Is it really needed to have something that big.

How many feet down is what I mean

Does this hang strait down off the side of the boat?

When being used how many attachments points are there and where are they located?

Does anyone know Jerry Hancock?
So far as I know he was the first one to use one, may have been the pioneer or inventor.
He had one of these about 20 years ago and used it in his guide service when drifting.

Agree, Jerry was the guy that showed me how to build one too when he used to guide. Sucks that he went full blown crappie fishing because he was pretty dang good at catfishing and knows Lavon about as good as anyone.

Still a lot of unanswered questions here from several members:

How does this attach to the boat? It is hung directly over the side or does it attach by a single rope dragging may feet behind it.

How deep does it go?

How do you keep the boat broadside with the wind or DO you?

Is something this size necessary for proper drift speed?

eagerly awaiting answers

Chase well answer them when he gets back from shooting bambie

Still a lot of unanswered questions here from several members:

How does this attach to the boat? It is hung directly over the side or does it attach by a single rope dragging may feet behind it.

>>In the picture, you tie a string around the golf balls on the upper corners then faster these string to the cleats at the front and rear of boat. The chute hangs straight down over the side. In windier days, the middle rope can be ran under the boat and pull/tied off so the chute remains straight down.

How deep does it go?

>> Normally you want the top of the chute to be just below the bottom of the boat to generate the most drag. I will raise or lower mine to either speed up (raise) or lower (slow down) the drift speed.

How do you keep the boat broadside with the wind or DO you?

>> With the chute attached to the front and rear of the boat, it will drift fairly broadside. You can used the trim on the engine to raise or lower to assist in keeping the boat broadside to the waves.

Is something this size necessary for proper drift speed?

The front and back ropes control the depth of the chute and the middle rope is used on days when the bottom of the chute wants to rise up (windy days). The middle rope is ran under the boat and pull so the chute is straight down then its tied off to something.

This a a 17 ft tracker and the chute is 10ft long and ~6ft tall. I current have a 18ft tracker targa with 12ft chute. I originally had a 14ft chute fill with gravel but it was just to heavy. I have gravel to add aditional weight to the pipe to it doesn't try to rise as much.

Hope the picture helps.

Nice job on the write up!

Why do you want that long rope in the middle to slide? And it's a good write up

Middle rope serves two purposes. 1) it can be used to pull the chute up, 2) on windy days, it keeps the chute from drifting up.

On windy days, the chute will try to rise up as you drift. As it rises, less drag is generated. The weight of the pipe wil determine when the middle rope is used during the drift. You take the middle rope and run it under the boat and move it midway down the boat. Then pull the rope until the chute is straight down again and tie the rope off.

On less windy days, the middle rope isn't needed to hold the chute down.

Very awesome Chase and William!

I understand all about it. On the middle rope hook it to the bottom of the pipe and run it under the boat the the opposite side. Correct. Ok now if you have the shoot dropped and you need the middle rope hooked to the other side. I assume you just just drop the rope down and then somehow fish it up to be tied of correct. Hope this makes since what I am trying to ask. Basically how to get it to the other side when starting a drift.

When you have your two corners tied off to the cleats you then take the middle rope under the front cleat and walk the rope up to the bow and under and the go back to the middle of the boat and tie it off.

Ok that is what I figured just didnt know if it would be smart with rope tied under the boat as I am traveling. Now got it. Stop boat at drifting location. Bring it from drift side around bow and tie off in middle opposite side. Thanks Makes at lot more since now

I have a 15' tri hull I use the same chute only mine is 10 foot In a stiff wind I can put her under .2

Anyone fabbed one for a pontoon? My 20' catches wind like it's a giant sail. Figured I'd shoot for more than 10', maybe 12 or 13. But I guess you could get too long and it'd be too much on less windy days?

a ten footer takes the place of two 36 inch chutes on my 24 ft toon

So that works ok for you then? I've never used a chute on my boat so not sure what is enough.

yes sir they work. bigger wouldnt hurt nothing if you have the storage room along one rail. if you wind up going too slow you can just raise the curtain.

I started out with a 14ft filled full of rocks but that was just tooooo heavy so I cut mine down to 12ft. On less windy day, I raise the sail up so less is in the water.

I use the same set up but I use a heavy duty tarp. Prolly won't hold up as long as the materal Chase used, but it works fine for me. The big chute keeps the boat pretty broadside to the wind but on real windy days or when the wind keeps shifting, using the trolling motor helps keep you broadside.