Anyone ever use a drogue chute/sea anchor?

[longboarder1973]

Has anyone used a drogue chute while they trained?
I have been thinking of using one for training or maybe even when I am you paddling with someone that is of a different level or board size?
I would think this would be a great training aide but I never see anyone using one...
I often see a Hobie drogue chute for sale online, but it is made for their sea kayak...I am sure I could use it for SUP...

Thoughts???

[JC50]

Or, find a bungie long enough to wrap around board just in front of your feet. Find some old tennis balls and puncture hole though them (careful with that knife...). Thread bungie though tennis balls (try 2 or 3 to start) and wrap the bungie around board with balls underneath. Go for paddle, add/subtract balls for desired resistance.

[PonoBill]

Hmmm, I like the tennis ball idea, I need to try that.

I experimented with a self-deploying drogue chute for downwinders that deployed if your leash got separated from the board. It worked, but was too much trouble, and I had problems keeping it open--swells wad it up. In that case it was just better to just work on the swimming.

[JC50]

Hmmm, I like the tennis ball idea, I need to try that.

If you do, please tell us how it worked out on a SUP. I learned that from OC1 sprint training. Worked great and just one ball provided surprising resistance, two or more was like pulling a barge. Just know that the rig will sink! Went through a couple of 'em after fumbling around to attach/unattach while underway...LOL.

[PonoBill]

I think the problem with a drogue chute in swell is that it will jellyfish--that is, open and close in the swells, giving you big yanks. It might be fine in flatter water

[pdxmike]

I think the problem with a drogue chute in swell is that it will jellyfish--that is, open and close in the swells, giving you big yanks. It might be fine in flatter water

Good point.  In fact, lots of people in crowded surf areas all over the world would say that's already a problem--too many big yanks in the water. 

I've always wondered if people ever considered using something like that for paddle training.  For swimming, I've used 5-gallon buckets (with some holes drilled in the bottom) attached with a cord to a waist tether, or a cord with several sponges hung off it.  Either adds tremendous resistance.

The tennis ball bungee sounds great, as does using one for resistance for paddling with a slower person, not that I've ever been a position to need that.  It also seems like a few minutes of paddling with a chute or tennis-ball cord would be great for strength training. 

[colas]

Actually, now I train by doing distance on my surfing SUPs: 6'9" (or pointy nose 7'10" if some chop). There are 2 benefits: It is insanely useful for surfing, and workouts are more intense and take less time.
Drawback is that a different stroke works best (slower & longuer movement, upper hand more to the side)
I also use it when cruising with my daughters on 9+ boards.

[mrl]

I know if you leave on your fin cover and go paddling it does a great job of slowing you down. Just wish it had been intentional. LOL

[PonoBill]

I can also say for certain that full salad bar of Kelp works pretty well too.

[starman]

Heading into the wind works for me every time. Then, if you get to turn around, there is a reward for all your effort.

[longboarder1973]

Thanks for the suggestions...
JC50....dont the balls "roll" back when moving through the water?  I would think they would, even if you got them really tight around the board...but i like it, i may try it!
PDX...I have used a leash and my 2 year old son's beach pale...worked great with my sup, i would just secure it to the leash line...that is what I have been doing, but looking to upgrade.


THANKS AGAIN ALL~
Rick

[pdxmike]

Heading into the wind works for me every time. Then, if you get to turn around, there is a reward for all your effort.

How true.  On Thanksgiving, I did a short paddle--28 minutes into the wind and upriver, then turned around and only 6 minutes back--paddling only half the time. 

At one point in front of the houseboats, I was paddling into the wind, and actually moving backwards.  I'm sure the people inside watching were wondering what the point was.  Then if they saw me a few minutes later coming back, they'd understand.

[SEA]

Just throw an old bicycle tire or inner tube around nose of the board and paddle. We used to use car tires on the front of the 6 man canoe and push that. Same principle. I think I like paddling into the wind better. But for no wind days that will work great.

[Menlo SUPr]

I've got to say that I'm a bit amused that people spend thousands of dollars for the lightest, most hydrodynamic SUPs and then figure out ways to slow them down. I'm paddling for fun so I'm clearly not at the training level of many racers here, but it did strike me as funny.

[PonoBill]

In my case it has to do with a lack of discipline. Some folks can paddle longer on day two than day one. I see the distance I did on day one click over and I'm done. Doing something semi-automatic that made it harder to do day one's distance on day two is the ticket.

Yes, you'd think my little lizard brain way down there somewhere would not be fooled by this trick, but it always is.