Stabilizers on a '83, Series I, 48' MY ?

[Buccaneer]

Are they worth it?

 

[SeaEric]

Stabilizers sure are nice on any motoryacht. Are they worth adding? Maybe. If you intend on doing serious bluewater cruising with open water passages, you can make yourself a whole lot more comfortable in a beam sea with the fins. You're probably looking at $28 - $35K to add them to a 48.

 

[Walter P]

The 48 ft (actually a couple of inches short of 49ft) is a pretty big heavy boat, expecially for a "48". I presently have a 1982 model of the same boat and I plan to stabilize it soon. I have not been able to get any firm prices that even remotely resemble 28 - 35 K. Eric do you know anyone who can and will install these on my boat for those numbers? By the way, both Niaad and Wesmar recommends 6 sq ft fins due to the fact that in all probability they will be run at displacement speeds. The higher the speed the less fin size for a given boat is required. If you plan to run at 15 plus K, you can get good results from smaller fins. I'll stick with the 6 footers.

By the way Bobk of this forum has the same model boat and his already has stabilizers and he loves them. Bob if you're reading this, please post your comments... \\

Walt

 

[SeaEric]

At the Miami show last year, Wesmar quoted me $28K for 4 sq ft fins. I cruise 14 to 16 knots on my 46 Matthews. Presume the bigger fins would have to be more. 48 Hatt. is 10,000# more in displacement than my 46 Matt. 45,000# vs. 35,000#

 

[Walter P]

Eric, Was that 28 K from Wesmar installed? Even if it cost and extra 10 K to install, it would be worth it.

I actually like the construction of the Wesmar fins better than the Niaads but here on the East coast at least, Niaads are much more popular and therefore if service becomes necessary, I think it would be easier to find experienced technicians for them. Six of one, half a doz of the other. Either would suit me just fine as I believe both to be fine products manufactured by honorable firms here in the USA.

 

[jeff shayne]

I put naiads on my grandbanks and the ride was incredible,even in the bay to stabilize against wakes from passing boats, I am now installing multi-sea2 naiads on my 53ed-this should remove the only negative to a top heavy hatt!

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Jeff,
You will love those Naiads on the 53ED. I have them on mine and it is truely amazing that they can reduce roll by that much. I would not own another boat without them.

 

[jeff shayne]

sky, looking foward to it!! now if only ambient noise cancelling technology could be installed-the truly perfect boat.

 

[SeaEric]

Walter, Yes that was an installed price. They knew I was in the business and that the quote was for my own boat. They may have been offering me a "deal", but I doubt it.

 

[chris]

I have Niads on my series 1 48MY and really like them. If you run the boat with them turned on compared to off it is a big difference. I never had stabilizers on a boat until I got my 48 with them already installed and never would have considered installing them on any boat I had before. But now that I have used them I would install them on any boat I have in the future that came without them.
Chris

 

[Finalee]

I have them on my 43 dc. They are realy amazing. Thought something was wrong the first time I heard the noise they make after shut down.

 

[Nonchalant1]

I put Naiads (6 sq ft) on my 1978 53MY and it is the best money I ever spent on the boat. The difference is simply incredible. It just doesn't roll, even in big waves. The 6 sq ft fins and the bigger hydraulics with MultiSea II controller cost 43 boat bucks in 2005. Done by Stabilized Marine in Florida, but they travelled to Illinois with 2 guys for 2 weeks to install them. I highly recommend Naiad and Stabilized Marine.

Doug Shuman

 

[bobk]

The 48 ft (actually a couple of inches short of 49ft) is a pretty big heavy boat, expecially for a "48". I presently have a 1982 model of the same boat and I plan to stabilize it soon. I have not been able to get any firm prices that even remotely resemble 28 - 35 K. Eric do you know anyone who can and will install these on my boat for those numbers? By the way, both Niaad and Wesmar recommends 6 sq ft fins due to the fact that in all probability they will be run at displacement speeds. The higher the speed the less fin size for a given boat is required. If you plan to run at 15 plus K, you can get good results from smaller fins. I'll stick with the 6 footers.

By the way Bobk of this forum has the same model boat and his already has stabilizers and he loves them. Bob if you're reading this, please post your comments... \\

Walt

The 48 is a whole lot more stable than the trawler we used to have. For ICW cruising, stabilizers are not really a must, but they sure are NICE. we got into 47 knot winds once on the starboard beam and nothing went flying. Not sure I would fork out the $, but since they came with my boat, I really like them.

Bob

 

[Chapeaux!]

Chapeaux! while not a 48MY, is a 53 YF and stabilized. First stabilized boat we had...would never go without again. The difference, especially in beam and quartering seas is quite striking.

However, fin stabilizers have the potential for some issues. Last year, in a period of two weeks, while Chapeaux! was in Stuart Yacht for a refit, we saw two real serious stories related to fin stabilizers. The first, a 42 LRC, hooked the side of the channel in the St. Lucie Waterway, West of Stuart, and appeared to have nearly cartwheeled onto the bank, sinking her. Rather than breaking away, the vane appears to have remained intact and the attaching point for the stabilizer actuator cracked the hull and she took on water...a total loss of the vessel.

The second, I believe it was a 58LRC, went aground on one of the vanes in the Bahamas, and while the tide dropped, the vessel listed toward the opposite side, taking the exhaust below the water level, letting water run over the riser and in through the exhust manifold. When the affected engine was started, after getting clear of the reef, one of the cylinders liquid locked and bent the connecting rod. Running on a bent rod.....perhaps without realizing, broke same, punching out through both sides of the engine block and (I think) through the oilpan. This I learned from the engine tech, as the damaged engine sat on the back of his truck, a total loss.

While I believe these two incidents, occurring in such a short timeframe, were probably fairly rare co-incidences, they do point out the fact that the vanes can make the vessel a bit more unforgiving with respect to the bottom. Good food for thought. They do stick out, not totally unlike the "Curb Finders" I had on my 55 Chev.