Seakeeper...

[Steve S]

Has anyone seen this in action? Or how much it will cost?

https://seakeeper.com/

 

[Maggieiscrazy]

Seakeeper has their prices listed on their website. The smallest one is good for a 30-39 foot boat and cost $27,700. Sea rays L650 has 2 Seakeeper gyros. From what I understand they draw a lot of power.

 

[Steve S]

Seakeeper has their prices listed on their website. The smallest one is good for a 30-39 foot boat and cost $27,700. Sea rays L650 has 2 Seakeeper gyros. From what I understand they draw a lot of power.

From the video I saw it draws 1.0 Kw of power. For my 400DB it would be over $42K plus installation... Starting to approach 35%-40% of my boats value.

 

[Maggieiscrazy]

Way too much $$ for me. Pretty neat though!

 

[Steve S]

Way too much $$ for me. Pretty neat though!

Yep. Way too much for me also.

 

[Sea Gull]

As stated previously, we have two SK 9s aboard Sea Gull. The work as advertised and I doubt I’ll ever own a boat without them again.

They do draw a bit of power, which is a non issue with a properly sized generator. They are also heavy and take up space, which should be taken into account.

Anyone who wants a demo is welcome to meet us as we cruise from the Bahamas to Maine and back this year. Lunch in 4-6 footers anyone?

 

[Alegria]

Neat I'm in Sea Gull... LOL

You can't argue with the laws of physics. They are actually manufactured in a converted sewing factory outside of Reading, PA. I noticed they were a $93K option on the L550 @ the Annapolis Show. I noted the location when I was looking around for a new job and saw a posting in Indeed for an engineer with SeaKeeper close to me.

Never got an interview, my background did not really lend me to their search as I am 100% power. But was hoping to at least get a factory tour!!!

 

[b_arrington]

Seakeeper has their prices listed on their website. The smallest one is good for a 30-39 foot boat and cost $27,700. Sea rays L650 has 2 Seakeeper gyros. From what I understand they draw a lot of power.

Looks like they have a smaller one now, the Seakeeper 2. For boats 27'-32', $22,700. Neat tech, but way beyond my needs or costs.

Did anyone notice the spin-up times? Even for the smallest unit it's 35 minutes, and most are near an hour. I guess you don't flip them on and off. Reminds me of my dad telling me about activating the gyro-based inertial navigation units on Navy destroyers before leaving port, which would also take quite a while.

 

[AKBASSKING]

Wish I had room. But very expensive and beyond my pocket book. Yes start times are long. I am told most folks that own these spool them up at the dock before they leave.

 

[mobocracy]

Do they work better than the hydraulic stabilizer fin technology used on so many boats?

I can see where they are better in that there's no expensive protrusion underwater to be damaged, but then again I'd imagine there's someone with pod drives justifying their SeaKeeper for this reason.

The power consumption seems to be the biggest drawback, IMHO, as you need generator power to get any stabilization. Although I would imagine that most boats equipped with them run generators continuously anyway.

 

[Maggieiscrazy]

Do they work better than the hydraulic stabilizer fin technology used on so many boats?

I can see where they are better in that there's no expensive protrusion underwater to be damaged, but then again I'd imagine there's someone with pod drives justifying their SeaKeeper for this reason.

The power consumption seems to be the biggest drawback, IMHO, as you need generator power to get any stabilization. Although I would imagine that most boats equipped with them run generators continuously anyway.

One major drawback to stabilizer fins is that they only work when the boat is moving.

 

[my3sons]

I seem to recall something about they need to be installed in a decent build and then one that is capable of handling the loads stringer and framing wise. Thought I had heard one time that someone had one installed on a 50'ish Carver (not a bad boat) and it about tore the boat apart on a bad gulf stream crossing. May have been on a different forum.

 

[mobocracy]

One major drawback to stabilizer fins is that they only work when the boat is moving.

I'll admit to not knowing a damn thing about them, but I follow a blog of a cruising couple who have fins on their boat and they often describe their stabilizers working at anchor when sleeping in less than calm weather. I never thought twice about it, I guess it seemed to me they would have some kind of anti-roll effect.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Anyone who wants a demo is welcome to meet us as we cruise from the Bahamas to Maine and back this year. Lunch in 4-6 footers anyone?

I'm only familiar with these from advertisements, videos and such. But they sure do sound pretty amazing. Must be a neat feeling to see rough seas around you, yet relatively calm onboard.

Just out of curiosity, where 'bouts in Maine do you go? I'm in Friendship throughout parts of late Spring to early Fall every year.

 

[ttmott]

I've been at the helm on several boats with the Seakeeper stabilizers; both with them operating and shut down. They are hugely affective in cross seas and quartering seas. I was lucky enough to be at the helm of a new L590 with the Seakeeper in open ocean with quartering 3 to 4 foot seas. As expected the ride without the stabilizer operating wasn't uncomfortable but the boat was rolling. However, with the Seakeeper up and running that boat was like on rails; I was definitely impressed......

 

[Sea Gull]

Just out of curiosity, where 'bouts in Maine do you go? I'm in Friendship throughout parts of late Spring to early Fall every year.

We won’t get to Maine until late July, but Portland and Mt Desert are both on our cruise plan.

 

[Lazy Daze]

We won’t get to Maine until late July, but Portland and Mt Desert are both on our cruise plan.

Boy, I haven't been up to Mt. Desert I since I was a kid. Beautiful place. That's a nice trip you have planned - you'll go right past us (will be up there end of July with the family) - we'll wave to you! Feel free to stop by for a lobster dinner - I'll run out to one of the lobsterman as they're pulling their traps in and grab a few more!

 

[ttmott]

As stated previously, we have two SK 9s aboard Sea Gull. The work as advertised and I doubt I’ll ever own a boat without them again.

They do draw a bit of power, which is a non issue with a properly sized generator. They are also heavy and take up space, which should be taken into account.

Anyone who wants a demo is welcome to meet us as we cruise from the Bahamas to Maine and back this year. Lunch in 4-6 footers anyone?

When and where in the Bahamas? We'll be in the Northern Abaco May 25th. Short trip, leaving Cape Canaveral on to Walkers; maybe go as far as Great Guana then have to get back.

 

[Sea Gull]

We hoped for a week’s long cruise, but the weather didn’t agree, so it ended up being only 4 days. We got a late start on the first day, so cleared in at West End and stayed the night. We then headed to Hopetown (first visit, a definite go back). We headed back to West Palm directly from Hopetown in order to beat a 15-20 knot northerly wind.