48MY Series 1 (1983) — stabilizers ?

[Buccaneer]

Of the 36 made, who has stabilizers? Are fins a pain to install?
I figure I’m looking at around $50k including labor — sound right?

[Scarlett]

No, closer to $70,000 I did new ones about 3 years ago installed by a Niaid dealer

[Dan Mapes]

We had an '85 43 MY and wished we had them. So we worked with the weather and did ok throughout Lake Ontario, going South, the Abacos and Exumas. I am thinking the 48 would handle waves better than ours did.

However, from what I heard while they help with roll, they do nothing for front to back.

[Passages]

We had an '85 43 MY and wished we had them. So we worked with the weather and did ok throughout Lake Ontario, going South, the Abacos and Exumas. I am thinking the 48 would handle waves better than ours did.

However, from what I heard while they help with roll, they do nothing for front to back.

True, they also provide little relief at anchor. That said, they will greatly improve comfort underway.

[Walter P]

I owned a 1982 48 MY for quite a few years and I must say it was a very comfortable boat, except for all
the stairs between areas (the 43 is also bad in that regard (over the last 40+ I had 2 43DC). I actually
salivated for a 53 MY but we have a strict limit of 50 ft hull length at our yacht club so I settled for a 48
Mine was not stabilized and it did roll a good bit at displacement speeds. It has soft chines for about the
first 2/3 rds of the boat then they transition to hard chines aft for lift if you prefer to cruise at 16 or 17
knots. Fuel consumption goes up significantly so most of the time you ran at about 8 or 9 knots and
burned only a fraction of the fuel... One of my very close friends who was an active member of this
forum (Bob Kassel) had a sister ship built in 1981 with stabilizers and I crewed with him a few times on
his annual trek from Baltimore to Port St Lucie (usually at 8 knots) and the ride was markedly better with
the stabilizers. To add them at this stage of the boat's lifetime is very expensive and probably not something
I would do. It's your money to spend as you see fit but if you can find a good 53 my and have a place
to keep it, I would strongly recommend the 53 over the 48 or the 43. The space difference alone is worth
it.... Walt