Thinking about Stabilizers?

Tossed around on your boat it’s not a big problem anymore. Nowadays there are more ways than ever to keep your boat from rocking.

Marine stabilization systems are a big business, and many manufacturers set the competence on to keep your boat stable and able. However, with a large number of options, all demonstrating different advantages, choosing the right one for your boat/yacht can be difficult.

To help you simplify the decision on how to select the best stabilizer option for your yacht, we’ve grouped stabilizers on two main types for a simple comparative analysis:

• Fin stabilizers: Fin or small wing mounted on a ship that emerge laterally in such a way as to oppose unwanted rolling motions and contribute to its stability.

• Gyroscopic stabilizers: It is a computer controlled gyroscope, which iscomprised of a flywheel that spins at speeds of up to 10,700 RPM and is tilted fore and aft in a range of up to 140 degrees to counteract the wave motion imposed on a yacht. 

Benefits of Gyro Stabilizers:

• Greatly reduces the rocking motion of the boat and it comes in applications from 30′ to over 100′.
•  Gyros supplies much greater stabilization per pound than inert counterweight. 
•  Gyros are always located inside the hull where there is no risk of damage.
•  Comes in many different sizes and will work in multiple configurations depending on a yacht’s layout.

Things to consider about Gyro Stabilizers:

•  They take time to speed up.
•   Pan and tilt speed is limited.
•   Due to size, it could take a considerable amount space in the yacht.
•   Its cost is high due to  its advanced system

Benefits of Fin Stabilizers:

• They take up minimal interior yacht space.
• They don’t need warm up time, they can be turned on and start working immediately.
• They don’t run out of energy, but once the rams involved have reached the full extent of their travel, they can’t extract any more energy until the boat starts to roll in the other direction. 

Things to consider about Fin Stabilizers:

•  Fins are submerged and this makes them a lot more difficult to repair, which generally means an increase repair costs.

Which stabilizer suits you?

• High speed sports yachts: Gyro systems are good because they don’t require mounting external fins and usually need only electrical power and room to mount.
• Trawler type boats: These will most likely suit active fin stabilizers as their first line of stabilization technology. 
•  Boats at anchor: Zero–speed stabilization could fit perfectly this kind of boat, because this system uses the paravane rigging to deploy a special piece of gear that will sink easily and without resistance. A gyro system, which can also be used at speed; might be adequate enough for smaller boats in quieter anchorages.

Advances mean that stabilizers are improving at all the time. With a little more exploration, you can find the perfect system for your boat that will keep her steady, ready, and raring to go. Depending on the type of yacht you own, its layout and its intended use, – fin and gyro –should come out as the better option.

If you would like to install a Gyro stabilizer on your boat, please feel free to contact Whiticar, we can find and install your boat stabilizer, ship stabilizer, motor catamaran stabilizer, planning hull stabilizer, and a sport fishing boat stabilizer that effectively eliminates roll, list, and pitch motions.

Whiticar offers you a guaranteed product and services, we’ve partnered with Seakeeper Stabilizers, -the world leader in active gyro stabilizer technology for the leisure yacht and commercial marine industry- With Seakeeper we ensure you a pleasant navigation without the worry of spills and splashes, and the risk of motion sickness by simply eliminating between the 70 and 90% of exhausting and dangerous boat roll.

If you want to learn more about Whiticar’s work, we invite you to check out the stabilizer work done on the Boomer at https://youtu.be/8RHy6YUyMbU. This was the first major sea trial of the Seakeeper Model 26 gyro stabilizer newly installed on the Whiticar 76' Sportfish "The Boomer".

For more information, feel free to contact Whiticar Boat yard at: (772) 287-2883 or visit our website http://whiticar.com/