On Apr 20, 1:23*pm, wrote:
On Tue, 20 Apr 2010 10:45:18 -0700, "nom=de=plume"

wrote:
If it's really that bad,
wouldn't you want to try and slow the boat? I saw parachutes for this at the
boat show.

--

I imagine you saw a sea anchor. That is like a parachute but it goes
in the water and keeps your bow pointing into the wind when you are
drifting.
If you have "too much wind" I believe the trick is to take down all
but the minimum amount of canvas to point the boat but I am a stink
pot guy. I only know what I read.

Interesting that you would mention a sea anchor Greg. The first I'd
heard of one was on "Master Commander: The far side of the world"
Where in a hard gale the british were chasing the french and were
pushing for more speed. A kid was up on top of a mast and it broke and
went into the drink. The mast and sail were draging the ship and in an
awkward side position with the waves, and a mate told the captain that
the broken mast was acting like a 'sea anchor' dragging the ship into
a list,and was jeprodising the safety of the ship and crew. They had
no other recourse than to cut the lines to the broken mast and leave
the poor lad to his untimely demise.

Sad, but that was the way it went.