Susanne Huber-Curphy and I were chatting by email about her use of the Jordan Series Drogue, our (and her) recommended storm-survival gear, when she clarified a point I think many people worry about, unnecessarily as it turns out:
The most amazing thing of the JSD is that after a front has passed with a dramatic wind shift the boat might lay sideways to the old sea, but if a breaker hits the boat from the old direction she will immediately swing around against the new wind direction and take the impact safely on the stern. That’s easy to explain, as the force of breaking waves is stronger than the windage of the boat. I guess you have to experience this to really appreciate the magic of the JSD.
Susanne Huber-Curphy
This also makes sense in relation to Don Jordan’s original investigations.
And no one has has more experience than Susanne with the JSD in extreme conditions.
Despite all the 40 years of JSD evidence, so many boaters remain in denial. Two observations: Angus Coleman/’Ocean Brake’ of Dorset, advises that almost all new JSD orders are supplied with a Dyneema-type rode… and he agreed with my observation that too little consideration is given to ‘beefing up’ the hull structure where the JSD loads will be applied. A ‘guessed-at’ line of boltholes is maybe adequate, but maybe not. Some engineering science would not go amiss.
Hi Wil,
I have written extensively about the Dyneema rode trade off as well as building the attachment points strong enough: https://www.morganscloud.com/category/storm-tactics/online-book-heavy-weather/