Innovative Ideas Mans Club

[yellow door 1]

Here's a couple of versions of what some Tassie Trout guys use - shade cloth/tarp, pool noodle and some chain to weigh it down on the bottom edge.

and heres a description of how they work

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Postby Neil Grose » Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:33 pm
Drogues can be a curse and a godsend - depending upon how they are made and how you set them up.
I started making them out of heavy duty shadecloth about 6 or 7 years ago as I couldn't get a decent drift from any of the drogues being sold.
The idea behind the shadecloth is that it allows an even flow of water through the drogue which eliminates the tendency of solid material drogues to twist in strong winds (which is when you really need them).
I can give you the dimensions of the drogues I had made and you can get any good canvas dude or saddler to knock one up pretty easy. The guy at Longford did mine and they are still going strong (Bassano hasn't even managed to kill one yet :shock: :lol: )
Basically they consist of a pool noodle along the top and 8mm chain along the bottom - 8 foot wide by 4 foot deep.
The real trick with drogues is being able to lengthen and shorten each rope to either drift straight or in a curve (as Redbream suggested).
I simply set up two cam-cleats on the gunwale which allows easy adjustment to suit either the wind conditions or the wind catching ability of the anglers in the boat.
The bow and stern ropes from the drogue must be as far to the bow and stern as possible to give you a swing free drift and as much control as possible.
This set up also allows you to lengthen the drogue back from the boat (or bring it closer) according to the wind strength - ie further away in strong winds, closer in lighter winds.
My advice for getting it right is to get one made which suits your boat and spend the extra bucks to set it up right, that way it becomes a seamless part of your fishing day rather than a bloody nuisance.
Good luck
Neil."

[yellow door 1]

I do have an old tarp and a few sections of pvc pipe in the garage - might see what I can come up with

In my reading on this subject - ancient mariners would just let out a long length of rope to help steady a ship - or if conditions got real bad, they would tie blankets and other stuff to the rope.

But this tarp set up looks like more fun to make.

I wonder if silicone, hot glue, sewing or a combination, would be the best to seal the seams on one made from a tarp

[Slazmo]

Originally Posted by yellow door 1

But this tarp set up looks like more fun to make.

I wonder if silicone, hot glue, sewing or a combination, would be the best to seal the seams on one made from a tarp

Ive seen what looks like a terraced cup cake server made of wood with varying sizes of plates from smallest to largest at the end as a drogue also.

I guess in the end its whatever's easiest to store once on board.

Imho a small 5ltr bucket was easy in a kayak, however store made was always neater and simple to use.

[sucker]

my late great uncle used a pushbike rim at the front of his drogue and some canvas stitched round it to make a funnel and piece of rope round the end to control the flow/drag.

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by Slazmo

Ive seen what looks like a terraced cup cake server made of wood with varying sizes of plates from smallest to largest at the end as a drogue also.

I guess in the end its whatever's easiest to store once on board.

Imho a small 5ltr bucket was easy in a kayak, however store made was always neater and simple to use.

Yeah storage is definitely a concern - I figured if I didnt drill a hole in the bucket it could also be used as a bucket/ bin / drogue/ makeshift esky /burley mixer. etc

Whereas a bucket with a hole offers less opportunities for on the spot innovation

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by sucker

my late great uncle used a pushbike rim at the front of his drogue and some canvas stitched round it to make a funnel and piece of rope round the end to control the flow/drag.

Clever

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by yellow door 1

Have you ever used cheap heat shrink like this sort of stuff?

The appearance of my heat shrink has made the disappearance of my pliers much less likely

[Ratbags]

as you found with the 20/100lt bucket requirements, I tested my drogue on a mates streaker - cabin & overhead canopy, i have a topender. boats are same length, the cabin/canopy were no match for my drogue. plan for the biggest you can maybe some YD Innovation on how you can taper the catchment on lite wind days. the foam ball will helps heaps to keep it up on the surface & max control. The other we do is a massive long rope to have it way out from the boat.

Not sure how your heat seal would work, it has a lot of pressure from the wind/boat & swell. might need a combo of both heat seal & sewing. I like the shade cloth idea.

keen to see what you come up with.

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by Ratbags

as you found with the 20/100lt bucket requirements, I tested my drogue on a mates streaker - cabin & overhead canopy, i have a topender. boats are same length, the cabin/canopy were no match for my drogue. plan for the biggest you can maybe some YD Innovation on how you can taper the catchment on lite wind days. the foam ball will helps heaps to keep it up on the surface & max control. The other we do is a massive long rope to have it way out from the boat.

Not sure how your heat seal would work, it has a lot of pressure from the wind/boat & swell. might need a combo of both heat seal & sewing. I like the shade cloth idea.

keen to see what you come up with.

Thanks for that.

The bucket was better than nothing but only just Its kept the bow into the wind so that alone dramatically slows you down on this rig

I've got a bit of shade cloth aswell but I recon the tarp will get a run.

With a central hole and intelligent anchor points for the rope - it should slow the boat to a crawl.

I've only got one pool noodle at the moment and the boat is being repaired - so I have a few weeks to scrounge for parts and get her done.

I'll probably silcone and sew at the same time so the threads are embedded in the silicone as it dries

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by Ratbags

I tested my drogue on a mates streaker - cabin & overhead canopy, i have a topender. boats are same length, the cabin/canopy were no match for my drogue.

What drogue have you got - any pics or links?

[Ratbags]

Originally Posted by yellow door 1

What drogue have you got - any pics or links?

Got 2 Larry, an old orange that was supposedly the right size for my tinny and answer one that is an ocean south pvc stitched sea anchor 700mm long & 800mm opening. I find this one much stiffer & wider, it is their 6m boat size. My tinny is 4.55

Ch smith have them for $25. http://www.chsmith.com.au/Products/Sea-Anchor.html

image.jpeg

My mate ended up getting a para anchor http://http://www.adventuresafety.com.au/safety-equipment-accessories/other-items/para-anchor-fisherman-series-and-inwater-kit/

image.jpg

It's in a 20 metre nylon rope & 5 metres from the other end a foam ball.

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by Ratbags

Got 2 Larry, an old orange that was supposedly the right size for my tinny and answer one that is an ocean south pvc stitched sea anchor 700mm long & 800mm opening. I find this one much stiffer & wider, it is their 6m boat size. My tinny is 4.55

Ch smith have them for $25. http://www.chsmith.com.au/Products/Sea-Anchor.html

Attachment 110176

My mate ended up getting a para anchor http://http://www.adventuresafety.com.au/safety-equipment-accessories/other-items/para-anchor-fisherman-series-and-inwater-kit/

Attachment 110177

It's in a 20 metre nylon rope & 5 metres from the other end a foam ball.

Good on ya Mate - Much appreciated - I was just doing the math in my head of approximately how many times I would stab my self, while sewing an 8ft by 4ft tarp. I'm not sure I would have enough blood left to finish the job in one go

Store bought sound like a much saner option - thanks again.

I reckon the biggest one might be the safest option - his boat is a little heavier than average

[Ratbags]

Originally Posted by yellow door 1

Good on ya Mate - Much appreciated - ............

I reckon the biggest one might be the safest option - his boat is a little heavier than average

No worries Larry! Sweet looking rig. Now we know what you're working with, I'd go the big 1 from CHS too. It could double as a portable eddy on the Yarra when you're chasing Jewies and need to keep the burley release slow! ;

Special mooring rope there, where can a get one of those? Are they some sort of an "offset rope"?

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by Ratbags

No worries Larry! Sweet looking rig. Now we know what you're working with, I'd go the big 1 from CHS too. It could double as a portable eddy on the Yarra when you're chasing Jewies and need to keep the burley release slow! ;

Special mooring rope there, where can a get one of those? Are they some sort of an "offset rope"?

Re The jewies - I like the way you think

And re the rope - its just some top secret stuff I'm working on

[yellow door 1]

Now that I dont have to build a sea anchor - I've got a bit of time on my hands.

And there something thats been bugging me for a while.

My "Mouse Arm" gets a fair bit of use - and after long research sessions it can get a bit sore. Particularly the wrist which acts as an anchor point for my free hanging python of an arm

SO I started looking for solutions - theres some pretty cool stuff out there