I have found this thread extremely useful, especially the coast guard report on drogues. It looked like the contributor scanned this document so super thanks to Ron Rogers. Reading the thread and the coast guard doc, a few questions arise. I understood the coast guard report to say that bow deployed (parachute) sea anchors failed because between (large) waves the line went slack (as one's boat merrily sped down the "hill"), thus turning the boat broadside to the oncoming breaking wave. This issue seems to be independent of parachute vs cones. If my boat is going down a hill, neither line will stay tight. Thus, I would surmise that in really big waves nothing will save your butt with your bow into the waves. (Separately I have read that this tipping point (pun intended) is when the waves are the length of your boat.) However, in less than really big waves, the parachute, and perhaps the cones, will allow a powerboat to keep the bow into the waves if the engine is lost or some such. Not integral to heavy weather, but relevant. Right so far? Now, back to the case of the really big waves. I think the surmise is that you are better off with your stern facing the following big waves because when it passes under you: >you do not slid down the forward side because the drogue is holding you, >the breaking wave somehow does not break over you (?), or it is not so bad because your buoyant stern tries to rise above it, >and you do not broach backwards(?) on the backside of the really big hill passing under you because.....? The only answer I can think of on this last question is that the necessary(?) speed of the boat backwards down the hill is much, much less than forward down the hill, and perhaps in relation to an implied wave direction current, thus keeping the drogue line tight and the boat properly aligned relative the next oncoming, breaking wave. The coast guard report also said something to the effect that parachutes attached to the stern would go slack relative to cones, but I did not quite follow that. I strikes me that the cones are very elegant esp with spectra but $$$$$ and their main advantage is in the most extreme conditions. I have a strong parachute, but I now think of this as a "not big wave" thing. My major take-away, btw, is to stay the hell away from big waves. For me, this is very practical. For fisherman, probably not. Anyone know if Linda x, the "perfect storm" friend has a set of cones or a parachute or nothing??? Have I got this stuff right or what did I miss? Bill Bane "Satchmo" Nordhavn 46 Kemer Turkey -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.0.0/752 - Release Date: 4/8/2007 8:34 PM