At the Ft. Lauderdale International Boats Show, I had the chance to test out the performance of Seakeeper’s Ride stabilization systems aboard a 35 foot performance cruiser capable of hitting 40 knots. We took the boat to government cut and ran it in and out through a nasty washing-machine seaway.
The stabilizers are mounted on the stern and make trim adjustments in micro seconds. The effect was dramatic. With the Ride system engaged, the boat leveled off, did not roll or pitch and did not yaw as it moved through the mixed up sea. Turned off, the boat’s motion was noticeably worse.
The Ride is an American product. There is also a competing dynamic stabilizing system from Europe called Zipwake that uses similar concepts, technology and software but is, perhaps, simpler and can be installed by a handy boat owner while the Ride cannot.
Here’s a thorough comparison of the two systems from the experts at IMTRA who carry both brands and can supply stabilizers for boats up to 60 feet.
