Gyro stabilizers

[Bouba]

When I spoke to the MC2 guy I asked him how many units had been supplied and like Jimmy he said 80 units last year but then when I asked him to name some boat models they had been fitted to, he wasn't able to quote one. Quick is a well known Italian manufacturer/supplier of marine equipment like anchor winches, thrusters etc and their stuff is found on many Italian production boats as OEM equipment so I have little doubt that Quick can support the MC2 product. The question is how much of a guinea pig do you want to be to save a few bob over the proven Seakeeper unit

One point to note is that on a like for like basis, the MC2 is significantly heavier than the equivalent Seakeeper which might have an effect on fitting costs. It seems that MC2 use a heavier flywheel running at much slower speeds in fresh air to achieve the required angular momentum whereas Seakeeper use a lighter flywheel running at much higher speeds in a vacuum. The latter might account for the fact that the Seakeeper appears to have a longer spool up time.

I can see advantages/disadvantages to both types but I still can't get my head around the fact that the MC2 is nearly as expensive as the equivalent Seakeeper despite being a much simpler less sophisticated unit and having zero presence in the leisure boat market. Maybe they would give a substantial discount to an early adopter?

The thread started with the ridiculously high cost of repairs to the Seakeeper and the theory that the simpler MC2 might be cheaper to repair. This should be a consideration I think, also the website for MC2 suggests that it can be put on smaller boats, a consideration for many here. Also by fitting several smaller units the Italian may fit where the SK can't. And my theory that you could add units until you get the desired effect. But I agree the MC2 do themselves no favours with their pricing..

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

The MC2 is cheap though if you don't have to replace the whole enclosed gyro unit every 6 years when the bearings wear out. I guess bearing maintenance is cheap/straight forward on the MC2.

Fair point. There certainly seem to be more components to go wrong on a SK

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Fair point. There certainly seem to be more components to go wrong on a SK

If the MC2 is just a chunky metal polo mint spinning on a big bearing with an electric motor inside, and then that whole assembly is mounted on a damped perpendicular axis baseplate... who's going to have a go at just making one? I can think of at least one forumite with the manufacturing capability...

It's a bit hard to see how the MC2-5, as an example, should cost the same as a Dacia Duster SUV.

PS I tried googling 'make your own gyro' but it didn't work out so well

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

If the MC2 is just a chunky metal polo mint spinning on a big bearing with an electric motor inside, and then that whole assembly is mounted on a damped perpendicular axis baseplate... who's going to have a go at just making one? I can think of at least one forumite with the manufacturing capability...

It's a bit hard to see how the MC2-5, as an example, should cost the same as a Dacia Duster SUV.

Or the MC2-40 costing almost as much as a new Range Rover Sport!!

Yeah you're right. The MC gyro is hardly cutting edge manufacturing or electronics and anyone a bit handy with a burning torch and welding machine should be able to knock one up that does a passable job of dampening roll. For sure as the market grows, which it surely will, there will be other entrants, maybe even a British company

 

[wakeup]

Raspberry pi for a precession controller ?

 

[wakeup]

Raspberry pi for a precession controller ?

And a roto mounded vacuum chamber, might get hot and floppy though!

 

[vas]

If the MC2 is just a chunky metal polo mint spinning on a big bearing with an electric motor inside, and then that whole assembly is mounted on a damped perpendicular axis baseplate... who's going to have a go at just making one? I can think of at least one forumite with the manufacturing capability...

It's a bit hard to see how the MC2-5, as an example, should cost the same as a Dacia Duster SUV.

PS I tried googling 'make your own gyro' but it didn't work out so well

J,

machining a big chunk of steel is easy, I guess the problems will be:
A. sourcing decent bearings
B. finding and fitting a 6-7K rpm motor nicely balanced to avoid an expensive and possibly lethal self destruction...

Raspberry pi for a precession controller ?

yeah, all 20usd of it plus the bestest sensors (probably a tenner from China)

And a roto mounded vacuum chamber, might get hot and floppy though!

Nah, why bother, just do what they do, a curved sheet of metal making sure it's gonna stay in place...

V.

 

[Nick_H]

And a roto mounded vacuum chamber, might get hot and floppy though!

and a prayer mat, for when the flywheel works loose ...

 

[vas]

and a prayer mat, for when the flywheel works loose ...

bandages, a few liferafts and comms would be handier

back on track, anyone noticed these guys http://orbitgyro.com/
Designed and built in Turkey, customised per installation, claim to be cheaper (don't specify compared to what) and have a comms form that 1/3 of the boat specs is not something an owner would know.

anyone?

cheers

V.

 

[Littleinfo]

Is ARG still around?

 

[Bouba]

bandages, a few liferafts and comms would be handier

back on track, anyone noticed these guys http://orbitgyro.com/
Designed and built in Turkey, customised per installation, claim to be cheaper (don't specify compared to what) and have a comms form that 1/3 of the boat specs is not something an owner would know.

anyone?

cheers

V.

Looks interesting but I'm in that 1/3 category, didn't understand the form
Anyone with a 30 footer who's smarter than me?

 

[wakeup]

Are the MC2s gyros encased in a cage of some sort or is that circular steel band the spinning part. If so keep your overalls well clear!

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Are the MC2s gyros encased in a cage of some sort or is that circular steel band the spinning part. If so keep your overalls well clear!

They have an enclosure, but it's not structural (like the SK enclosure appears to be).

 

[Nick_H]

They have an enclosure, but it's not structural (like the SK enclosure appears to be).

As there's no vacuum I suppose it doesn't need to be structural, it's just to keep dust and water out. I guess that's also why it doesn't need to be spherical like the seakeeper

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

As there's no vacuum I suppose it doesn't need to be structural, it's just to keep dust and water out. I guess that's also why it doesn't need to be spherical like the seakeeper

Not even sure the MC2 container is designed to keep dust and water out. Certainly didn't look in any way watertight to me which in itself might be a problem because obviously these things may be placed low down in the bilges in an engine room where they will be subject to salt water corrosion, heat and humidity. I guess the designers will have considered that and specified the motors and bearings accordingly?

 

[vas]

Looks interesting but I'm in that 1/3 category, didn't understand the form
Anyone with a 30 footer who's smarter than me?

I feel that's geared towards builders rather than end users, which begs the q if anyone knows them or knows of a builder installing them!
--------

OK checked again, looks like in this page http://orbitgyro.com/calculate-momentum/#gmrollperiodcalc
You can DIY calculate that with a few fat blokes and a decent mobile with a clinometer app.
Just get the blokes on the dock, measure the degrees on say the salon table, then get the blokes on the port side deck, measure again, then on the stbrd and get an average...

V

 

[Cardinal Sin]

Speaking with Quick they appear to be very clear on the advantages on the MC2 range and are offering builders to visit boats fitted with the units in Italy for trials. Seems simple operation, simple (comparatively) installation.
Having been on a Seaward with a MC2 fitted was surprised how effective it was and how fast it worked.
Like so many things in life worth consideration. It seems the cost of unit is very completive, especially once you add all the bolt on parts needed on other types (pumps etc). MBY should do a Gyro test!

 

[curiouskb]

Speaking with Quick they appear to be very clear on the advantages on the MC2 range and are offering builders to visit boats fitted with the units in Italy for trials. Seems simple operation, simple (comparatively) installation.
Having been on a Seaward with a MC2 fitted was surprised how effective it was and how fast it worked.
Like so many things in life worth consideration. It seems the cost of unit is very completive, especially once you add all the bolt on parts needed on other types (pumps etc). MBY should do a Gyro test!

 

[curiouskb]

I heard that the Italian Navetta 52 and 58 Swift Trawlers are offering them. Problem is there is such paucity of information on the internet about it. Hardly any recent videos about them on the Youtube compared to the Seakeeper which have tons of PR videos promoting them. The installation cost is much lower than the Seakeeper and it is a much simpler device. (if it works as claimed)

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Speaking with Quick they appear to be very clear on the advantages on the MC2 range and are offering builders to visit boats fitted with the units in Italy for trials. Seems simple operation, simple (comparatively) installation.
Having been on a Seaward with a MC2 fitted was surprised how effective it was and how fast it worked.
Like so many things in life worth consideration. It seems the cost of unit is very completive, especially once you add all the bolt on parts needed on other types (pumps etc). MBY should do a Gyro test!

What are these clear advantages? I can see there would be some modest cost saving with the installation and a modest 10-15% saving in the purchase cost but the MC2 is a technically inferior product so you would expect that. But apart from that I cannot see any advantage of the MC2 unit