Naiad function / testing?

[Bob Quinn]

Is there any way to test the Naiad stabilizers?

I was underway yesterday and turning them on and off. There seemed to be some movement but I can't tell if they are working correctly or not.

Is there a way to manually activate them to test them?

Thank you

[JD5652]

Bob-

Not sure the vintage of your unit, but my recently installed unit can be tested at the slip.

If your unit is set up for interface with your GPS and it has the "centering" function activated where the fins center below a certain speed (typically 2-3 knots), then you will have to go to your MFD and "simulate" a speed. This will allow the units to operate.

Also, while underway, you can go to the actuator location and see the actuator moving. Mine is a two-piston design and you can see the pistons extending and contracting.

Also, do you have a fin actuator bar graph as part of your display?? From there you can also see the relative position of the fin relative to the center position.

[Bob Quinn]

It's I'm sure one of the original units, so it is not tied in with GPS. It does have the position readouts mounted below the helm area. They seem to go to center when I switch it to the center positions. I will try to find the control unit, maybe there is a way to trick it so see if the fins will move back and forth.

I had someone turn the breaker on and off while I watched the cylinder and it does move an inch or so when turned on. So it's at least doing something. I will see what I can find down below.
I think I have an older version that might have some kind of gyroscope.

[cww]

They don’t do anything in calm water that’s normal. Take the boat over to wherever you get some wave action, and turn it beam-on and then turn them on and off. The difference is night and day. I’m jealous that’s the one thing my boat doesn’t have that I really want. I can’t financially justify it, 95% of my boating is in the St. John’s river where the almost 70,000lb of weight handles whatever gets thrown at it. If you cruise offshore what a wonderful improvement though.

[Bob Quinn]

I don't they are working then, we crossed Lake St. Clair yesterday in 3 to 4 footers and we were rolling about +/- 15 degrees. At one point we rolled hard enough to slide a box of cookies and donuts off the kitchen table.

I did turn it on and off as we crossed, it sort of seemed better but not dramatically different that I could tell.

Is there any way to fake out the gyro to see if the fins will move full range back and forth?

[Pascal]

Don’t you have fin position indicators? If not or if they not working have someone look at and video record the actuators while underway. Not familiar with naiads, I have Trac on my 53 and have had them on every boat I ve run. They have a touchscreen with position indicators.

You should feel a difference when they tell in though

[cww]

I don't they are working then, we crossed Lake St. Clair yesterday in 3 to 4 footers and we were rolling about +/- 15 degrees. At one point we rolled hard enough to slide a box of cookies and donuts off the kitchen table.I did turn it on and off as we crossed, it sort of seemed better but not dramatically different that I could tell.Is there any way to fake out the gyro to see if the fins will move full range back and forth?

That doesn’t sound right. I’ve never been on a stabilized boat in a beam sea that the difference wasn’t night vs. day obvious when you turn them on and off. If you can’t tell a difference there’s something wrong with them.

[Captain Ralph]

I'm assuming the oil level is up.
What pressure readings to you get on the main bulkhead unit?

[jmooney]

Bob you can take a plug out of the top off the gyro unit and use an Allen wrench to move the gyro forward and aft . This will simulate left and right rolling and you can tell if the cylinders are responding. I would suspect that the dampers are not moving due to dirt or foreign objects ( very small ) . Clean the tubular dampers and I think the system will work better.

[Bob Quinn]

I'm assuming the oil level is up.What pressure readings to you get on the main bulkhead unit?

Oil was empty. no pressure. filled it up and got 1000 psi. Still no action on the fins.I'll have to investigate further. Sounds like I better fix the oil leak first though. Looks like I can add this to my winter project list.