Anything good or bad about seakeeper gyros?

[MYAG]

hmm, I fear you may be right, i'll have to get it checked.

Very nice installation you have there, it is going to make a very pleasant difference to your boating - dont be surprised if you are enjoying deserted Med anchorages in the height of summer

On the engine thing, I wouldnt look too deep and worry at first, assuming nothing was wrong when you parked her up at the end of last season? It is absolutely quite possible that your bottom/gear fouling can prevent you from getting up on the plane, shouldn't be underestimated imo. Both engines, no lights or bells? Hmmm.... fouling me thinks. Virtuvas makes a good point too, anything else touched since the end of last season?

 

[Nick_H]

Very nice installation you have there, it is going to make a very pleasant difference to your boating - dont be surprised if you are enjoying deserted Med anchorages in the height of summer

On the engine thing, I wouldnt look too deep and worry at first, assuming nothing was wrong when you parked her up at the end of last season? It is absolutely quite possible that your bottom/gear fouling can prevent you from getting up on the plane, shouldn't be underestimated imo. Both engines, no lights or bells? Hmmm.... fouling me thinks. Virtuvas makes a good point too, anything else touched since the end of last season?

Yep, both engines working fine at the end of last season.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I haven't completely discounted fouling though, so i'll lift and clean first

How long since you used the boat and how long since the sterngear was cleaned? I had the same experience with my previous boat in Majorca in that I left it a few months and it wouldn't get on the plane on the first trip out afterwards. Like you I thought it was something mechanical but it turned out to be excessive barnacle fouling on the props and sterngear. Anyone who can find a long term cure for Med sterngear fouling is going to make a fortune

 

[BartW]

I can see Bart starting saving money NOW for next year's BA project work

unbelieveable, how you can read my mind at such a far distance,
but I first want to see the max 1000rpm problem cured, and be sure it is not extra from drag from the gyro's

very strange differences of fouling in different area's in SOF,
my antifoul is from mai 2011 (including stern gear)
and during our SOF to Rome trip in january 2012, I didn't notice ANY difference in planing nor cruising speed, compared to last summer.

but lets wait for the liftout of NickH's boat,
or the cure for his lo rpm problem...

 

[Nick_H]

How long since you used the boat and how long since the sterngear was cleaned?

Not used since start of Sep, and even then the props weren't clean and I was down a couple of knots. I also noticed that the hull a/f wasn't working well during the season, despite not being done until May. I used a different shipyard and didn't specify which paint, so i've no idea what they used, so maybe its sterngear and hull fouling combined.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Not used since start of Sep, and even then the props weren't clean and I was down a couple of knots. I also noticed that the hull a/f wasn't working well during the season, despite not being done until May. I used a different shipyard and didn't specify which paint, so i've no idea what they used, so maybe its sterngear and hull fouling combined.

I don't think the hull a/f has much effect on performance. The critical issue is the fouling on the props and 6 months, even over winter, is more than enough time for the props to get well fouled. I'm betting that if you got a diver down to clean the sterngear, you'd be within 2-3kts of your normal top speed and antifouling the hull will get back the rest although I am interested to know how much the extra weight of the gyro affects performance

 

[Nick_H]

The gyro weighs just over 500 kgs, whereas full fuel weighs 2,300 kgs. The difference in speed between full and reserve fuel levels (say 1800 kgs difference) is about a knot, maybe 1.5, so even though the gyro is a bit further aft, i'm not expecting to lose more than 0.5 extra knots.

 

[Nick_H]

I thought it was worth one final update on this.

The max 1,000 RPM problem (on the engines not the gyro) turned out to be stuck turbos, and I owe a huge thanks to Nick Barke from Essex boatyards (who just happened to be visiting jfm at the time) for rolling his sleeves up and diagnosing, then fixing, the problem. I've heard so much good feedback about EBY's customer service, and it seems some of it even extends to non-customers.

After fixing the engines we took the boat out for a quick test drive, so Nick, James Barke, jfm and Woodie1000 were also able to experience the gyro working, and I think all were suitably impressed, although again the swell was quite small.

The test drive, with repaired engines, freshly antifouled hull, and clean stern gear, also confirmed that there is no significant loss of speed with the extra half tonne of weight, in fact I don't recall ever getting much bettter than 26 kts at fast cruising speed.

Later in the week we headed out in less than ideal conditions, with a biggish residual swell from the East and wind from the North holding us beam on to the swell for most of the two hours we were anchored. We were able to have a pleaseant if windy lunch, wine glasses stayed where they were put and the kids could walk comfortably around the boat, in conditions that would have been completely untenable in an unstabilised boat.

So all in all i'm delighted with the gyro, the performance in all conditions is superb, the noise is minimal, and it hasn't really affected boat speed. Without a doubt we'll get more quality time on the boat as a result, so the investment has definitely been worth it for us.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Thats great news, Nick H and another big up for EBY. What do you mean by stuck turbos and how did he fix it? Ref the gyro, how long does it take to get up to max performance from start up?

 

[Nick_H]

Thats great news, Nick H and another big up for EBY. What do you mean by stuck turbos and how did he fix it? Ref the gyro, how long does it take to get up to max performance from start up?

I gather the tips of the blades can suffer corrosion during the winter layup, and bind against the outer wall of the casing. Fixing it is easy when you know how (and fortunately NB did), just take off the air filter, free up the turbo by hand, spray with WD40 and then take the engines for a blast.

The gyro takes 20 mins to min operating speed, and another 10 to full speed. We just fire it up when we first decide to leave the port, and by the time we've sorted power cables, warps, and kids, and meandered through the port, we're not usually far off being able to engage it.

It does take 5 hrs to spin down, and you do get some noise during that period, but on the 8000 series it doesn't need cooling water during wind down, so you can just switch off the gyro and genny if you want to head to shore etc.

 

[jfm]

Yup, I can confirm the gyro is a fine peice of kit and after spending an hour on Nick's boat during which we sat beam on to the swell and turned the gyro precession on off. There is no doubt it works well and feels like it eliminates maybe 3/4 of the roll. Very impressive bit of kit to watch, as the fancy sphere precesses back and forth. Definitely a good investment if you want to transform a 60 foot boat

And yes top marks to Nick Barke. He was minding his own business enjoying a sunny beer on my aft deck when Nick H's engine problem came up in discussion. He was off with tools and the EssexBoatyards "can do" or "A-team" attitude and within 20mins the stuck turbo was diagnosed and unstuck and poor Nick B had sooty arms. I've said it before but it's worth repeating that the after sales back up from Essex and general helpful boat knowledge is unbeatable

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I gather the tips of the blades can suffer corrosion during the winter layup, and bind against the outer wall of the casing. Fixing it is easy when you know how (and fortunately NB did), just take off the air filter, free up the turbo by hand, spray with WD40 and then take the engines for a blast.

I've never heard of that before and fair play to Nick Barke for diagnosing it. Anyone know if there's a recommended procedure for stopping it happening in the future?

 

[benjenbav]

I've never heard of that before and fair play to Nick Barke for diagnosing it. Anyone know if there's a recommended procedure for stopping it happening in the future?

Keep on using the boat thru' the winter sounds like the answer.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Keep on using the boat thru' the winter sounds like the answer.

Far too cold for that. I don't go near the thing unless the temp exceeds 20degC

 

[vas]

Far too cold for that. I don't go near the thing unless the temp exceeds 20degC

did you ever have a boat back home? If so how often did you use it?

On a serious note, I've heard that in some cases the air intakes MAY bring sea water spray in the e/r and the engine intakes.
Sometimes you'll find the engine with the air intake looking outwards get that whereas the other engine is fine (that's the case in mine btw, but happened in different boats in other ppl I know down here)

I guess the easy solution is to make sure when you stop using her (end of August in your case ) to remove the filters and spay something on the blade/wall area. I guess NOT WD40, but not lithium grease for bike chains and stuff either
I'd really like to hear suggestions as I'm about to remove the port engine turbo and send it off for rebuilt now that my rib's not hurting and I can do all the twisting and bending necessary

cheers

V.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

did you ever have a boat back home? If so how often did you use it?

Yup, I boated in the English Channel for 12 years and in the early years, we were so keen we'd go out in virtually any weather. But now I'm older, I'm a wimp and I don't want to go out in the cold wet. In any case what's the point in having all the cost and hassle of keeping a boat in the Med and using it when the weather is just like England?

 

[jfm]

cost and hassle

What are you talking about man?

 

[MapisM]

we sat beam on to the swell

Weird, did you have a kedge anchor?
In the Med, it's pretty rare to have conditions where the boat at anchor does not keep the pointy bit to the swell...

 

[jfm]

Weird, did you have a kedge anchor?
In the Med, it's pretty rare to have conditions where the boat at anchor does not keep the pointy bit to the swell...

no anchor, just drifting

 

[MapisM]

Doh! I assumed that by "sat" you actually meant anchored.
Note to self: never make guesses with a foreign language...