SeaKeeper Stabilizer worth it on an older boat?

[rustybucket]

So literally the ONLY thing I don't really like about our boat (any boat for that matter) is that it can get rocky when drift fishing at night. It just so happens that drift fishing or super slow trolling live baits is one of my favorite types of fishing to do. I can bear the rocking, but my wife can't and many people that fish with us cannot handle it (barf fest).

The 52c Hat is MUCH better at drift than our old Ocean 38, but it still gets rocky when rough.

I'm really leaning toward a seakeeper install next winter. The seakeeper 9 itself is going to cost $72k plus whatever in install. As it sits right now our boat is probably worth somewhere in the $150-$200k range.

I do not have any direct intention of selling the boat anytime soon, but I do find myself eyeballing the 65-70' boats at the dock much more lately....

So, I guess I'm trying to convince myself, and my wife that a seakeeper is a good, or bad thing to install given all the factors.

Good
- will use boat more
- will spend more time drift fishing / live baiting (my favorite)
- wife will be able to enjoy the boat offshore much more, currently it has to be pretty calm for her to go.
- friends/family will enjoy the boat more
- I feel like keeping the boat from rocking so much will add life to the boats fixtures...etc. We have beat the hell out of boats drift fishing before.
- Boat will sell MUCH quicker/easier whenever we do want to move up

Bad
- $72k for just the seakeeper
- $30k? for install?
- loose under cockpit storage area (pretty much junk down there now anyways though)
- will never recoup the investment when selling the boat (at least that's what I feel?)
- something else to maintain/break/upkeep


So if my boat is worth $150k now, how much will it be worth with $130k of seakeeper on it?

What am I overlooking? Is this a stupid idea?

We are in the Gulf of Mexico so a sloppy wind chop is almost an every trip occurrence at some point. Drifting on a tight 2-3' confused sea (possibly from multiple directions) sucks.

Anything that this $130k would be better spent on?

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!

[Cricket]

None of this boating stuff/expense makes any sense in the first place.
For me adding a gyro would be all about the benefit now, not worrying about the boat's worth down the road.
So, your 52c is worth approximately 5% of a new similar boat (with all the new stuff of course), if spending $120K enhances the enjoyment/use factor enough just go for it.
As an example, when we repowered with the CAT's we knew it didn't make any real sense. But. the new engines basically allowed us to have a boat that would perform close to a new one and most of all be as reliable as a new boat for a fraction of buying a new boat.

Take a look at Quick Marine's gyro products.
Seakeeper has basically had a monopoly in the space, there's other players coming into the US market.

[Boatsb]

If youve not done a seakeeper test ride do it.

I was on a center console with one and what a difference it made.

Just like a repower. If you feel its a benefit and worth the price do it. If not remember theres plenty of other boats out there sitting on the dock not being used because of a little weather.

[MadHatter53]

I would have a look to see what's avail with a gyro in a certain price range. You might find your next boat and be twice as happy.

[rustybucket]

If youve not done a seakeeper test ride do it.

I was on a center console with one and what a difference it made.

Just like a repower. If you feel its a benefit and worth the price do it. If not remember theres plenty of other boats out there sitting on the dock not being used because of a little weather.

One of the things that really pushed me toward Hatteras 52c was the ability of the boat to handle rough seas. It has done so marvelously this past summer and we had her in some SNOTTY stuff. No doubt in my mind the boat can handle WAY more than I'm comfortable with.

The drawback (which is leading to looking at a gyro stabilizer) is that we can now very easily and comfortably travel in 4-6'++ seas. But once we get there and try to fish we can only troll with and against the seas and forget trying to drift.

I talked with the capt of a 74 Viking at the dock couple weeks back and he said the gyro has made 4-6 their new 2-3's in terms of drifting fishability.

Looking at other boats for sale, doesn't look like I touch a 50'+ sportfish in good shape, fresh engines, new generator and a stabilizer for under $700-$800k. So looking at it that way, putting $120k into it to get what I want, is actually quite a bit cheaper than moving up or buying a previously stabilized boat....

[rustybucket]

None of this boating stuff/expense makes any sense in the first place.
For me adding a gyro would be all about the benefit now, not worrying about the boat's worth down the road.
So, your 52c is worth approximately 5% of a new similar boat (with all the new stuff of course), if spending $120K enhances the enjoyment/use factor enough just go for it.
As an example, when we repowered with the CAT's we knew it didn't make any real sense. But. the new engines basically allowed us to have a boat that would perform close to a new one and most of all be as reliable as a new boat for a fraction of buying a new boat.

Take a look at Quick Marine's gyro products.
Seakeeper has basically had a monopoly in the space, there's other players coming into the US market.

You have a good point there. I could not touch something like our boat with a stabilizer for anywhere near what I would have just installing a gyro in ours.

Looked at Quick's Gyros, very interesting! I couldn't seem to find any pricing or sizing info. You know if they have a US distributor yet?

edit: found us distributor and sent them a message, product looks nice and much simpler than seakeeper.

[SKYCHENEY]

You shouldn't ask me. I love these old Hatts and anything you can do to make them better, I say go for it.

Do it because you love the boat, not because you want to think about selling it.

[captcrunch]

Rusty bucket, you may be able to get away with 2 small sea keepers at s lower cost.

[Scarlett]

We were just in Australia where the Maritimo line of boats are built. They are now using the Quick system exclusively in there 55’s. No water cooling which is the weak point on the Seakeepers, also smaller and easier to install. If someone finds out about pricing, let us all know. John

[hoop1013]

Listed on EBay

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F303016146330