A recoverable sea anchor for a vessel wherein the anchor is made from a flexible sheet material with a periphery and a center. A plurality of lines interconnect a plurality of spaced points around such periphery to a ring which in turn is connected via a releasable connecting means to a swivel. A mooring line is then used to connect such swivel to the vessel. The releasable connecting means is operative to release the connection between the swivel and the ring in response to a predetermined load to put into play a disabling line, in a slack inoperative condition which then interconnects the swivel and the center of the chute or another portion of the chute to disable or collapse the concave chute. A modification of the sea anchor is to make it frusto conical or tubular in shape.
A collapsible sea anchor or drogue (50) having first and second hollow frusto-conical body parts (74, 80) which are made from strong flexible material, such as canvas. Four flexible lines (60, 62, 64, 66) connect the two body parts (74, 80) together and to a nose portion (52) to which a towing line can be connected. The sea anchor or drogue (50) is very effective in that the drag is large having regard to the diameter of the body parts (74, 80) and, moreover, it can be compactly stored when in a collapsed condition.
A man overboard rescue system including a rescue line trailing from a vessel and a sea anchor pack mounted adjacent the stern of the vessel. A victim tugs on the trailing line to release a sea anchor attached to the other end of the line which causes the victim to be towed back to the vessel due to differential drag between the sea anchor and victim. The line is reeved through a one way pulley to assure the victim is towed back to the vessel. Various victim safety harnesses and alarm signal arrangements in conjunction with the system are disclosed. A spooler or storage packs may be provided for stowage of line. A line latch or brake prevents the accidental deployment of the sea anchor in heavy seas. An otherwise conventional line launcher is used when trailing a line from the vessel is impractical.
A water ski safety apparatus includes a first coupler rope for connecting the apparatus to a handle, a second coupler rope for connecting the apparatus to the boat, and deceleration structure for decelerating the apparatus when the apparatus is caused to accelerate toward the boat.
A waterproof carrying bag having a flexible, liquid impervious body portion with an internal storage cavity and a substantially rigid neck portion having an inner surface defining an opening into the container. A closure seats on the neck portion, covering the opening. The closure has a sealing gasket which is compressed between the closure and the neck portion when the closure is seated on the neck, substantially preventing the passage of moisture between the closure and neck portion.
A square bag (28) open at the top or front with holes (30) in the bottom or opposite end for drainage and flow through. Tow members (16) secured to the periphery of the bag (28) at the open end of the body in a hinging fashion so they can be neatly folded down in the bottom of the bag (28). The anchor rode (10) is secured to these tow members (16) and faked down into the bag (28). Battens (32B) and reinforcing material (20) are used to force the bag (28) to stand up in the open position facilitating ease of feeding rode (10) in and out of bag (28). Tow members (16) hinge outward and Batten Reinforced Anchoring Bag (35) becomes a sea anchor when thrown overboard. Holes (30) in bottom of bag let water flow through bag (28) somewhat slowed down, facilitating in bag (28) staying open and creating drag which is the object of the sea anchor. Through hole ( 26) in bottom of bag (28) is provided for tripline (36C) to haul Batten Reinforced Anchoring Bag (35) back to boat (33A) and provide, in conjuction with ring (12) at eyelet (14), a means for using two Batten Reinforced Anchoring Bags (35) at once as sea anchors.
