
Next Generation Trim Systems
There is more to running a boat than pushing the throttles down and keeping the bow pointed in the right direction. One of trickiest parts, especially for new boaters, is getting the boat trimmed for optimal performance. Trim is simple in theory—lower the tabs to push the bow down and cut into oncoming seas or raise the tabs to raise the bow when riding the waves. Adjust the port and starboard tabs to even the load and keep the boat level while underway. The issue is that every boat is different and changing sea conditions keep the captain constantly adjusting to keep the boat running right. Some boats are tender and are overly sensitive to tabs, while others are less responsive and require more input to get the job done. And everyone who has run a small boat knows what it’s like to have antsy crew or guests moving around causing the boat to list to one side or the other.
What if there were a way to keep all the benefits of trim tabs without the need for adjustment? That is exactly what the engineers at Seakeeper did with the Seakeeper Ride vessel attitude control system. The same company who eliminated boat roll at rest with their industry-changing gyro stabilization systems has now figured out a way to eliminate up to 70 percent of pitch and roll while underway.

Putting them to the Test
The innovative Seakeeper tabs mount in roughly the same location as traditional tabs but feature a unique rotary blade which is raised and lowered by an actuator to build pressure and control the boat’s motion. According to Tyler Causey of Seakeeper, “[the sensors] are taking 1,000 measurements and making 100 adjustments every single second to eliminate the pitch, roll, and yaw.
“We are predicting motion and responding instantaneously to eliminate movement before you even feel it.”

Retrofits Made Easy
There is also some good news for those who aren’t quite ready to move into a brand new boat—the Ride system is actually fairly easy to retrofit onto boats, and it is something that is happening quite often. All you need are a couple of flat mounting surfaces on the transom, a multi-function display (MFD) with NMEA 2000 support, a 25-amp circuit breaker, and two holes to run the wires.

“Everybody that I have personally put the Ride system on for, loves them,” Lee reports. “It is always keeping the boat level side-to-side while people are moving around and transferring weight. It is just one less thing to worry about when you’re at the helm. Which is nice because a lot of boats are getting so many gadgets on them that you’re doing everything but looking where you’re going.” This system changes that by automating one of the nagging side activities of steering a small craft safely and comfortably.