PARA-TECH 18′ Sea Anchor
Also known as the PARA-ANCHOR or parachute anchor.

Design & Construction

PARA-TECH Sea Anchors are made from high-strength nylon fabric, possessing a weight and strength more than four times that of surplus parachutes, which have been used as Sea Anchors for many years. The seams are reinforced with nylon webbing. Nylon lines with a minimum strength of 1,500 pounds are joined at the rode end to a shackle with strength from 17,000 to 52,000 pounds A correctly-sized PARA-TECH Sea Anchor will likely never experience the loads it is capable of taking.

PARA-TECH Sea Anchors are designed to be failure-tolerant. If the full system is over-stressed, the Sea Anchor is designed to blow a panel before anything else fails. The Sea Anchor will still hold the boat, but with increased drift. It will function properly even with some broken or damaged lines.

User Friendly

PARA-TECH Sea Anchors are the easiest sea anchors in the world to use. Thanks to input from the Drag Device Database by Victor Shane, we added our Deployable Stow Bag, which eliminates the tendency for a parachute Sea Anchor to “catch air” and inflate on deck, making deployment difficult at best. The bag is simply tossed overboard with the Sea Anchor inside. The Sea Anchor automatically deploys in the water from the bag, safe from the effects of the raging wind. All PARA-TECH system components are likewise designed for ease of use and clean deployment. We are constantly looking for ways to improve all of our products.

Rigging, Rode & Deployment

Sea Anchor Rigging: All components used with your Sea Anchor must be suitable for storm anchoring and bow attachments (cleats, Sampson posts, etc.) and have backing plates. The rode must be nylon and 10 to 15 times the boat’s overall length in heavy weather. A stainless steel swivel is highly recommended. Multi-hulls also must rig the rode to a bridle with each leg being 2-2½ times the beam of the boat and rigged to the outer hulls. A partial trip line is the simplest way to retrieve your Sea Anchor.

Payout Lots of Rode: The Sea Anchor relies very heavily on the stretch of the long nylon rode for yielding to the seas (and not standing up to them). In moderate conditions you can expect a payout of as much as 300 feet or more of rode, or 10 to 15 times the boat’s overall length in heavy weather situations.

Fishing Applications

Overnight Layovers: When on multi-day trips sport fishermen (and commercial fishermen) will lay on a Sea Anchor rather than jog into the seas. This technique saves fuel, provides for a comfortable, stable ride and allows the crew to rest.

Storm Use: When the seas get rough and there is a risk of broaching, laying to a Sea Anchor forces the bow into the seas where the boat is less vulnerable as boats are designed to penetrate the seas bow first. This is the most recognized Sea Anchor application for all offshore boats.

Drift Control: When fishing in windy conditions it is difficult to stay on station and not roll in the trough without jogging into the seas. Using a Sea Anchor reduces drift to a minimal amount and keeps the boat on top of the desired fishing grounds.

Kite Fishing: Kite fishing is done in windy conditions. In such conditions, a boat drifts too fast to effect a good bait presentation or to stay with the chum. A Sea Anchor will hold the boat on top of the fishing grounds for a longer period and improve the chances of good strikes. Some boat owners who kite fish carry more than one Sea Anchor, sometimes using the smaller one and at other times using the bigger one, in order to drift at a rate that will give them the best bait presentation.

Emergencies: In the event of engine power loss, using a Sea Anchor will point the bow into the seas keeping the boat from rolling in the trough, thus making repairs easier. The boat is also held in its last reported position, making it easier for assistance to find the disabled boat.

Specifications & Sizing Guidelines

Sizing is first based on length overall with weight, keel configuration and windage taken into account next. Note that generally the greater windage of power boats equals the greater draft (wetted surface) of sailing craft, hence the same size “Sea Anchor.” When in doubt, go to the larger size. General recommendations are as follows:

Sea Anchor Size: 18′
Boat LOA: 35′ – 48′
Displacement: Under 40,000 lbs.
Packed Dimensions: 12″ diameter x 18″ tall
Weight: 25 lbs.

Included with All PARA-TECH Sea Anchors: