sea anchor

American  

noun

Nautical.

1. any of various devices, as a drogue, that have great resistance to being pulled through the water and are dropped forward of a vessel at the end of a cable to hold the bow into the wind or sea during a storm.

---

sea anchor British  

noun

1. nautical any device, such as a bucket or canvas funnel, dragged in the water to keep a vessel heading into the wind or reduce drifting

---

Etymology

Origin of sea anchor

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

It was a six-man orange life raft with a sea anchor inside and no visible marine growth or markings.

From Washington Times • Nov. 9, 2020

A sea anchor that reduces their speed to about 2 knots, too slow to escape a ship.

From Scientific American • Aug. 9, 2013

He made an all-important sea anchor out of a life jacket, paddles out of his own shoes.

From Time Magazine Archive

By adding a sea anchor on windy days, it will keep a nice bait spread while drifting across or along the edge.

From Time Magazine Archive

Stream your sea anchor full out to make your lifeboat as sta­ble and comfortable as possible.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel