Unique stabiliser system
Dutch company Dynamic Marine Systems has introduced a unique stabilising system that could have considerable application in the workboat sector. Developed after intensive engineering and test phases and working in collaboration with MARIN, Brabant Engineering and Bosch Rexroth and other companies the AntiRoll stabilising system has now entered the production stage.
The first AntiRoll system came off the production line this September and, following its introduction to the market, it will now be installed in the 37 meter Wim van der Valk Trawler ‘Vagabundus’ working out of Holland.
“We are proud that we are able to produce such an outstanding and advanced fully Dutch product for the marine industry and early results look very promising.” commented Piet van Burg, owner of Burg Equipment and Burg Metaal the shareholders of AntiRoll.
AntiRoll features a unique, dual-axis fin stabilizer, which rotates whilst underway, creating stablisation forces in the normal way for a fin stabiliser and which flaps up and down when stopped. This allows AntiRoll to combine stabilisation both underway and at zero speed without any compromise of performance in either circumstance.
The curved, high-aspect ratio fin significantly reduces the drag by between 50 and 75 percent whilst underway which in turn has a positive impact on the fuel consumption. In addition, with the fin in flapping mode at zero or low speeds as opposed to rotating, a greater lifting force is generated making the vessel a more stable platform. The fin is also retractable and can be partly folded back in to the hull. This leaves only minor resistance while underway and solves many problems associated with non-retractable fins particularly on vessels engaged on underwater operations. AntiRoll uses an innovative hybrid drive system resulting in relatively low power requirements.
It is anticipated that this AntiRoll system could prove a valuable addition to survey vessels and similar craft that have to operate a slow speeds when working and require higher speed stablisation during transits. This should create a more stable working platform for a variety of workboats.
By Dag Pike
