As mentioned on another page, the ride comfort of boats during navigation is far from dreaming comforble. In this article, I, Rikutsu-Kone-Taro, want to discuss the Seakeeper Ride, a solution recently introduced to my beloved boat .
As always, please note that the content in this artcle represents Rikutsu-Kone-Taro’s personal opinion, formed through his own experiences and biases. Please read on with this in mind.
The pitching, rolling and slamming of the boat against the waves can be quite intense, often causing first-time guests to fear that the boat might be damaged.
Small children might find it particularly unbearable.
However, rest assured, boats with a proven track record are quite sturdy and hard to damage.
While the boat itself may not break, the impact can be physically and mentally exhausting for those on board.
It’s a common and unfortunate story to hear that people, including children, who were initially excited about the boat eventually lose interest due to the uncomfortable ride, leading to the boat being used less frequently. Rikutsu-Kone-Taro’s experienced some boat owners to say so.
While theoretically, there might be hull designs that could mitigate wave impacts, and switching to a boat with such a hull is an option, considering the requirements Rikutsu-Kone-Taro looks for in a boat, the Merry Fisher 895 Sport remains the ideal choice for now.
Still, it’s not appealing to simply accept the annoying impacts during navigation. That’s when Rikutsu-Kone-Taro came across a video on YouTube and later met a Seakeeper representative at the Yokohama Boat Show.
Encouraged by this encounter, I, Rikutsu-Kone-Taro decided to equip my boat with the Seakeeper Ride System. The initial impressions are discussed on another page, but here i, Rikutsu-Kone-Taro, will share my subsequent observations.
After about two weeks of using the boat with the Seakeeper Ride System installed, several things became clear:
- Even with the automatic control turned off (essentially Manual mode, similar to a regular trim tab), the Seakeeper Ride reduced the pitching, rolling and slamming more than the conventional trim tabs.
- With the automatic control turned on (Auto mode, where the tab angles are electronically controlled in real-time), the rolling and slamming were further reduced after a few moments or even seconds.
Overall, the Seakeeper Ride System is highly effective, significantly reducing fatigue during long journeys and enhancing the joy of boating.
But why does the Seakeeper Ride reduce pitching, rolling and slamming even in Manual mode?
Comparing photos of a standard trim tab and the Seakeeper Ride installed on the stern of his boat provides some clues.
From the comparison, it’s evident that the Seakeeper Ride is wider and appears to have a more robust construction (Photo 3).
Standard trim tabs are narrower and supported by a single damper or actuator, which might cause the tab to flex under water pressure, reducing its effectiveness. Rikutsu-Kone-Taro believes that the Seakeeper Ride functions better as a trim tab.
The difference in ride quality with the previous trim tabs and the Seakeeper Ride in Manual mode is significant, with reduced rolling and milder impacts.
Although the automatic control in the Seakeeper Ride does not instantly reduce pitching&rolling as dramatically as seen in YouTube videos, it does reduce them noticeably after a few moments.
This delay is likely due to the weight and mass distribution of Rikutsu-Kone-Taro’s boat compared to the lighter center console boat used in the video. The heavier bow of my cabin cruiser affects the performance of the Seakeeper Ride.
Despite the difference, over extended use, the Seakeeper Ride proves to be highly beneficial, making even rough seas more manageable and enhancing the overall boating experience.
Observing other boats in the marina, most outboard motorboats have trim tabs, often installed from the factory as an option. The Seakeeper Ride’s broader and stronger tabs outperform these standard tabs, suggesting that wider, stronger trim tabs could improve the ride quality of many boats.
While the Seakeeper Ride’s automatic, instant control offers additional benefits, its robust design alone makes a significant difference in reducing rolling and slamming, much to the delight of boating enthusiasts like Rikutsu-Kone-Taro.
The Seakeeper Ride is indeed a remarkable system, and Rikutsu-Kone-Taro is glad to have installed it on his boat. Should he ever switch to another boat, he plans to equip it with the Seakeeper Ride from the start.
That’s all for now.
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