Remember Chief Engineer Scotty on Star Trek? “I canna change the laws of physics, cap’n!”
The folks at Seakeeper keep trying, though!
Not really. It would be more accurate to say they’re pitting one sort of physics against another. The goal is to minimize boat roll.
Actually, the unit looks like it could be a Romulan cloaking device, but I digress.
It’s actually the Seakeeper gyroscopic boat stabilization system, and I’ve got to say that the video on the website is really stunning. If you’ve got a tender tummy, or crew with tender tummies, you might want to take note of this product!
Oh, and just to keep the sci-fi references coming, please note that in a YouTube video about the product, narrator Steve Larivee describes how the unit “spools up”, just like the FTL drive on Battlestar Galactica! It would be worth buying this device just so you could tell your guests “I’m spooling up the gyro stabilizer…set Condition One throughout the ship.”
OK, I’m a hopeless geek. The rest of this post is pure press release. Enjoy:
Now trawler owners can enjoy the adventure of voyaging or living aboard without nauseating boat rock and roll. Delivering a powerful righting force, the advanced Seakeeper Gyro Stabilization System ensures smooth cruising in any condition. Even in the roughest waves and zero and low speeds, it remains effective.
Employing the principles of gyro-dynamics, the high-tech Seakeeper Gyro spins a forged, high-strength steel flywheel at 10,000 rpm in a near-vacuum to generate an unmatched 7,000 Newton meter seconds of angular momentum. Completely internal, it has no drag-producing protrusions from the hull that can be damaged from impact or snag seaweed.
Speed independent, the versatile Seakeeper Gyro works just as well at anchor as it does underway, unlike fin-based, roll stabilization systems whose performance decreases sharply at less than cruising speed.
Ideal for planing or displacement boats, it is actively controlled by state-of-the-art motion sensors and computer processors to optimize torque.
Operating in a near-vacuum enables the Seakeeper Gyro to spin at much higher speeds than traditional gyros. This produces more angular momentum or righting force for increased roll reduction performance. Since air friction is decreased, the innovative unit consumes less power, produces less heat, demands less cooling and weighs significantly less than other products on the market.
Not susceptible to the harsh marine environment or corrosion, the low-maintenance gyro’s main components are sealed inside a cast aluminum enclosure. It also features an active hydraulic brake, heavy-duty gimbal shafts and bearings and sturdy, cast aluminum saddle beams. Status and diagnostic information can be easily accessed from the display panel and keypad.
Designed for craft up to 60′ in length and/or 60,000 lbs. displacement, the Seakeeper Model 7000 Gyro measures merely 38.5″ L x 30.7″ W x 26.5″ H and weighs only 1,000 lbs. Larger trawlers are fitted with multiple units. The compact gyro can be installed as a boat is being built or retrofitted into an existing vessel. Incredibly efficient, the economical unit requires just 1.5-2 kW to operate.
From the leader in internal stabilization technology, the Seakeeper Model 7000 Gyro has suggested retail prices starting at $79,000.
