Para Anchor Questions??

[Out-Station]

G'day everyone, just going through through the motions of getting the old man a new sea anchor for his birthday. It seems to me from recent A/F posts and a bit of research that the true paraanchors are the best style in terms of slowing the drift. However they are a bit more complicated than your average drogue or seabrake. Just want to hear from those who have used a true paraanchor in relation the the below thanks.

1. When you start the drift do you just chuck em out the back and they "self deploy" as a drogue does or is there some buggering around involved to get them operating as they should? How do you deploy them etc.

2. How far out the back do you run them?

3. Do you run the trip line with the float on it all the way back to the boat and recover the paranchor by this same as what you do with a drogue?

4. Do they get tangled up on the deck, in storage etc and become a pain in the ass?

Any comment from those with experience with them would be good thanks.

Cheer's Scott

[Deelirious]

They are saweet. Just make sure from the start that the main anchor line is attached and you have extra line on the float line/retrieve line. You do need a little float on the float line to stop it sinking. when you pull up preferably while still moving slightly drop it over the side swivel first and the whole thing will self inflate. I have had mine really short for a long time and I'm going to lengthen all the ropes for my new boat. They tend to pulse a bit and can turn inside out through the ropes which doesn't matter because at the end of the day or trip you can easily detangle but its not something you have to worry about while fishing. Put out pull in easy as that. It helps if you don't extra tangle it while its on deck.

[Angla]

Easy to deploy and you can feel the brakes come on when they inflate if the wind or current is strong. Very easy to pull in using the trip line. Mine has a 5" float attached to the trip line that is locked to the line about 6 feet from the chute. I will attach mine to either the stern or bow depending what is required. I think I run mine about 8 metres from the boat

Cheers
Chris

[GBC]

G'day everyone, just going through through the motions of getting the old man a new sea anchor for his birthday. It seems to me from recent A/F posts and a bit of research that the true paraanchors are the best style in terms of slowing the drift. However they are a bit more complicated than your average drogue or seabrake. Just want to hear from those who have used a true paraanchor in relation the the below thanks.

1. When you start the drift do you just chuck em out the back and they "self deploy" as a drogue does or is there some buggering around involved to get them operating as they should? How do you deploy them etc.

You deploy them gently so the trip doesn't wrap the parachute

2. How far out the back do you run them?

About a boat length

3. Do you run the trip line with the float on it all the way back to the boat and recover the paranchor by this same as what you do with a drogue?

Yes

4. Do they get tangled up on the deck, in storage etc and become a pain in the ass?

Yes - compared to a standard drogue - but you get used to them - like a red headed child.

Any comment from those with experience with them would be good thanks.

Cheer's Scott

Hope this helps

[peterbo3]

If you put two thumb knots in the shrouds (bundled) they will never tangle in the stowage bag. A new one will be knotted when you get it.

[bigjimg]

All of what has been said,also i had mine rigged at the store to my requirements and i asked for nylon rope 12mm for the chute line and 8mm for the trip also in nylon.The nylon is nice and soft and coils much better than silver rope and less prone to tangles.I have a 20ltr bucket that I feed the line into when retrieving and all goes in as it comes into the boat and leaves the boat when deploying in reverse,that way you don't end up with water everywhere during your repeat drifts.Never had a tangle yet.Jim

[Ripples]

Hi Out Station
I have had the para anchor for a few seasons with no problems at all.
Can suggest installing a large swivel in the main rope to allow the shute to spin and turn with out unwinding the main rope.
The para has saved us from a few fishless trips when the wind picks up.
I am in the process of upgrading to the next size up shute if your interested in a good second hand unit.
Send PM Ripples

[tenzing]

Scott as per pm

[Out-Station]

Thanks everyone for all the comment. My only other thought was to get a big drogue, like 800mm accross the front hoop made up. Looks like the paras are the go though!!

[Mike Delisser]

Stick to the Para-Anchor, more expensive but so much better.
I didn't like mine spinning or sinking a few feet under the surface so I attached a small float to one of the eyelets at the front of the chute, works well.