Massachusetts-based Imtra has introduced Sleipner Electric Vector Fins, an any-speed stabilization system that’s intended for use aboard yachts from 45 to 150 feet length overall.

According to Imtra, the system combines new electric actuators with a “revolutionary” fin design called Vector3 fins. They’re the second generation of the VFS Vector Fin design that’s currently used with hydraulic actuators, and, Imtra says, offer a level of reliability that no other electric actuators can match.

These fins also reportedly solve what Imtra says is the most common problem with electric actuators: structure-borne noise that can bother owners, guests and crew.

Sleipner’s electric actuators are based on a frameless, brushless, torque motor that’s built directly into the actuator base, allowing it to maintain high torque for an extended period of time. The system uses a Harmonic Drive strain wave gear system for reliability, as well as a system that Imtra says reduces about 92 percent of structure-borne noise. The same strain wave gear was used on the Mars Rovers and aircraft landing gear, giving an indication of its reliability in challenging environments.

The Vector3 Fins can also be 110 percent more energy efficient than conventional flat fins, and can provide a 90 percent increase in stabilizing force while reducing sway and yaw up to 60 percent compared with conventional flat fins, Imtra says.

Additional advancements that Imtra is touting include the Vector3 Fins having a 50 percent better lift-to-drag ratio compared to original Vector Fins, and virtually eliminating “anchor walk,” as the actuators allow the fins to rotate 180 degrees.

Imtra has introduced numerous products with substantial technological advancements during its more than 70 years in business, providing lighting, thrusters, stabilizers, anchoring systems, wipers, seating, controls, doors, hatches and other specialty products for use in the marine industry.

“The Sleipner VectorFins changed the game with a level of performance not previously seen in fin stabilization,” Prentice Weathers, stabilization product manager at Imtra, stated in a press release. “Now, the new electric actuators and Vector3 Fins take stabilization to a whole new level with a vastly superior stabilizer system compared to all others, and allows us to offer any-speed stabilization to smaller vessels than was previously possible.”

Can a skipper control these Sleipner stabilizers via a multifunction display? Yes, when using certain newer models of multifunction displays. Control of the system is also possible through an SDI-1 interface.

Take the next step: click over to imtra.com

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Zipwake, which is a dynamic trim-control system for added comfort aboard, is now available with a Zipwake Integrator Module that can help keep dashboards cleaner, even when incorporating large displays at the helm.

Imtra says the Zipwake Integrator Module connects the Zipwake system to eight brands of multifunction displays and comes with a wireless interface that lets boaters configure, operate, monitor and update the system via the Zipwake app on smartphones or tablets.

The Zipwake Integrator Module is waterproof to IP67 standards and comes with an ethernet connector collar for sealing ethernet cables. A single cable connects the unit to a multifunction display.

“With larger displays becoming more and more popular, we understand that helm space is limited,” Jamie Simmons, Zipwake product manager at Imtra, stated in a press release. “The new Integrator Module is a streamlined and elegant solution that lets boaters take full advantage of the Zipwake system without the need for a separate controller.”

Will the Zipwake Integrator Module be on display at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show? Indeed, it will be shown by Imtra, at booth number 785.

Take the next step: You can also learn more by clicking over to imtra.com

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Imtra has launched a new generation of DC electric thrusters called eVision.

eVision is an evolution of the 2011 Sleipner Proportional DC Thrusters. The new product contains what is reportedly the first electric motor designed specifically for marine thrusters, with an industry-leading run time at 100 percent thrust, lighter weight and a smaller size than comparable thrusters.

“Sleipner eVision is the result of years of dedicated development and hard work,” Steve Howd, aftermarket product manager of DC thrusters, Imtra, stated in a press release. “With its extreme efficiency and low amp draw, eVision is the ideal thruster solution for DC environments and a perfect fit for the growing interest in boat electrification.”

eVision is intended for boats 40 to 100 feet length overall. Imtra says this model has 30 percent less amperage draw than previous models, is quieter, is as much as 50 percent lighter than comparable models, and takes up 40 percent less space.

The new thrusters are compatible with Sleipner’s S-Link Control system and can be integrated for joystick control.

When will Sleipner eVision be available? It’s already available for new-boat production, and should become available this month for aftermarket refits.

Take the next step: go to imtra.com

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None of us needs any more reason to be frustrated about the COVID-19 pandemic. But if you are just now seeing some seriously cool lighting systems on the water and trying to figure out how the boat owners got them, you can absolutely blame the coronavirus for keeping you in the dark.

Imtra, the US representative for UK-based Lumishore, had been offering the Lumishore Lux lighting system exclusively to boatbuilders until early 2020, when the system made its debut for the general public at the Miami International Boat Show—”right before the world shut down,” says Tom “TJ” Orr, Imtra’s lighting project manager.

The plan had been to educate owners of boats up to about 90 feet length overall about how the Lumishore Lux system could give them the kinds of custom effects they see on superyachts, without the typical customization pricing and installation headaches. The lights can be installed in all kinds of combinations above the waterline, below the waterline or both. They can be set up to change colors, sweep, strobe, pulse with music and more, all depending on what kinds of effects the boat owner wants.

But with limited ways to demonstrate the Lumishore Lux system for boat owners in person, Imtra instead expanded the work it was doing directly with boatbuilders. That’s how, going into summer of this year, an increased number of hulls started making their way onto the water with all kinds of theatrical lighting effects. The Lumishore Lux system was available to everybody, including for refits, but most people heard about it only if they were buying a new boat.

“Mag Bay has this standard,” Orr says. “Chris-Craft is offering it. Pavati is offering it for their boats as an option. Jarrett Bay, Bayliss, F&S and Spencer are all custom builders. It’s one of the things they tell people about. They’ll contact us, and we walk them through to find out where the people want the lights. We make it as customizable as they want to get.”

Barrett Howarth, the vice president at Mag Bay Yachts, says that on his yard’s 42-foot model, customers can choose the Lumishore Lux system as an option in whatever parts of the boat they want. “We’ll put in strip lighting, underwater lighting, the downlights. It’s a pretty nice deal,” he says. “I can have my bait tank going with a strobe-and-disco look, my tower lit up another color—really anything.”

Almost every buyer of a Mag Bay boat these days is adding the Lumishore Lux system as an option, he says. And based on that business, he thinks that having a fully customizable lighting system on board a boat will become like having a Seakeeper or a large multifunction display. It will ultimately become something expected or standard.

“As a side project, I’m building myself an 18-foot Boston Whaler, and I’ve actually made provisions in my build for lighting,” he says. “I’m doing a full package: speaker lights, undergunwale lights, underwater lights. Whether I use it or not, that’s not really important. I think it’s important to have it on there.”

A full setup for a smaller boat like that Whaler, Orr says, can run about $2,500. For a midrange sport-fisherman with above- and below-waterline lights, the cost likely won’t top $15,000.

“It’s super-affordable for how advanced it is,” Orr says. “This is the most advanced thing on the market—and the only thing at this level that’s plug-and-play.”

Lumishore’s interface is simple to learn, Howarth says, and when boaters start using it, they get jazzed about ideas for personalizing their ride. A single screen tap can change the boat’s lights from standard white to theatrical scenes of all kinds.

“They give you a high level of customization,” Howarth says. “You can have different intensities of light in different zones. You can have one zone changing and one zone sweeping. You can have them strobing. You can dip down some of the lights 10 or 15 percent so you’re not blinding your bait. It’s fun stuff.”

Low-Profile Lights

Lumishore’s EOS through-hull lights are “flush-fit,” which means they can be mounted with a low-profile look in the yacht’s transom, sides and bottom. They can change color, strobe, work with sound systems, and more.

Hidden Flair

Lumishore’s Lux LED strip lights are manufactured to be flat. Each strip light has tape on the back, so it can be installed beneath gunwales or countertops where nobody sees anything but the glow. 

One Linked System

In the past, onboard and underwater lighting could not be linked into scenes without specialty third-party systems and computer programs, says Tom “TJ” Orr at Imtra. “Now, you can say, ‘Oh, I want the lights in the ceiling to be blue and my courtesy lights to be purple and the neon lights around the cabinets to go red, and I’m going to call this scene XYZ.’”

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It has been three years since Massachusetts-based Imtra took over the Zipwake line of interceptors, and during that time, the team has been thinking big. In 2017, the Series S that Zipwake offered was for boats from 20 to 50 feet length overall. Now, Imtra has unveiled Series E, which expands the pitch-and-roll-controlling technology to yachts as large as 100 feet.

“The major restriction is the amount of lift generation you can get out of a unit,” says Jamie Simmons, Imtra’s product manager for Zipwake. “The Series S has a millimeter stroke on it. You have the blade going straight up and down in the water column to generate lift. When it was down, that blade was only 30 millimeters from top to bottom. You can only generate so much lift with a blade that size.”

The new Series E, by contrast, has a 60 mm stroke.

“The blade that comes down goes farther than on the Series S,” he says. “It gives you more lift generation, and the units are larger on the transom. The construction is more heavy-duty. It’s a larger blade, bigger moving parts—it just has to be more robust.”

The Series E components are part of the expanding line of Zipwake products that Imtra now offers. The company has been adding components that fit with different types of underwater hull shapes, such as chines and prop tunnels. Series E includes three straight, three tunnel and two chine interceptors. The three tunnel models (R500, R600 and R800) have different radii for prop tunnels of different sizes, while straight and intermediate blades can address different engine configurations, such as multiple outboards. Switching from a straight to a rounded blade between outboards, for instance, reduces the cavitational zone.

“With the straight edge, that zone was much larger,” Simmons says. “When you round the blade off, it brings that zone in.”

Going forward, he adds, Imtra’s goal is to have a wide range of Zipwake options. “We’re trying to have a solution for most every boat,” he says. “There will always be odd situations, but up to about 100 feet now with the Series E, more than likely, we can come up with a solution.”

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Imtra has expanded its Zipwake Dynamic Trim Control System offerings with a Series E line of interceptors.

The Zipwake Series E is engineered for bigger boats. The product line evolved from the Series S, which was designed for vessels from 20 to 50 feet length overall.

“Larger vessels have their own unique design challenges,” Jamie Simmons, Zipwake product manager for Imtra, stated in a press release, “and the Zipwake system has been expanded to accommodate these hull shapes.”

Series E includes three straight, three tunnel and two chine interceptors. The modular design of the interceptors makes them well suited for planing or semi-planing boats from 40 to 100 feet length overall, according to Zipwake. The Series E deploys at a speed of 1.6 inches per second (40 mm per second) for a total stroke of 2.4 inches (60 mm).

In contrast to straight interceptors, the tunnel interceptor’s constant radius curvature allows for mounting above the propeller tunnel. The three tunnel models (R500, R600 and R800) have different radii, making sure that most large boat propeller tunnels can be covered with negligible deviation between hull and interceptor curvature.

How do yachtsmen control running trim, heeling or heading? By using 3D controls with an LCD display.

For more information, visit: imtra.com

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Most owners want to reduce the motion that makes people seasick on their boat, and many have heard about stabilization systems provided by fin stabilizers and gyros. But which is better? And specifically, how do advanced curved-fin systems like Side-Power Vector Fins match up with the most popular gyro systems? Let’s start with the basics and go from there.

Both Vector Fins and gyro systems work well at anchor, assuming you’ve sized the equipment properly. Underway, Vector Fins are usually superior to a gyro because

1. the power of the fins increases exponentially with speed;
2. the fins can maintain anti-roll force indefinitely while the gyro relies on precession (change in the angle of the gyro’s axis; once the gyro reaches the end of its stroke (or “throw”), the gyro loses its ability to stabilize;
3. the fins will also correct list against a steady crosswind while the gyro will quickly run out of precession;
4. Vector fins generate significant lift at speed which improves speed and fuel economy over straight fins,
5. when a boat goes into a turn, a gyro or straight-fin system will try to keep it level, while the Vector fin system recognizes the difference between a roll and a turn, and banks the boat into the turn to resist the centrifugal force generated. It’s the same sort of effect a banked turn on a race track creates. As a result, with Vector Fins, one barely notices that the boat is turning, and glasses and plates stay put, rather than slide off the table.

Advantages of gyros are that they have no appendage, they are relatively small and compact, and they are well-engineered to minimize the intense heat generated on the bearings by the spinning mass. Gyros come in an attractive package and work well in many circumstances.

Disadvantages of the gyro systems are that they are less effective underway, are heavy, and in some cases, servicing requires removing the unit from the boat. For a 30-knot boat, a gyro must be much bigger–perhaps bigger than space allows–to equal Vector Fins’ performance, so sometimes multiple gyros will be installed. The systems can take up to an hour to “spin up” before they provide full stabilization, also generate noise, may require structural reinforcement, and with few exceptions are wholly dependent on AC power off a generator. In certain sea conditions, their effectiveness is also limited by stroke or precession distance, and when it’s time to replace the main bearings, most gyros must be removed from the boat and returned to the factory for service.

Advantages of Vector Fin stabilizers include the fact that their power increases with speed exponentially and that they generate lift as well as stability, which negates the effect of drag (unlike straight fins). Vector Fins also provide both at-rest and underway stabilization, allow you to bank into turns, and reduce unwanted motions of sway and yaw by up to 30 to 50 percent compared to straight fins. They counteract crosswinds and list, are lighter than gyros by thousands of pounds (depending on size) and allow maintenance of bearings and cylinders to be done in place. Those using hydraulic power can typically use a PTO (power take-off) hydraulic pump on the boat’s engine to get free power underway (it uses AC from a genset or shorepower at rest). An accumulator in the system means less noise and instant response. In fact, the system is virtually silent. The stabilizing force of Vector Fins is directed more vertically than straight fins, increasing efficiency and lift; you can therefore use smaller fins for the same power or larger fins to gain 30 to 50 percent more power than straight fins.

Disadvantages of all fins include the fact that they are appendages and can therefore cause entanglement or be damaged. They create drag, which may be offset by gains in fuel efficiency and speed in the case of Vector Fins. They can also cause sway and yaw, and at anchor they are limited by the length of the fin’s stroke. Also, they need to be positioned roughly in middle of boat so when retrofitting an older boat this may sometimes pose a challenge. Their location also requires ample structure and support for the loads generated. Having said that, a gyro similarly requires significant structural reinforcement and presents similar space challenges.

From a cost standpoint, a detailed analysis of expectations, requirements, and each boat’s suitability should be undertaken by the installer doing the work, but all else being equal, Vector Fins may be equal to or possibly a little less than a gyro installation. There are many factors that will dictate higher and lower costs—for example structural refits needed to add a gyro sometimes make a big difference. Another factor is whether there is space to install either system, and/or what existing equipment will need to be moved in order to create the space for a gyro or fin system.

One of the greatest variables in any stabilization decision is the owner’s expectations. What’s most important? Stabilization at any speed, or optimizing for at-rest performance? If at-rest stabilization is the priority, a smaller gyro will cost less than one that is two or three times the size, which may be what is required for any-speed stabilization. For any-speed stabilization, the equipment cost of a Vector Fin system would be significantly less than a gyro system. We know of boats on which a second and even a third gyro have been added to get satisfactory stabilization; for these boats, a Side-Power Vector fin system would have cost far less.

The post Boat Stabilization: Fins vs. Gyros appeared first on Yachting.

A steady 15-plus-knot breeze turned the Pacific Ocean off Newport Beach, California, into swell city. White-topped 3- to 5-footers greeted the bow of our 60-foot Bertram convertible, and with malice. In the trough, the vessel swayed from chine to chine like a pendulum. Standing up was a challenge. For those prone to mal de mar, it was a good day to be watching from the beach.

That is, unless your yacht had stabilization with serious roll-stopping power.

My Bertram was retrofitted with Side-Power Vector Fin stabilizers that worked equally well when the boat was at rest or underway, at all speeds. With the press of a button, the curved fins engaged, with their fishlike tails flanging out at the bottom. Articulating across a 70-degree arc (which is adjustable to the inboard side of the fin), the system got the Bertram to stop rolling in her tracks. She began to bob up and down like a duck. Side-Power says its fin system can reduce roll by as much as 95 percent underway.

Side-Power introduced Vector Fins in 2013, and they won a “best overall product” DAME (Design Award Mets) that same year at the annual marine trade show in Amsterdam. Industry insiders lauded the Vector Fins for their innovative design: smaller than a traditional flat-fin system with a curved shape to work with the water.

One benefit of having a system with smaller fins is reduced hydrodynamic resistance, which, in turn, helps mitigate the impact on a yacht’s overall performance. For example, my Bertram 60 cruised at around 28 knots before the fins were installed, and she still cruised at around 28 knots after the fins were added. Side-Power says there is potential fuel savings with this setup too. The idea is that with the stabilizers engaged, a captain can run the course he wants to run, as opposed to the one the sea wants him to run. Put another way, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Another potential benefit for angling enthusiasts came to light on day two, when I saw the fins in action on a 65-foot Hatteras. The seas were flat, and as the vessel cruised across the water at 7 to 10 knots, I could see zigzagging bubble trails a few feet outside the boat’s wakes. The trails were similar to the action one sees pulling a teaser lure. The vessel’s captain, Dave Hansen, says the fins and that smoking bubble trail help him raise fish. While I couldn’t verify it, as an avid angler, I could see the potential, and I believed him.

For various-size yachts with different stabilization needs, there are five Vector Fin models ranging in overall size from 6.9 square feet to 17.7 square feet. The foam-cored fiberglass fins are made via a close-molded, vacuum-infusion process. The foam makes the fins weightless in water. They are also designed to break away from the boat on impact.

Side-Power also developed four actuator models to work with each of its fin systems. The actuators have fixed hoses, reducing wear and tear, and the chance for leaks. All exterior parts are made of stainless steel for a long, rust-free life in the engine room, and the bearings are lubricated for the lifetime of the actuator.

I also found the Vector Fins easy to operate by way of a display at the helm. The display showed what the fins were doing and when they were engaged. If I pressed a button, they disengaged. I pressed again, and they were back online.

Another way to keep a yacht rock steady comes from Sweden-based Zipwake. It has developed an interceptor-based trim system, which instantly adjusts a vessel’s running attitude for pitch and roll, enhancing performance in any sea state. Zipwake — designed to work with planing and semiplaning craft from 20 to 60 feet length overall, and at speeds up to 60 knots — comes in a kit. It includes mounting templates, interceptor blades (a vessel can have up to six interceptors, depending on trim required and transom space available), control panels and cabling. An experienced do-it-yourselfer could install this system. And the through-hull cable fitting from the hull mount into the boat can be hidden below the waterline or installed above, owner’s choice. Once Zipwake is installed, a yacht owner plugs in basic vessel specs: length, beam and displacement. After that, the helmsman can hit auto, and the system is functioning.

My test boat for the Zipwake was a Cabo 35 flybridge called Swagger. The wind was puffing in the 15-plus-knot range, and the boat was listing to port without Zipwake engaged. Our captain pressed the auto button, and the boat got vertical, taking off north at 30-plus knots with a flat running attitude. The effect was instantaneous.

Going into hard-over turns, the system’s auto roll feature eliminated excessive inboard heel and outboard heel. The interceptors have a deployed depth of just 30 mm (about 1.18 inches), reducing drag. They drop quickly too: 1.5 seconds.

If you’re looking for an upgrade that increases the at-sea comfort quotient, Side-Power’s Vector Fins and Zipwake’s trim system can help.

The post A Close Look at Two New Stabilizing Systems appeared first on Yachting.

Alastair ross, back in the day, was the lead glass blower at Pairpoint Glass. He held the job a few decades ago, after the company moved to its current location on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Alastair’s son, Ian, would watch his father work with furnaces, molten glass and lead ladles to turn mounds of scorching-hot, shapeless material into things of beauty. Today, Ian (shown in the photograph at left) is the master glass blower at Pairpoint, which is now America’s oldest glass company, in year 181 of operations. And among the things that Ian’s hands regularly create are the handblown glass shades for Imtra‘s newly restyled St. Maarten Reading Lights, which yachtsmen can order with spherical- or martini-shaped shades.

“Words can’t do justice to the amount of control and expertise,” says Jeff Tulman, co-owner of Pairpoint. “He opens this piece up into the shape that you would see. He’s going to make a conical piece by using jacks, which are large, tweezer-looking tools. He opens up that piece with very specific measurements, and he uses calipers that are set even before he gets started for the specifications of the final piece. He’ll take up the calipers and compare the opening to the piece that he’s working on, constantly sizing it while he’s trying to maintain the temperature and finalize the shape so that he has a consistently produced product.”

Beyond that level of handcrafted finesse, Ian is also the one who adds the color swirls that you can see in the photographs above. Machine-filled factories in China or elsewhere might paint those effects onto mass-produced glass shades — leaving them vulnerable to scratching and ruin — but at Pairpoint, the swirls are part of the glassmaking artistry, formed at the same time that Ian is creating each shade’s shape.

“The swirling of the color is the friction of these tools dragging the outer layer of the glass, and that starts the pattern,” Tulman says. “It couldn’t be any more handmade. And the tooling that we use is traditional. There’s nothing mechanized beyond what they mechanized generations ago.”

Imtra adds Pairpoint’s shades to chromed-brass, round or rectangular bases, so yachtsmen can choose the finished look. At $250 apiece, Tulman says, the lights are “an incredible value for what goes into it.”

The post Imtra Introduces Custom-Crafted St. Maarten Reading Lights appeared first on Yachting.

Beyond significantly lowering heat output and power draw, the latest generation of LEDs also come with a wide range of trim ring profiles and color combinations. Boat builders include LEDs as standard equipment, and a growing number of do-it-yourselfers are retrofitting older halogen or incandescent fixtures with the latest generation LED fixtures.

Ten years ago, most people didn’t want to make an investment in LED lights. Today, we all recognize the benefits of LED lighting and see LED fixture technology as another piece of boating electronics.

IMTRA’s latest LED fixtures are designed to fit over many existing legacy lighting hole sizes, so the transition to upgrade to the new lights requires no cosmetic touch-ups. These new fixtures are fully sealed and use the highest quality components to ensure longevity in products that are backed with a 5-year warranty.

The new, low-profile Wave and Blade models offer a round design, sitting almost flat against the headliner. The Carve and Surf models reflect a square profile with the Surf showing a layered face to give a sense of dimension.

All four new lights have integrated, current-controlled drive circuitry, with spring mounting that requires no screws. For screw-mount installations, the Tide, Pool, Ripple and Current models are available. The new models operate safely from 10-40VDC and are compatible with IMTRA’s new single- and dual-channel PowerLED Controllers.

These new LED fixtures offer bi-color dimming control with a single switch. The lights are available in a variety of finishes and materials with custom finishes available on request.

Three single-color choices: warm white, cool white and neutral white, are designed for specific areas of a boat. Color temperature has been carefully selected to bring out the best features of fabrics, skin tones and wood grains. Many boaters prefer warm white for interiors and cool or neutral white for exterior lighting. With these lights, IMTRA has also expanded bi-colors to give owners more choices. The bi-colors include the three primary white shades that can be paired with either red or blue, depending on the application.

The impact of installing new LED fixtures is immediate, often making it look like the boat has gone through a complete refit. Most boat owners enjoy the benefit of lights that are significantly cooler to the touch than their old halogens and reduce the load on their generator and air-conditioning systems.

For more information on Imtra’s 2-wire LED light range click here, or go to www.imtra.com for all Imtra has to offer.

The post New Two-wire Lighting Range Makes for Easy LED System Refits appeared first on Yachting.