Drogues

[bibio1]

I didnt know what a caribiner was. But have been doing likewise for years as well.

Cheers

Paul

[Billy]

I think I'll look around for some kind of float myself its a great idea.

I thought I was going to lose the drogue a few times myself at the weekend.

Billy

[Allan Crawford]

I have used the Wychwood para drogues for years, no clamps, easy to collapse and pull in usually.
Like the carbine idea and float maybe try that.

Yes this is the same one I have, the benefit is its very fast and easy to retrieve (I just happened to buy this one but I would be happy to use any drogue), it just slips over the oarlocks or for my boat the oar pins (you need to be careful it doesn't slip off the oar pin  :roll:). Fachans idea is very important and I do something similar, I clip a large float of some sort onto the line, and hang it inside the boat, if the drogue gets stuck while coming over shallow ground I can just slip the line off the oar pin taking my float with it and then motor around to retrieve drogue. The float doesn't need to be big enough to support the drogue because it will be stuck in shallow water just needs to be easily seen in a big wave. A plastic milk carton or painted drinks bottle are good but I've used big bubble floats or pike floats

Important to have a plan in place before you get stuck in a big wave  :shock:

When fishing I prefer not to use a drogue, I would rather cover more water faster than less water slower, so normally I just use a drogue when fishing from a boat that cant drift correctly.

[shad]

Few Sparton drogues left on eBay, made in the UK which is always good

I fix mine to the boat seat with a carabiner so its safe but do carry a gclamp to move the angle if the boats not drifting square.

ATB Colin

[Crawhin]

I also do similar to Fachan and have  length of thin nylon rope with a couple of crabs attached which i can rig up between the seats and then attach the drogue line to this and can easily and quickly adjust the drogue line's attachment point along the rope to suit the drift.  I'd also concur with the reccomendation for the Sparton drogues which really are absolutely bomb-proof bits of kit.

Cheers,

Ian

[Traditionalist]

May be of interest;

http://www.yakangler.com/kayak-rigging/item/583-diy-drogue

http://www.wbryant.com/StellaBoat/Projects/canvas/drogue/index.htm

I have used a similar drogue to the first one for various things. Very good.

[13Fisher1]

Mike - I don't know how the others feel but I would rather you entered and contributed to the discussion than posting needless, and sometimes,  totally irrelevant links.

Whilst the first link may be of interest to the few kayak anglers here the second has little relevance as:
1. It refers to a sea anchor type drogue
2. The rope/ material cost is $550 alone.(that's not an April Fool is it?)

The current forum format works for most of us and I'm pretty sure most of us are capable of using Google too should the need arise.

By all means join, engage and contribute to the threads that are the lifeblood this wonderful wee community we have  - but  please, please, please stop posting all these links

Just saying

Yes Google available to all but where the link that has been supplied is ENDORSED by personal experience then this is VALUE-ADDED which is where Mike and others  are often coming from.

[Traditionalist]

If you want a cheap, very effective, and easily made drogue, get a traffic cone ( no need to nick one, you can buy them cheaply here, http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=traffic+cone )

Cut the top off the pointed end, attach four ropes to it at the corners of the base. Tie these to a ring. Attach your main rope to the ring.  You can add a float to the main rope which can be very useful.

A plastic bucket with a hole in the bottom also works but the cone is more precise.

[oystercatcher]

When I am fishing in a boat alone I attach the drogue to the bow of the boat and fish over the stern,the boat then drifts slower and it is also safer to retrieve the drogue after completing the drift.Have seen anglers nearly falling overboard when retrieving the drogue in a strong wind whilst drifting side on.This should not be the case if using a Para drogue.

[Billy]

I use a stainless caribiner to attach my drogue and have a hi viz trawl float  fitted half way along the rope.   No knots or clamps to fanny about with  and if I do lose the drogue over the side I can easily locate it and it won't sink. Works for me

I was in B&Q last night picking up some stuff for a plastering job I need to get done and picked up a hi viz cistern ball for £1.49 to use as a drogue recovery float and I think I have a clip in the garage somewhere.

Billy