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.

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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

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Etymology

Origin of sea anchor

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

Using sea anchors, she ensured that those buoys drifted with the surface currents, free from the disruptive influence of wind or waves.

From Science Daily

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

From Washington Times

“In the worst storms, we put out a sea anchor,” essentially a parachute; the currents fill up the parachute, and basically hold the boat in place.

From New York Times

Ultimately, he said, a net can so impede the flow of water it acts like a sea anchor — and even a wall.

From Seattle Times

“Spent the night drifting under sea anchor,” it read, “4.5 miles closer to making history.”

From The Guardian