Yacht Stabilizers: Gyro vs. Fins Pros & Cons: & Important Safety Information About Fin Stabilizers!!
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- čas přidán 18. 05. 2023
- Chris explains the Pros and Cons of the two type of stabilizers used on boats and yachts. Stabilizers DRAMATICALLY reduce side-to-side roll on a boat, improving Safety and Comfort while Cruising or at Anchor. There are important differences to these two systems. AND; It is important to note some potential safety problems associated with Fin Stabilizers.
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![Do boat STABILIZERS actually work? Watch our test WITH & WITHOUT them to find out! [MV FREEDOM]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/F5sNFciO8SU/mqdefault.jpg)
When we decided to put stabilizers on our boat (50' trawler) we basically looked at all the available options and these were our findings
1. Gyro - high electricity usage (3 - 4 Kw), long spool up time, uses a lot of space onboard, maintenance difficult due to heavy weight, requires change of bearings every 3000 - 5000 hours, which means taking it apart and since we use the boat 8 - 9 months per year it means changing the bearings every single year.
2. Magnus rotor - great system, easy to install, but does not work at zero speed, so no stabilization on anchor. We spend a lot of time on anchor and we also want stabilization then. Other than that it is a great system
3. Hydraulic fins - require a hydraulic pump to be operating all the time and since those are mostly engine driven it would mean running the engine almost continuously. Can also be a separate hydraulic pump, driven via the generator, but that will use a lot of electrical power. On top of that lots of hydraulic hoses, lines, too many items that can go wrong or break down when you don't want it. Hydraulic pump does take up a lot of space.
4. Pneumatic fins - require a large compressor and lots of pneumatic lines, air dryers etc. Electricity usage is quite high (4 Kw for our boat), which meant we could not run it via our solar panels or battery bank. It would require the generator to be run all the time in order to be able to get the power to run that compressor. And of course the compressor, tank etc take up a lot of space
5. Paravanes - great system, but you do need a mast in order to support the rigging. Also need to add ballast for stability. We don't have a mast, was no option to install one, so we decided against it, but would have been a great option.
6. Electric fins - strong, lightweight, easy installation, on requires an electrical motor (no hydraulic or pneumatic lines), no extra pumps necessary and uses minimal space. Takes 1 electrical box in the ER (size of 40 - 30 - 50 cm) and 1 smaller control box below the instrument panel in the pilot house. Rest are some electrical cables. System can run off 24 V or 220 V, choice is yours. Low electricity usage, works at all speeds, so also on anchor or at the dock. Maintenance is limited, requiring a new seal and some grease every 5000 hrs. No spool up time, work instantaneous when you switch them on. For us those were the deciding factors. We can run them off our solar panels and our battery bank, no generator required and work at all speeds under every condition. Other boaters advised us to size up when you go slow, so we took 1 size larger than advertised since we are a trawler and travel at speeds of 6 - 7 kts. As a result we have perfect stabilization of the boat with our CMC stab 25.
Whatever you may chose in stabilization, I can assure you that once you have stabilization you will never ever buy a boat again without stabilization. It opens up so many possibilities for you that you wish you had installed them earlier. Where otherwise you would perhaps stay in port due to weather you now happily take the boat out.
Wow! I really appreciate you providing this comprehensive overview!
You just saved me at least an hour of research! Thank you! 👍
Thank you for a actual users review. Thank your lucky stars you didnt go the Seakeeper Gyro, I can confirm, very high maintenance required on a seemingly endless basis, very high cost to maintain, very heavy, no chance of owner fixer, high initial cost, takes up a large footprint, high electrical load/needs generator to run, and as you said, long spool up time. I note there are a few boats for sale with the disclaimer along the lines of "seakeeper installed - but not working needs service" etc. for all the reasons outlined above.
It would appear that nobody from ARG Gyro Stabilisers responded to your very detailed information, so I just wanted to pop in and add one more thing.
Thank you for sharing your concerns about gyro stabilisers.Everything you have said has validity.
Just to clarify, a Gyro is not a Gyro - they cannot all be put in the same basket. For example - yes the ARG unit should have an inspection annually - just to check that all is running smoothly. But ARG Gyro Stabilisers are built with fewer points of failure and are designed for ease of maintenance. Our units do not require frequent bearing changes, and when maintenance is needed, it can be done in-situ by simply removing the cover and rotating the flywheel. This translates to less downtime and more time enjoying your boat.
Space onboard is always a premium. ARG Gyro Stabilisers are designed with a compact footprint, ensuring that they take up minimal space. Their efficient design allows for easy integration into a wide range of vessels, preserving valuable space for other uses. However - they will take up some room - so this is always a consideration.
Also spool up time is generally 30mins, so most of our owners just hit the button on the way to their destination and by the time they arrive it is fully functioning.
I have never owned a boat, i have never been to sea, I will probably never own a boat or take one to sea I even don't know how to swim, yet am here learning the difference between the both to see which one is better. 🤣
It's fun to learn about!
It is a rather esoteric subject for an avowed land lubber like your self. Coastal navigation might have more transferable skills for your chosen land borne lifestyle.
You can always dream....@@daveroberts7295
I love watching yacht videos on youtube because I'm just fascinated with the yacht lifestyle if living on a boat going from island to island. But the first time I stepped on a yacht, I was seasick all through out and swore never to step on a yacht again. I'd like to give it a chance with yachts that have these stabilizers.
They change the game, but do not eliminate motion, some people just can't enjoy boating if they are extremely sensitive....
Motor yacht is widely accepted term for large non-commercial privately owned boats.
TY, I'm going to start using the proper term...
We are adding both to our new build but going with the Quick gyro. Much better than the Sea Keeper. And instead of fins we are going with DMS MagnusMaster Twin Rotor System. A much better system verse hydraulic fins. Way less maintenance as well.
@kirkwilliams you may want to take a look at the CMC electric stabilizers. We were looking at the Magnus as well, but they don't work at zero speed. The CMC stabilizers work at zero speed and use very little power, we power ours with ease through our solar panels and battery bank, no need for a generator. Just remember, if you go slower than 10 kts take 1 size larger than advertised (this applies to all stabilizers) since they are calculated for 10 kts.
We looked at gyro's as well, but the electricity usage was enormous and the spool up time way too long. We needed an additional generator and 30 - 40 min spool up time. On top of that the bearings need to be changed every 5000 hours and since the gyro's are on 24 hr per day you will run through those 5000 hours in a heartbeat. Changing the bearings is a very costly and labor intensive process, requires complete disassembly of the gyro. That plus the enormous electricity usage made us decide to go with the electric fins and so far we are 100 % happy with them.
Good luck with your new build !👍
Interesting!
Beneteau uses the Quick gyro on the 62 grand trawler..... -why did you feel the quick was better than the Seakeeper?
Good commercial for gyro. But you forgot to mention how much Electrical energy it needs to spool and than when he works Hard.
Good Point - it requires generator power to run....
Gyro does not work at speed. Maybe at displacement speeds it can still do something, but its effect vanishes at around 20 knots because the forces on the boat's roll increase with speed. So if you want roll stabilization at planing speeds, fins are your only option because fins get stronger at speed because of the increased lift generated due to more water flow over the surfaces.
Fins are certainly more effective as speed increases, however, in my experience (at 30+ mph) a gyro does minimize roll at high speed as well...
What about west coast paravane type stabilizers? Non mechanical, non electrical. I have posted here but someone keeps deleting my post.
Per "Power & Motor Yacht"; paravanes have a very niche application for long-distance cruising at slow speeds: www.powerandmotoryacht.com/maintenance/paravanes-stabilizer-option
What about having both. On a 80ft. Bearing.
Excellent solution, if the boat (and & budget) can accommodate!
How maximum speed for motor yacht while on stabilizer?
No limit...
YES
What is the cost difference between hydraulic fin vrs gyro?
That depends on whether it is a new build or an aftermarket addition. For new builds the cost is comparable. However, retrofitting a Gyro is difficult, and often costly. For aftermarket installations, fins are much more cost-effective....
Do these work/are they needed on power cats?
No to both, and nor are they needed. One of the great advantages of Power Cats are that the extremely wide beam and Dual-Hull design are EXTREMELY stable and resistant to side-to-side roll...
Can you have both systems at the same time?
Some boats do have both, but you are adding some significant weight and mechanical complexity by doing so....
Do you know the fuel efficiency difference caused by the drag of stabilizer fins vs a gyroscope? I wonder if it would offset the added energy consumption caused by the gyroscope. Also, you said their used more on yachts under 75’, why is that?
Interesting point! Obviously large fins under the hull will incur considerable drag, but I've never seen that drag quantified. The reason gyro is more common under 75' feet is that the ability of current gyros to inhibit roll above 75' becomes a limiting factor. For example Seakeeper's largest unit (S40) is rated for 95% reduction up to 85 feet. And, that unit is a recent offering.
Many owners feel that a gyro is a superior solution regardless of size, but above 75', Capacity has been the limiting factor. www.seakeeper.com/seakeeper-products/seakeeper-40/
PS: The operating power requirements of even the biggest Gyro (S40) are only 1,900 - 4,400 Watts. That's minimal power draw for a yacht.
@@ChrisYachtSales I follow NautiStyles/Guys on CZcams and they did a tour of the Seakeeper manufacturing facility recently, some of those gyros are massive (several meters across) but they didn’t delve too deeply into the issues facing larger boats. I posed the same question to them on said video but didn’t get a detailed answer like yours. If I were managing Seakeeper I’d probably look into a study that compares the two. Fuel is a major expense and a more efficient yacht could be a good selling point to add to the gyro list.
@@ChrisYachtSales I stand corrected, they toured the facility of Veem Marine in Australia, not Seakeeper. They claim their second largest gyros used as a trio are for ships up to 3000 tons. That’s a big gyro for a big ship.
czcams.com/video/YFb8tU84Vck/video.htmlsi=YQ9cLn4awVB4lezX
@@christopherbaas1774 Agreed! More to come on this issue....
This summary seems to ignore the range of 'cons' which must be faced retrofitting one of these systems in a yacht. The 'high tech' Seakeeper type' system seems appealing until a foot print for it must be found, the power needed is considered, the install cost & time is identified, and all this compared with modern *electric* fin systems.
I completely agree; Seakeeper is most applicable in New Builds, retrofit of fins is Definitely a more viable option...
Can you have both?
That's an excellent question Jonathan, and the answer is YES, you can use both systems on the same boat.
You can 2 gyros also
I just don't worry about it . just go fishing and the rocking puts me to sleep. Fish wakes me up or tree.😃
a true waterman....
I had a 52 nevetta. Gyro works ok with 6-12” seas. Get above that. They hardly work at all. Our new boat has fins. Much better for higher seas
Thanks for sharing your experience with both options!
Why repeat your points instead of talking about maintenance and costs?
Good idea, I will take that into account in the future
To distract from realizing it's clickbait with the lack of cons for gyro...
if ya dont like the rocking,, dont buy a boat
Well, some wives, girlfriends and other loved ones struggle with seasickness; often a Seakeeper allows them to enjoy boating as well!
@@ChrisYachtSales is there a seakeeper unit that can be installed and work on a 35-40' monohull sailboat, so that when running under engine power in rollers it can stabilize the hull a bit ? I can easily controll my pitch/roll quite well under sail , but motoring isnt as easy.
@@SailProMarina I'm sorry, I'm not well versed on sail applications. I would contact the Seakeeper factory for that question....
Yachts have sails...these are Power boats... Terminology counts.
You are technically correct Peter, however customers call these "Yachts", so I need to work in the language of my customers....