I,m new to using drogues, is the term collapsable usally refering to a midle rope. "if yes" could one be added to a drogue that come without one when new? I,ve also read of using drogues to help steer the boat on a drift ? can anyone offer any advice on this ? Thanks for any help or advice Alan

I'm no expert but have used them, I think collapsible refers to being able to collapse the drogue before drawing it back into the boat prior to a move to another drift area. Not sure about middle rope-maybe that collapses it?

Help steering yes, easier to understand that one-the position of the drouge dictates the angle of the drift. If the angle of the drift does not suit you move the drogue left or right and see what happens.

I experimented once or twice with a middle rope to collapse the drogue.WHAT A NIGHTMARE! the twisting was horrendous!

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an interesting mix of apathy and panic

Clive M

If you have a twin rope drogue which is attached to the side of the boat at two separate points on the upwind side.Pulling on one of the ropes will collapse the drogue and allow for an easy retrieve using both ropes.You can collapse a twin rope drogue using the boat and tow it behind but advise you are fully competent and at ease with drogue use otherwise could end in tears.Whilst you are learning just pull it in to be on the safe side.

A drogue attached via a single rope/webbing strap needs to be pulled to the boat until you can reach one of the four corner straps which when pulled will collapse it and pull into the boat.

Boat Fishing For Trout by Steve Parton will take all the mystery out of various devices used to control boats on the drift.Very reasonable via Amazon.

Best JP

Don't use them much either but think the basics are
Conventional drouges had 4 short cords/straps attached to a central ring which was then attached to a long cord which was fixed centrally on the boat. Pulling it in took a bit of effort as the drouge remained open, some drift adjustment could be made by moving the tie point on the boat. An extra rope could be attached which allowed the drouge to be collapsed and easier to pull back in.
Para drouges are usually rectangular rather than square but the cord set up is the main difference. 2 short cords (often straps) go to one ring and the other 2 go to another ring (rectangular the short sides stay together). There are 2 long cords, one to each ring. The long cords are attached to opposite ends of the boat. Pulling either side easily collapses the drogue for retrieval. Shifting the tie points along the side of the boat changes the angle of the drift (G clamps used rather than finding tie points on the boat). The boat can be driven without retrieving the drouge as the front rope will effectively be the length of the boat shorter than the other which keeps the drouge collapsed. When turning the boat have to be careful to turn away from the rope side, safer to bring it in especially for longer runs. Cords are often brightly coloured to improve their visibility.
Hope makes sense, it is much simpler than it sounds!

Johnis quite right. Do take care when motoring off as it's very easy to wrap the drogue or the ropes around the prop until you have some experience. Reversing the boat is easier. But I would always advise taking the drogue if moving any distance.
If the 2 rope drogue (para drogue, rectangular drogue) is set with cleats bolted to the G clamps you can easliy adjust the length of the ropes and so adjust the angle of the drift as you go.
I use small sailing cleats or fender cleats obtained from a yacht chandlers.

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Andrew W

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets." Arthur Miller

I'd recommend the two-rope drogue, also referred to as a para-drogue - I use a Wychwood one. A useful tip is to add something weighty to the drogue straps to help it sink and set more quickly, I use a couple of small chunky metal spring clips, but have seen others replace the supplied rope with a sinking rope.

It's a good tip, as has been said here, to attach it to the boat with G clamps. Rarely, at least in my experience, will the boat drift straight down the wind, but with little movements of your g-clamps or adjustment of the length of the cords you can set your drift straight and maintain better control of your flies.

I like Andrew w's tip about cleats for adjusting the rope length - I'm off to buy some now.

cheers
Brian

The drogue i,m using is the parachute type, there are four straps the left and right sides go to a central ring. Foosandtrout did you get anything sorted out to collaps it ?. John what you,re saying about having to pull it to you is what i,m trying to get around. I thought with tying a midle cord i,d be able to collaps it right away but foosandtrout has tried that. I,m now thinking that maybe a cord on one of the top corners may be the answer ?. can anyone answer this. Also does the length of the rope make any difrence there,s about 30ft of rope on it but i only ever use 10-15ft max. thanks everyone for there advice.

Very interesting thread, I;m interested in learning more about boat handling too, hoping to get a copy of the Steve Parton book soon, in the meantime though is it possible to re-rope a single tether drogue to make a 2 tether (para drogue)? Or would I need to invest in a new drogue if I wanted two anchor points?

Cheers

If the 4 ropes from the drogue go to a central ring it is not a para. For a para there should be 2 rings each with 2 ropes going to them. Both rings then have their own rope going to the boat, one to the front and one to the back of the boat. When in use, if you pull either rope, that side of the drogue moves towards you and it collapses. That set up will cause less tangles and problems than a extra rope to help collapse it.
I do not think there is any reason why a standard drogue can't be changed to a para by changing the rope arrangement. An extra ring and another bit of cord is all that it would need.