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Less Motion, More Ocean
What is a Marine Gyrostabilizer?
A marine gyrostabilizer is a device for reducing the rolling of boats and ships in waves.
The device comprises a flywheel mounted in a gimbal frame allowing two of the three possible rotational degrees of freedom. This gimbal frame is then rigidly mounted to the hull of the vessel**, with the flywheel gimbaled within the frame. Most often the device is located in the engine room of the vessel.
How Gyro-Stabilizing Torque is Created
There are three inter-twined parts to the process of creating gyro- stabilizing torque. Note that each of these things is simultaneously occurring at the same instant in time, but it is helpful to consider each of them separately. Once the flywheel is spinning, the following process leads to the development of a stabilizing torque that opposes rolling motion:
- Waves cause the vessel to roll
- Rolling motion combines with the spinning flywheel to create precession motion
- Precession motion combines with the spinning flywheel to create stabilizing torque
The physics that causes these inter-twined actions is called gyro-dynamics. If the flywheel spins in the opposite direction, the induced precession motion will be in the opposite direction, but the stabilizing torque will be identical.
How Gyros Provide a Higher Quality of Comfort
Because a gyro’s roll stabilizing torque is created by the rolling motion itself, there is absolutely no time delay, or lag, between the wave induced rolling motion and the stabilizing torque produced by a natural precession gyrostabilizer.
The result is an amazingly smooth application of the massive stabilizing torques produced. In practice, the experience of turning the gyro ON is fundamentally different from fin stabilizers. There is simply a calm, relaxing reduction of rolling motion.
This sensation has to be experienced to be understood. For too long, the yachting community has believed that the trade off for a reduction in rolling motion was an unpleasant jerkiness. This no longer is the case.
There is simply a calm, relaxing reduction in rolling motion.
