Stabilizers for Any Size

Whether your boat is small or yacht-sized, adding stabilizers may make seasickness a thing of the past.

Waves make boats rock and roll, even in relatively calm conditions. For centuries, mariners have endured the pitch, roll and yaw and the seasickness they produce. The only way to get over the nausea was to get off the boat and onto land until it passed. But thanks to technology from new stabilizers, ingenuity and inventors’ commitment to “build a better mousetrap,” new products have been developed that counteract the forces of nature.

There are a number of companies that manufacture boat stabilization systems. We recently learned about developments from two of them that are making waves (pardon the pun) in the industry. Both stabilizers can be installed on new boats, or they can be retrofitted onto an existing boat by a technician recommended by the manufacturer. In other words, there’s no excuse to continue exposing you or your guests to the dreaded mal de mer.

Seakeeper 2

Recently released at the 2018 Miami International Boat Show, Seakeeper’s newest model is their smallest stabilizers to date. According to the manufacturer, the Seakeeper 2 is
designed to eliminate up to 95 percent of boat roll on boats as small as 27 feet LOA. “The Seakeeper 2 is the first of our products to reach down into the 20-foot boat market,
and we will continue to expand into new areas to ultimately change the way the world
boats,” says Seakeeper Chief Operating Officer Andrew Semprevivo in a press release. “We have a relentless drive of bringing stabilization to the masses.” The unit will utilize
the newly designed touchscreen control panel with an intuitive user interface and allow users to capture real-time performance information.

The Seakeeper 2 is 25 percent lighter (414 lbs.) and 22 percent smaller (24.8″L x 25.5″W x 20″H) than the next smallest model, the Seakeeper 3. Consequently, the unit’s small size allows for a number of installation configurations depending on the boat model. Many consumers, for example, opt for a leaning post replacement because it can be installed without any major structural modifications.

Expect the demand for the Seakeeper 2 to be significant. The Mohnton, Pennsylvania factory expanded to meet increased demand, and shipments
are anticipated to start in April. The Seakeeper 2 will run exclusively on 12-volt DC power and costs $22,700. Founded in 2003, Seakeeper, Inc. sold their first gyrostabilizer in 2008.

Gyro-Gale Tab-Fin

This family-owned and operated company based in Stuart, Florida, was founded in 1976. Gyro-Gale manufactures air-operated gyrostabilizers that use external fins to divert water
in order to stabilize the boat. Traditionally, fins have been a single foil that only drives the water in one direction; however, the basic principle of marine stabilization is to quickly and efficiently push against the water to provide lift. Gyro-Gale spent five years developing a fin that would divert the water not only faster and better but also
drive it more efficiently.

The Gyro-Gale Tab-Fin is a hinged, two-part fin, that drives water in two directions as opposed to just one. The tab is mechanically connected at the end of the fin and rotates on a pivot point. The Tab-Fin stabilizers create three times the amount of lift as compared with a traditional fin of equal size. “Traditional fins are a single foil that only drives the water in one direction. Ours drives the water in two directions,” explains Zeyad Metwally, Gyro-Gale Stabilizer’s vice president of engineering.

“So, if you’re in five-foot seas and taking waves directly on the beam, you’ll find the Tab-Fin system is not only going to stop the roll faster but also smoother. We’re driving water in two directions so it’s more effective and creates a high amount of lift.”

Metwally says the benefits to the Tab-Fin are many. Since they work more efficiently,
the fins no longer need to deflect as much water in order to generate the required
lift, so there’s no added drag and stress on the hull. The fins also do not need to
be as large. Generally speaking, boats with traditional fins can upgrade to new Tab-Fins.

The proof is in the pudding

For skeptics, the proof is in the feedback from delighted— and seasick-free—customers. Metwally says the Gyro-Gale Tab-Fin is installed on at least 15 boats that range in size from 42 to 82 feet. The owner of an 80-foot Lazarra upgraded to the Tab-Fin stabilizers system and noticed an immediate improvement in performance on his two-week, 1,400 nm journey from Tampa, Florida, to Annapolis, Maryland, in weather that “had a little bit of everything.”

The owner of an 82-foot Sunseeker claimed the boat actually gained two knots of speed, while a Grand Banks owner said the result was spectacular, even with over five-foot waves on the beam. “It’s a simple change that makes sense,” says Metwally. Sometimes, the simple solutions work the best.

By L.N. Evans, Southern Boating April 2018

Want to see another stabilizer?

Check out the Davis Instruments Stabilizer

The Fuel Measure

Fuel conditioners, additives and stabilizers

Let’s get a few basic facts down before we open up the fuel fill and dump some mystic conditioning brew into our tanks. Oil, the result of the detritus of once-living organisms, spent millions of years “cooking” under intense pressure beneath both land and sea. Fast-forward a few thousand millennia to when the first oil well finally popped the cork.

It’s a dirty business getting the raw product refined and to market its many forms to run the world as we know it. During the refining process at those expansive plants with their cloud-spewing towers—seemingly miles of above-ground pipes, and fields of storage tanks—the crude oil is processed into the lifeblood of just about everything we use in our everyday lives. And, among all the other products that come out of the spigot, there is the stuff that we are most concerned with here: gasoline and diesel fuel.

The “problem,” and the reason you might want to use a fuel additive or conditioner, begins with the refining process. “Because the refiners are trying to get as much out of a barrel of crude as they can, today’s aggressive process of splitting open the molecules, using catalysts and high temperatures is far different from the distilling methods of years ago, and can create more instability in the afterproducts,” says Barry Sprague, chemist and consultant.

Today’s aggressive refining process might be just the reason you need to use fuel conditioners, additives or stabilizers.

But wait, there’s more! Moving downstream from the refining process is a host of ills waiting to be visited upon our precious gasoline and diesel. For example, the government-mandated fuel for those of you who use gasoline in your engines contains oxygenated additives, offshoots of methyl and ethyl alcohol. Add some heat and moisture to the sometimes lengthy storage time the gasoline sits around—from refinery tanks to tanker trucks to your marina tanks—and you are likely to not only get less efficient fuel but a bit on the dirty side as well. “With those who run gasoline engines, you might want to consider a treatment with every oil change,” advises Sprague. “You really want to help control that moisture as the alcohol can separate out with only the minimal amount of water.”

The problem for diesel fuel oil with the same issues associated with gasoline storage is the combination of low sulfur levels with the product’s affinity for water, sludge and bio-growth (bacteria and fungi). “What we want to do here is even out the playing field for performance, how the fuel is handled once it gets to the end user in regards to its stability, and try to control any contaminants,” Sprague adds.

So here’s where our additives, stabilizers, treatments, and conditioners come into play. The first thing you want to do is keep a careful watch on your primary and secondary fuel filters. Drain your Racors or similar systems should any sign of water be present. If you have to change the elements a bit more often, or if you begin to notice a drop in rpm levels, you more than likely have a fair amount of gunk in your tanks that gets roiled up as you use your boat and clogs the free flow of fuel to the engine(s). “With severe problems in this area, such as obvious plugging, it’s best to take some time out and have those fuel tanks professionally cleaned,” Sprague suggests.

For diesel users, the filter problem can be a direct result of using a biocide additive. As the juice begins to do its work and kill the “bugs” at the water/oil interface, which is where the organisms live, the accumulated buildup of dead bodies adds to the already sludgy bottom layer of the fuel tank resulting in a Stephen King-like, non-combustible mass that gets sucked up into the fuel system. “If you think you might have something growing, you should use a biocide treatment,” said Sprague, “but be aware of the consequences.”

Fuel stabilizers do their work by scavenging and removing oxygen that gets into the fuel by several means, including the motion and agitation as the boat moves through the water. “Even trace amounts of oxygen present in the fuel can cause problems,” warns Sprague. To simplify the chemistry, the additive can help repair the hydrocarbon chain that was “damaged” at the refinery and/or chemically remove most of the trace oxygen making it more stable and more efficient. It also works to emulsify or blend any water droplets present in the fuel oil thus helping to impede the growth of bacteria. Other positive results include the breakdown of particulate matter that can be safely filtered out, and the shattering of larger contaminants that can be burned off during combustion.

Before using any fuel additive make sure to check with your engine manufacturer as adding any of these products to your tanks can void the warranty. In addition, many OEMs recommend a specific product line for use with their power plants and fuel systems. And as with any product such as additives, always follow the directions on the container. Should you have any questions, contact the manufacturer.

With today’s highly advanced engines—and because of the aggressive refinery processes that result in a more unstable end product—using a fuel treatment can help you get the best possible grade of gasoline or diesel fuel into your system and have you run more efficiently.

— By Ken Kreisler, Southern Boating Magazine March 2016

Fuel Storage

Don’t Fuel Around.

Oil is the result of decaying matter of once-living organisms compacted over untold tens of millions of years. As layer upon layer of sediment settled one on top of the other, the increasing pressure and the ensuing rising temperatures produced a chemical change whereby the remains—way too complex to discuss here—were transformed into the raw material that would eventually lead to petroleum. Most boat owners are savvy enough to chart their necessary fuel-ups with plenty of reserve built in. But if you enjoy covering long distances and do not have the proper tankage—or do not trust the quality of the fuel in a certain port of call—you might consider carrying bladder tanks to store your extra fuel.

“Not all fuel bladders are created equal,” says David Dack, VP of sales for Aero Tec Laboratories (ATL), a company specializing in flexible containment technology. “First off, always look for the best quality possible. Money should be no object with this equipment. The one thing you do not want to deal with when carrying volatile diesel fuel or gasoline is an inferior product.” ATL manufacturers bladders constructed from rugged, military-spec, rubberized fabric equipped with such built-in safety features as pressure relief and anti-backflow valves. “The former prevents any pressure build-up as the fuel expands, for example, with the bladder sitting in the sun in the cockpit. The latter prevents any back-spill while taking on fuel.” Ease of use is a primary concern as well. Make sure you position the tank(s) so the weight is evenly distributed as not to throw your boat off. “The bladder must be firmly fastened to the deck with a tie-down kit that is secured over the stand pipe and then ratcheted down. We suggest using a cargo net as an added security measure in case of rough seas,” Dack recommends. “Bladders are most stable when completely full and can be easily rolled up or folded and tucked away within a vented compartment.”

ATL manufacturers bladders constructed from rugged, military-spec, rubberized fabric equipped with such built-in safety features as pressure relief and anti-backflow valves

With ATL equipment, a half-inch brass ball valve assembly with a composite hose barb fitting is standard, with an optional one-inch ball valve for those who are looking for faster fuel transfer. Reinforced hose is then slipped over the barbed fitting on the outlet while the other end is run into the vessel’s main tank. A siphon or gravity feed is then initiated to start the flow of fuel from the bladder to the main tank. Alternatively, an explosion-proof pump may be used to transfer the contents of the bladder to the boat’s main tank. “We also offer our space-saving FueLocker™ design not only for those whose deck space is limited but also to maximize those areas where traditional pillow type of tanks can take up lots more real estate,” Dack suggests.

If you boat seasonally you will want to pay special attention to the fuel in your tanks when preparing for winter lay up. “For inboard gasoline or diesel boats, and with all the issues concerning ethanol, we add a fuel stabilizer and top off the tanks to minimize the chance of any water condensation from happening, which stimulates biological growth and corrosion.” says Dan Cordano, Service Manager for the Suntex Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, New Jersey. For outboards with small portable fuel tanks, Cordano suggests running the engine until it stalls out before putting it away. With those portable tanks, he suggests making sure you use the familiar red plastic for gasoline and yellow for diesel to avoid any confusion.

“Besides the inherent nature of fuel degrading over time, boats have a vented system and the possibility of introducing water, whether during seasonal storage or not, is always a problem. You want to do whatever you can to avoid that situation,” says Janis Grundman, National Sales Manager for Technol, a company specializing in fuel stabilizers. “Make sure of your fuel source, keep your tanks topped off whenever possible, and use a stabilizer during those lay-up times. Using an additive during regular operating times will help to prevent any engine problems. And always follow the manufacturers’ recommendations for the amount to use per gallon.”

Until we figure out a better way to power our boats, perhaps with solar, wind, electric, another energy source, or a combination thereof, taking the proper precautions and getting the best out of our fuel systems will keep your boat running smoothly and safely.

By Ken Kreisler, Southern Boating July 2014