Yet again on the Lifeboat theme. D is for Drogue.........The drogue or sea anchor is a piece of equipment that we use on the Lifeboat to steady her in rough weather. The one we have on the Ann & James Ritchie is manufactured from a very thick industrial plastic type material. It resembles a small parachute but with a hole in the end. It is deployed from the stern of the boat on the end of two very long ropes and is towed behind with the large open mouth facing the boat. The photo above shows it as I have taken it out of its locker and placed on the foredeck just to get a good picture of it. It is stowed in the port rope locker.....
..................along with the main line. The other line which is known as the tripping line is stowed in the opposite starboard locker.
...........It takes two people to deploy it and can be ready within a short time. First of all, it, along with the main line is taken to the stern of the boat, the rope put through the centre fair lead then back over the rails and then attached to the shackle on the end of the blue strapping. Spare rope is flaked out on the deck then tied to the towing post or bits. The tripping line from the starboard locker is taken alongside to the stern put through the starboard fair lead over the railings and attached to the rear of the drogue chain, again using a shackle then tied off on the starboard bits. To deploy, the drogue and main line are thrown over the rails and the rope paid out slowly until the first mark. The rope is then tied off whilst the tripping line is paid out slowly to its first mark then tied off. The tripping line is that much longer so when both lines are at the same mark the drogue is in its set position.......Altogether there are three marks on each rope so it can be extended quite a way from the boat. To retrieve the process is done in reverse order so then when it has collapsed it can be hauled back on board..............If you have found this interesting you can read even more about the Ramsey Lifeboat on my site at www.freewebs.com/mannananscloak
19 comments:
Then I have learned something new today! Always worthwhile.
Thank you for the lesson.
That is fascinating - I may remember just a little of it next time I visit a lifeboat station.
Gee, learn something new every day! Very interesting post. Come and visit my "domicile." :D
Something new today. Great photos. Thanks for the link.
Nice "D" today.
Our "D's" are Done, Click here.
We added a Dragonfly update.
Troy and Martha
Very interesting and something I knew very little about. Thanks for all the information.
Looking at the other comments, I see that I am not the only one who learned something new today!
: D
Another wonderful lesson about your lifeboat.
Very interesting and informative.
Thank you,
Bear((( )))
that sure was an interesting and educative post. thank you
I am with Gerald on this one...next time we visit Whitby lifeboat station I will look out for this and express my deep knowledge to hubby! It will make a change, me knowing something technical! LOL!
Excellent post... and a job to be proud of for sure.
I knew none of this! Terrific post!
Great post for D. I learned another new thing today. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting information on the drogue... And if a crewmember messes-up I suppose you could make him wear it as a dunce-cap...
Educational post. Completely new area
for me, new word for the pub quiz!
Wonder if you could go through the whole alphabet with a lifeboat theme?
Excellent post.
I guess Flotation could be take for today.
Thanks for visiting. The Aranmor lifeboat was an important factor for our twelve years of island life though we never had personal need.
I had to call them once to rescue a man who lost his propellor in a storm. Needless to say he should not have been out.
Pretty cool to use the lifeboat theme to cover the alphabet. I never would have thought of it. Nice photos.
I just learned something! Neat shots.
I love these posts. Thanks, friends.
Post a Comment