Trac Stabilization at Rest

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bigpoppop

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Long Time Dead
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Nordhavn 55
Anyone have any experience with the Trac-Star system that is designed to provide stabilization while the boat is at rest? Sounds like a lot to ask of a system like that- wondering if anyone has had any experience with it. Maintenance issues? Many thanks everyone.
 
Anyone have any experience with the Trac-Star system that is designed to provide stabilization while the boat is at rest? Sounds like a lot to ask of a system like that- wondering if anyone has had any experience with it. Maintenance issues? Many thanks everyone.

No direct experience but just happened to read about it on the Fleming website. An interesting comment was that in calm seas the stabilizers can actually "swim" the vessel right up to the anchor, which could obviously create some issues.
 
Not to hijack this thread, but someone I met recently had stabilizers installed that operate using compressed air. He says they work at zero speed as well. I studied their website and I'm intrigued. I'm sure I can't afford it but one can dream right? I have no connection with this company, just a fascination with the concept.

Gyro Gale Stabilizers | Marine Stabilizers for Yachts
 
Anyone have any experience with the Trac-Star system that is designed to provide stabilization while the boat is at rest? Sounds like a lot to ask of a system like that- wondering if anyone has had any experience with it. Maintenance issues? Many thanks everyone.

Yes. I engineered on a 140' with TRAC zero speeds. No maintenance issues.

They are expensive but once you have them you'll never want to be without them.

I've slso run boats with Gyro Gales. But not their zero speed versions.

Had more issues with them than any other brand. But they did work well.
 
Yes. I engineered on a 140' with TRAC zero speeds. No maintenance issues.

They are expensive but once you have them you'll never want to be without them.

I've slso run boats with Gyro Gales. But not their zero speed versions.

Had more issues with them than any other brand. But they did work well.


What were the issues with the GyroGales?
 
Thanks. I can still dream at 10 knots.
 
On the ABTs and any other hydraulic stabilizers, the issue would be the source of the hydraulic power. We have ABT-Tracs, but not the zero speed version. And we would not be without them. Ours is set up with hydraulic pumps on both engines. The system runs on only one pump, normally the starboard one, with the port pump being a backup. A simple switch changes the pumps. On the zero speed, the hydraulic power has to come off the generator at zero speed. Best setup would be a pump on a propulsion engine and one on the genny. Use the engine mounted one when underway and the genny one when anchored. Of course, the genny has to running constantly for the system to work. Seems to me that you would have to anchor a lot and in some pretty rolly anchorages to justify the zero speed and to have the genny running constantly while anchored. We have never felt the need to look into upgrading our system.
 
I saw some commentary on zero speed units for guys in the Mediterranean. Swimming up past the anchor is a trait unless there is some wind and/or wave action to counteract.

But the guys still love 'em. Apparently you need something to offset roll when anchored in popular areas to be able to enjoy lunch. Altogether too many largish boats roaring past and creating lots of wake hazard.
 
Sounds awful, I don't think I care to boat in the Med with people acting that way, creating wakes for others. No sir. Haha
 
Twistedtree may have zero speeds. Be interesting to hear from him. Also, running a genset when conditions are rough at anchor sounds pretty comforting. Know several large yachts that do it with positive dampening. Rolly anchorages are no fun for the 0.001%ers.
 
Hello

I had Gyro Gales on Sea Master 48 after Naiad on Ocean Alexander 66 and now we have ABT so TRAC with zero speed "STAR" mode...
Gyro Gales was no maintenance not working when I bought the boat and lot to change to be back at job. (pneumatic one)
Naiad was no maintenance to but working perfectly never had issue with.
TRAC this is full electronic I get many issue electronic software and mechanic hydraulic problem ... for now I feel they not reliable but working on it ..
I know well now, work so much on it!
problem on me boat I need them at rest too...
don't think zero speed give you zero movement but they calm down tremendously the big roll, they working hard for that and consume lot of energy ...
STAR mode give some strange jerk but may be my set up are not the good one for now.. still looking for the good one, complicated and delicate system.
gyroscopic zero speed system that really better solution but not same price.

Hugues
 
I saw some commentary on zero speed units for guys in the Mediterranean. Swimming up past the anchor is a trait unless there is some wind and/or wave action to counteract.

never had this problem, STAR mode don't give us shifting :thumb:
 
Twistedtree may have zero speeds. Be interesting to hear from him. Also, running a genset when conditions are rough at anchor sounds pretty comforting. Know several large yachts that do it with positive dampening. Rolly anchorages are no fun for the 0.001%ers.

problem on our boat we have lot of weight on height at anchor when we have swell we love to put TRAC mode, bad think we have lot of solar panel and don't need generator, very ofter at mooring we have one of generator running only for STAR mode...:banghead:
 
On the ABTs and any other hydraulic stabilizers, the issue would be the source of the hydraulic power. We have ABT-Tracs, but not the zero speed version. And we would not be without them. Ours is set up with hydraulic pumps on both engines. The system runs on only one pump, normally the starboard one, with the port pump being a backup. A simple switch changes the pumps. On the zero speed, the hydraulic power has to come off the generator at zero speed. Best setup would be a pump on a propulsion engine and one on the genny. Use the engine mounted one when underway and the genny one when anchored. Of course, the genny has to running constantly for the system to work. Seems to me that you would have to anchor a lot and in some pretty rolly anchorages to justify the zero speed and to have the genny running constantly while anchored. We have never felt the need to look into upgrading our system.


You're better off using an electric hydraulic power pack to run the stabilizers at rest.

Larger boats run their gennys 24/7.

And the system can work at the dock as well.
 
Any idea what the STAR add in would cost to an existing abt system? Thanks
 
Any idea what the STAR add in would cost to an existing abt system? Thanks

I made a quote 3 years ago for TRAC250 to have STAR option
what is coste more that you need to change the fin by bigger one with winglet $5000 each :bang head: so all ready $10000
after oil accumulator 2X $700 refresh actuator kit $600 new TRAC panel (if you have the old version) $2500 + Eprom software with STAR mode $3700
so 3 years ago was around $18000 for TRAC250 system :blush:

hop that answer to your question

Hugues
 
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Yes, we included the Star feature when we built Tanglewood, but in all honesty, other than a few tests, I have yet to need it. Anchorages in the PNW are just too darn calm :) But I've been in plenty of anchorages elsewhere where I would have killed for them, so we went ahead and included it. On an initial install, it's a relatively small cost increment (maybe 15%). Existing system can often be retrofit as well.

Of course you need a source of power - there is no way around that - so you get to pick your poison. But either way you will need an engine of some sort running. We put a pump on our generator which made the most sense for us. It can run Star, serve as a backup if the main engine or attached pump dies, and is a supplemental power source for thrusters, anchor wash, etc.

The fins when you have Star are also slightly different. It's pretty much the same square footage, but they are longer and shallower. The other difference is the addition of a hydraulic accumulator which is just like a water tank in a plumbing system, but holds hydraulic fluid and operates at a much higher pressure. It provides reserve hydraulic flow capacity and smooths out the load on the generator.

When we get out of the PNW, I expect we will use them more often, but for now I can't complain about the calm anchorages.
 
I'd heard it's a $100,000 addition but sounds like it's far less
 
I'd heard it's a $100,000 addition but sounds like it's far less

$100,000 this is for full system of stabilizer, $18,000 this is price to update existing stabilizer system with STAR option (Zero Speed)

Hugues
 
Naiad-Have had no problems, work very well. PTO is from generators, but we run 24/7 if not docked so not a problem.

Now, less experience with, but love so far Side-power/Sleipner Vector Fin stabilizers. We have them on a 65' Sunseeker and they work great. What we don't know is how they would perform on a Trawler as we're only aware of them being used on planing hulls.

I have no experience with Trac.

We have stayed away from Gyro so far. The spool time is one reason and the noise a lesser reason. Plus, we're just not as comfortable with their dependability yet. Note that we have reservations on the Side Power too even though we respect the company and their other products and have heard of no issues. They just don't have all the applications Naiad has.
 
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