Caloundra first up and question on sea anchors???

[brenno360]

Hi everyone, hope we all had a good Easter and got the chance to get out fishin at least once...

Ok so we started out across the caloundra bar at first light this morning, got to our fishing grounds and manged to pull a nice grassy and tusky in next to no time, but things went quiet for a few hours only little things and the wind and current made it hard to keep the baits on the bottom, so tried out the sea anchor we bought about 6 months ago, didn't really know how to use it but what I didn't worked a little not enough though? (Can someone tell me how to properly use one please?) there was a pro fishing around us as well, he was trolling around for about 2 hours and from what I saw got one Spanish Mackarel well over the meter mark... Anyway we landed 2 more grassys and called it quits about 10 and headed back to the bar,
Crossed with no dramas was 2.2m on the way out and 1.8 on the back of a wave on the way in...

Cheers
Brenno

[Crunchy]

Pretty simple to use Brenno, simply tie it on and send it out making sure its not tangled. Try different anchor points on the boat to see what works best, i.e. to set up a good side on drift. I tie mine onto the anchor cleat and run it out through the bow rail and that sets up a nice drift angle, others find it better to tie off at the stern.

Also I think your main problem is that they are good for slowing your drift in the wind but not effective in current as the sea anchor is going to drift along at the same speed as the current/boat therefore creating very little if any drag. I find mine does little in strong current but works a treat in gentle to moderate breeze.

Cheers
C

[Crisp Bee]

Gday Brenno

I don't know what you have, but years ago i bought a cheap sea anchor, that was too small and did very little to slow me down.
A year ago I bought a much more expensive sea anchor from one of the larger stores, it was in a kit and has two ropes it opens out and holds a heap more water than the cheapie i bought. One rope for tying to the boat and a smaller rope with a float, this is used to retrieve the anchor backwards without fighting the water filling the anchor/parachute. I stop the boat and chuck it out, make sure it is not tangled and tie the main line securely to the boat and then tie the other rope off loosely. There are some days when it will work well, and others where it seems a waste of time. It depends on the wind and current. It basically reduces the effect of the wind and slows your movement across the water. Fast current will still drag you along though.
I hope that helps.
cheers

[Crisp Bee]

hey snap!!!

[brenno360]

Hey crisp bee, sorry for to dislike I'm using IPhone tried to hit thanks and I don't know how to undo it,

I think it's a cheap one and I have a 6m Quintrex ocean sport, with the bimiti up she acts like a massive sail...

I was wondering does it matter how far u let it out from the boat?

Cheers
Brenden

[malby]

My 2 bobs worth.

I started using sea anchors a few years back when I had my 4.88 mtr Quintrex Fishabout (with a windscreen). I began by buying a small one from BCF that was recommended for boats to 6mtrs. It was a total fail and did nothing to slow me down in a wind. I put that down to experience and eventually sold my Quinny. I then bought my current Cruise Craft Reef Raider which is a Cuddy Cab and also acts like a big sail in the wind. The previous owner already had a medium sized drogue which I tried when I got the boat but reminded me of the Quinny experience...it did barely anything. So off to BCF with a gift voucher on hand one day and wadayuknow...I saw a very large drogue for just $50 and that was what my gift voucher was for so I grabbed it and vwalla!! I have been one happy customer ever since and did not need to buy the giant and very complex Para anchor and send myself broke. With this baby attached and put out about 15-30 mtrs I can (when the current is not strong) slow my drift down so much that in a 20 knot wind I have gone from not getting the bottom using a 1 ounce jig head to using 1/4 ounce jig heads and catching fish!!! How good is that!! I love it!! Sometimes when the current and wind are going the same way it is less effective but for $50 I am loving my elcheapo drogue/sea anchor. Just get the biggest one you can afford.

[Crunchy]

Good point about the windage of different boats....not an issue on my low profile CC.....

One of these should do the trick http://www.burkemarine.com.au/product.php?prod_id=73

[malby]

Just had a look through the BCF catalogue and I reckon this one is mine:
http://www.bcf.com.au/online-store/p...om=40105#Cross

[jtpython]

Booneys is a Para Anchor Fishermens nine that has the parachute and retrival line worked awesome with the wind and current with the way our incoming tides and out going was with the 4.2 metre tide and SE our lines were straight down the mate beside me was flying in the current and wind . As the current got up the chute went deeper am sold on them
Whitworths has then in the kit and i see BCF have then but not the 9 m one i wanted only in the 6.5
JT

[Colonel Klink]

Malby, I have one the same as yours for my Yalta 555 and works well my only complaint have had the stitching on the straps let go so had heavy duty thread added to make stronger.

Cheers
Klinky

[uripper]

suggest:

• buy quality & oversize (these are a safety item too)
• main line 10-20 m anchored from bow area (I like having bow pointed into the wind, but you may find other preferences)
• 1-2 m line tied to top of chute with float to keep it up ... i use a fender with a simple square knot ... easy to release & use back at harbour pontoon
• smaller second line tied to fender (or float) that is 2-3m longer than main line to retrieve & will allow chute to collapse & pull it easily all back into rear deck area
• reverse store into large plastic bucket on deck for easy release on next drift

great items when wind & current directions not the same

enjoy, Mal

PS: then watch for a Kingy trying to hide in it :-))

[bazinga]

i have the bcf large one linked in earlier post, slows 1.4kt drift in 10-15kt breeze to about .6 to .8 in my cc explorer 5.8, seems to work okay for 50 bux. I just have a smaller rope tied from the back of it to the main line for easy retreival/emptying once at the boat. It hasn't caught to many kingies yet but.

[malby]

Colonel Klink

Re: Caloundra first up and question on sea anchors???
Malby, I have one the same as yours for my Yalta 555 and works well my only complaint have had the stitching on the straps let go so had heavy duty thread added to make stronger.

Cheers
Klinky

Thanks Klinky,

I have had mine for about 8 months and its doing well thus far (not that I've used it heaps...I wish!!) but I will keep my eyes on the stitching and see how she go's,

Thanks for the heads up,

Mal

Ps. mine was the diff between a good fish and a bad one Easter Monday. Again $50 well spent.