stern back, how about a staysail on the bow? I shudder to say it as it may turn your Trojan into a blow-boat (or blowbote as Powerboating calls them), but if you had something up forward that captured more wind than you capture aft it might put more force on the bow and help turn it more downwind.

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Tue May 17, 2011 9:55 pm

Tie your sock to one corner of your transom, not the center.

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Wed May 18, 2011 12:41 pm

I use two large sea anchors.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Wed May 18, 2011 12:42 pm

I use a drift sock on the front of my F-26 occasionally in Lake Erie. This drift sock is meant for a much larger boat than mine and it still wont keep me headed into the wind if the waves unless they are less than a foot.

As far as keeping your stern into the wind, I'd be afraid of waves back flowing up your exhaust and flooding your engine.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sat May 21, 2011 10:09 am

I usually just drop anchor, strap on my scuba gear, and spear the fish!