Bob wrote:
Hello Doug:

Did you watch the USCG clip of Red Cloud bobbing along durring the
"rescue"? I noticed what appeard to be two lines off the port bow.
Look as though someone on the REd Cloude rigged a "Pardey Bridle"
attached to a para-sea anchor. ANy thoughts?
Bob

Sorry, no.... didn't see the video, we don't have the bandwidth...
however it wouldn't surprise me a bit if Joe either had a sea anchor
or rigged a drag device of some sort. He's a seaman of long experience
and a resourceful guy.

One type of drag I've used with smaller boats is simply a couple of
long docklines with figure-eight knots in them every couple of feet. A
weight on the end keeps them from getting thrown forward by wave
crests.... that's not a joke, I've had an unweighted one go from
streaming astern to being tangled in the bow pulpit.

One option I thought about but didn't try... simply dumping your
regular anchor & rode over the stern (assuming one is in deep water of
course), should make a pretty good drag and not get lifted in any wave
crests.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King