Para Anchor Parachute Sea Anchor
From £519.00 (inc VAT)
Shipping to Mainland UK: £14.96
All boats are designed to take the weather on the bow, however their natural tendency is to turn their vulnerable beam to the sea. The original sea anchor (admiralty cone shape) is an age-old invention that can perform adequately as a drogue but not as a TRUE sea anchor.
The Para-Anchor Sea Anchor has taken modern airborne technology and converted it to be used at sea where its performance has no equal.
There is a vast difference between the two loads that can be applied to a boat by a sea anchor and a drogue. The resistance created by a parachute of 12ft diameter when deployed is obviously massively higher than that of a smaller conical shaped drogue.
A sea anchor must always be used at the bows of a vessel while a drogue is best deployed from the stern. A drogue is most effective at slowing and controlling a vessel when running before the weather, where as a sea anchor can be used to secure the vessel in the worst of conditions giving comfort, security and relief from the considerable effort required when sailing a vessel in gale or storm force conditions.
The Para Anchor Sea Anchor inflates just like a parachute when deployed and exerts an iron like grip on the sea as the wind makes the vessel drift. Once inflated the pull of the wind and swell driven vessel is balanced out by the Para Anchor therefore reducing the sternward drift so much that it is barely measurable. The vessels reaction to a Para Anchor is similar to that of the same vessel hanging on a conventional bottom set anchor.
It is extremely important to use a suitable size deployment line (anchor rope) when deploying a sea anchor. Para Anchor recommend a minimum of around 100 metres of nylon braided rope using 16mm rope on vessels up to 32ft, 18mm rope on vessels up to 39ft, 20mm rope on vessels up to 55ft and 24mm rope on vessels up to 65ft.
The anchor rope is best connected to the the vessel by setting up a rope bridle secured to the major strong points of the boat such as the primary and then secondary winches. The apex of the bridle is then lead forward and out through a bow roller or stem head fitting. (ensure that the bow roller cannot chafe the bridle as the boat yaws and pitches) The main anchor line can then be shackled onto the loop at the head of the bridle. (always ensure that your bridle is the same diameter, or larger than the main anchor line)
Other Para Anchor Features:
- The Para-Anchor is manufactured from high density nylon, brightly coloured for safety in an air search.
- Each radial seam is over-sewn with polyester webbing to absorb the high loads. All localized stress points in the canopy are further reinforced with vinyl and webbing inserts.
- The double braid shroud lines are secured to the Para-Anchor through stainless steel eyelets to the base of the swivel.
- Attached at the apex of the canopy is a small segment of stainless steel chain. This chain helps ballast the Para-Anchor during deployment and assists in efficient and safe retrieval.
- The self-deploying bag is permanently attached to the back of the swivel allowing for easy deployment.
Para-Anchor Package Contents:
1 x Para Anchor Deployment Bag
1 x Para Anchor Canopy
1 x S/S Anchor Line Swivel (pre-fitted to shroud lines)
1 x S/S Ballast Chain (pre-fitted to canopy apex)
Para Anchor Selection Guide:
|
Para-Anchor Model |
Mono-Hull Light Displacement |
Mono-Hull Heavy Displacement |
Multi-Hulls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal 9 | 8m (26ft) | 6.5m (21ft) | 9m (29ft) |
| Global 12 | 10m (33ft) | 9m (29ft) | 10.5m (34ft) |
| Tasman 15 | 11m (36ft) | 10m (33ft) | 12m (39ft) |
| Bass Straight 18 | 12m (39ft) | 11m (36ft) | 14m (46ft) |
| Pacific 20 | 13m (42ft) | 12m (39ft) | 15m (49ft) |
| Southern Ocean 24 | 17m (55ft) | 16m (52ft) | 18m (59ft) |
| Indian Ocean 28 | Contact Sales | Contact Sales | Contact Sales |
Note: To complete your Para-Anchor Set-Up, you will also need to order an appropriate size Deployment Line and an appropriate size Retrieval Line with floats.
Para Anchor Parachute Sea Anchor Guide Book
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