Designed for: Commercial fishing industry – tough and cost effective.

Application: PARAFISH Para Anchors are used where it is too deep for a ground anchor.

Parafish Specific uses:
Squid Jigging or Cuttle Fishing
Long Lining / Gill Nets
Drift fishing
Pole Fishing/ Trawler Fishing
Life saving / riding out storms
Cost and time saving

Size range: 33 Parafish sizes available, ranging from 2.5m in diameter up to the large 60-metre diameter model. See our Parafish size chart.

Parafish Features: Feature for feature the Parafish is unsurpassed worldwide. The result of years of research and development, it combines innovative Kiwi hydro-engineering with the best materials on the market. Please note: We are happy to review your existing Sea Anchor and rigging, and make recommendations on how you can get the most out of your Coppins Sea Anchor or drogue.

Accessories: Coppins Sea Anchors are supplied fully equipped, thoroughly tested and ready for use. Additionally, we carry a full range of accessories for use with Sea Anchors and Drogues.

Engineering / Innovation Notes: The Coppins design team has designed and constructed these anchors so the entire piece of fabric is used to its fullest potential. Larger Para Sea Anchors are a substantial investment, so every square centimeter has been designed to work hard. The Parafish Sea Anchor has the Coppins unique adjustable throat of the Parafish, located at the centre of the canopy works as a valve and self adjusts to the weather conditions. The throat opens and closes in response to changing pressure, allowing the Parafish to function efficiently in a range of conditions. In calmer conditions water flow through the throat is restricted, but as conditions worsen the throat automatically enlarges, allowing more water to escape.

At first it was a case of understanding the hydrodynamics of water and the currents and forces that are created, then designing and shaping the Para Anchor so the hydrodynamics would work with the Para Anchor to create maximum drag.

It was not just a case of holding volumes of water to create drag, it was the shaping of the Para Anchor to direct water movement creating pressure in front of the Para Anchor and eddies on the back side of the Para Anchor. Much like an aeroplane wing creates maximum lift, the PARAFISH Para Anchor creates maximum drag.

The understanding of hydrodynamics made a more effective Para Anchor. It also made it cost efficient, reducing the total weight, more user friendly and eliminated pressure points to make an overall stronger product.

ADVANTAGES: The adjustable throat reduces strain on both boat and Para Anchor.
It will also smooth out wave fluctuations and allows the Parafish to be used in a wide range of weather conditions.

	W A Coppins has won the Supreme Award of the Outdoor Fabric Products Association in 1998, 2001 and 2002. This is the highest award in New Zealand for the Outdoor Fabric Products Association for design and quality.

Industrial Fabric Association - International Excellence Award 'Congratulations you are an Award of Excellence winner! Your project, Para Anchor........ is being recognised as the best project submitted....... Professionals from 94 companies in 12 countries entered 293 projects this year. We acknowledge your project as being one chosen for defying design boundaries to produce unique, innovative and functional products.' Internationally, this is the highest award that can be achieved within our industry.

• Holding station
• Reducing drift
• Saving valuable time
• Saving fuel costs
• Reducing crew fatigue
• Reducing wear and tear on gear
• Reducing roll and pitch
• Creating better working conditions
• Resting up overnight
• Riding out heavy weather
• Lifesaving in storm conditions
• Breakdowns
• Drift fishing
• Transfer of crew or gear
• Resting crew in storm conditions

LONG LINING / GILL NETS
The PARAFISH Sea Anchor is used to hold station while the long lines and gill nets are catching fish. The Sea Anchor stabilises the boat, reducing pitching and rolling, allowing the crew to rest up or carry on with their job on board with more comfort. The Sea Anchor also saves having to motor back to the long lines or gill net thus saving precious time, fuel, running costs and general wear and tear.

DRIFT FISHING
The PARAFISH Para Anchor reduces drift and keeps the boat pointed into the wind allowing the lines to be set as they should, reducing pitching and rolling. Altering the adjustable throat, a feature unique to the PARAFISH Para Anchor, will control drift.

POLE FISHING / TRAWLER FISHING
Any boat that wishes to hold station overnight creating comfort, and a good night's rest can use the PARAFISH Para Anchor. The Para Anchor can save up to two hours steaming back to the fishing grounds the next morning.

LIFE SAVING / RIDING OUT STORMS
Para Anchors have more than proved themselves in stormy conditions, reducing fatigue or even total exhaustion and saving many lives. We have two or three crews a year tell us how the COPPINS Para Anchors saved their lives. See the SOS section for true stories.

COST AND TIME SAVING
Imagine this: The crew having a rough night without a Para Anchor, the next morning feeling tired and having to return to the fishing grounds.

To give you an example, a boat can drift up to 2.5 knots per hour. Over seven hours that would amount to 20 miles or 32 km drift. If for example the cruising speed of the fishing boat is 10 knots that equates to nearly two hours good fishing time wasted every morning, and on top of that, the fuel and running costs of the boat. It would amount to thousands of dollars over a season. In fact some fisherman have paid for their PARAFISH Para Anchor in just two trips.

Summary of Parafish Components

• Sealux high tenacity ripstop nylon - This fabric is specially designed for Coppins Parafish Para Anchor and is the strongest nylon developed to date for Para Anchors (4.6 times stronger than nylon used by other brands). All panels are bias cut, weft to warp, diagonally across the cloth, rather than along the length of the panel that is the natural grain and tear line. This multiplies their strength, yet allows the Parafish to stretch and move in the direction of the forces giving a natural buffer in extreme conditions. This makes the Parafish stronger than other anchors cut in the conventional way and increases the tear strength of the stitch by five times that of any other Para Anchor on the market.
  
• Recovery Float - Made in four sizes from an extra heavy duty PVC outer skin and filled with foam. It cannot absorb water and will not deflate. The float would have to be totally cut into pieces before it no longer can perform it’s function. Very important in setting or recovering a Para Anchor, helps to keep the trip line free of the main rode reducing chances of fouling or tangling, identifies its location beneath the sea, and prevents the Para Anchor dropping too deep in light conditions.
• Rode - Made from braided nylon which doesn't want to unlay like other three strand rope. The nylon has more give than other types of rope, reducing the strain on both boat and Para Anchor acting as a natural spring. All rodes come set up ready to use with stainless steel thimbles spliced in.
• Trip Line - Used to collapse and retrieve the Para Anchor. Made from floating polypropylene rope, allowing the line to float on the surface between the float and vessel, ensuring the line does not sink, foul or tangle with anchor shrouds or rode.
• Drop Line - A line attached to center or throat of the Para Anchor and runs up the float. It is a very important part of the set-up, especially in larger Anchors. If this line detaches from the float it makes the Para Anchor almost impossible to retrieve. All shackles must be checked and wried to eliminate this problem.
• Weighted Drop Line - a weight placed just back from the bottom of Para Anchor end helps to sink and set the Para Anchor quickly after deployment. It keeps the drop line straight and out of the way of the Para Anchor. The Coppins designed weight is built around the drop line and concealed in a smooth finished synthetic cover eliminating snagging and chafe of the Para Anchor.