And mine too, actually. I've demonstrated it to myself dragging a couple lobster traps. Dead or at least deep down wind, sure, but how much good will that do it your destination is off the wind, even a bit? I'd like to hear what you find, Larry. Would this idea have saved the racing boat in the thread? Maybe, a good anchor may have too. These two incidents back to back show that rudder is important.

I see you slowly heading up as you move the rig to an ama, and then you stall and drift dead down wind, sails all full, what now? Pull in the drogue, try it again, stall, ... repeat this 10 times,....

I've tried to sail my boat not using the rudder. Except for beating into the wind, for short durations, I've had no luck. I know I could go dead down wind just throwing tied stuff off the back. I'm trying to think when that might be handy for me where/how I sail.

I lost steering once due to a failed turning block for the cables. We were in Nantucket Sound between reefs. Without an emergency tiller, our only other chance,if the emergency tiller failed or wasn't tested to fit, was our anchor(s). We'd have been ok, probably....

I was able to get the boat an hour plus to a safe harbor, and then I was spent! Emergency tillers like mine, are emergency, and only that. Good to know it will work.