At long last, a big news item concerning the world of boat stabilization is coming to Italy. We are talking about the Seakeeper Ride dynamic trim stabilization system, a fully automatic solution that installs at the stern, designed to keep the boat stable. As of today, the Ride has an Italian importer, distributor Indemar based in Busalla, Genoa. But how do these accessories that promise to reduce boat movement and eliminate the problem of seasickness work? We will explain it to you!
A complete stabilization system
Seakeeper is a brand you may have heard of in the nautical accessory world, and particularly in the area of gyroscopic stabilization. If the “big ball” of the gyro stabilizer was mainly dedicated to eliminating roll, the new Ride is a Unique complete boat trim control system (VACS, Vessel Attitude Control System) using aerospace-derived technologies.
Seakeeper Ride is designed to eliminate up to 70 percent of pitching, rolling and yawing motions while underway, aboard vessels up to 35 feet (about 10.7 meters) in length. The controllers that make up the system are installed below the waterline of the hull, directly on the transom. A mixed system consisting of hardware and inertial sensing software (patented) can detect the movement of the hull along the three axes, recording more than 1,000 different parameters. This is where the actuator comes in, which is controlled to counteract the behavior of the hull on waves, acting with 100 adjustments per second.
Rotary actuators: here’s why
The actuators used by the Seakeeper Ride system are rotating (unlike other systems that use linear pistons) and move at a speed of up to 300 mm per second. These go to activate the controllers, which move the transom going up or down, thus adjusting the boat’s trim second by second. The advantage is to have a boat that is steadier and more stable, thus safer and more comfortable for everyone on board. In addition, a boat that sails better on the wave is a more efficient boat that consumes less fuel.
Seakeeper Rideprevents the boat from tilting due to a shift of weights on board, aligning with the optimalforward angle and adjusting the heeling angle in turns at any speed fully automatically. The system is operated either directly from the multifunctional display (it is compatible with most of the latest products) or from a dedicated control panel, available as an option.
Seakeeper Ride: also in refit!
The beauty of the Ride system is that it used to be a system available only when buying a new boat, basically an optional extra that had to be requested from the shipyard doing the construction. Instead, the system is now also available for aftermarket installation, such as at refit, on any type of boat between 19 and 35 feet (about 5.5-10.7 meters) in length. However, the company is already working to work on implementing Seakeeper Ride on larger vessels as well. There are three models currently on the market:
- Seakeeper Ride 450 – For Boats Up to 26 Feet
- Seakeeper Ride 525 – For boats from 27 to 30 feet
- Seakeeper Ride 600 – For boats from 31 to 35 feet
Seakeeper Ride systems are available for prompt delivery from Italian distributor Indemar in Busalla
indemar.com
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