Auto-drogue & T-rudder
Hello! Clive and I are due to depart from Ucluelet on July 4th. The goal is to spend 10 days out to sea heading west - possibly in search of the Pacific high which in July, is typically found a few hundred miles west of Vancouver Island. I will pedal WiTHiN and Clive will sail the escort boat Theodora. Typical summer weather conditions in the north Pacific are good with the chance of a gale or storm low, so I am really hoping that I will be able spend the entire trip in WiTHiN. The advantage to going out with Clive, is that if conditions get dicey, or our recent modifications aren't working out as planned, I will always have the option of getting a tow and climbing aboard Theodora. And we will be far away from any land which has been my highest area of risk with recent sea trials. As you may recall, a couple of my largest concerns resulting from my previous 2 sea trials - the first off shore in Ucluelet where I was knocked down my a strong wind gust and lost control, and getting caught in a wind storm on OK lake where I got a chance to really appreciate the danger of standing up through the open hatch to deploy a sea anchor or parachute. We hope that two new modifications will resolve these issues:1. Auto-drogue - This is a 10" aluminum disc which will act as the drogue. It is attached to a 150 foot 1/4 inch thick cord which runs from the stern, through a small sleeve in the hull into the cockpit where it is reeled up with a trailer winch. I will be able to deploy the drogue with up to 150 feet of line all from the comfort and safety of my seat - and reel it all back in again. If this works, then it will be a really easy way to sit-out adverse wind conditions because the disk will provide enough drag to keep my bow pointed into the oncoming waves and wind. 2. T-rudder - The T rudder is basically a horizontal wing that has been added to the bottom of the rudder. When wind blows abeam and rolls WiTHiN, the underwater surface area astern will increase as the horizontal 'T' wing rotates to vertical. This will increase resistance under water and allow the bow to be pushed down wind. That's the theory, and I am anxious to see how this works in the real world. Photos are shown below.
