One testament to a product’s success is when a boat owner becomes a repeat customer. Such is the case for Seakeeper, which has now supplied three gyro stabilization systems to Mr. Frank Miles for three boats. After installing M7000 series gyros on his 50′ and 55′ Maritimo sport fishers, Miles recently added a M21000 model to his 105′ Nordlund motor yacht Mixer, to better enjoy time aboard with family and friends.
105' Nordlund Motor yacht Mixer
Built in 2002 by Nordlund Boat Company, motor yacht Mixer is a classy yet family-oriented yacht with a sportfish personality. Designed mainly for entertaining and fishing on the US West Coast up into Alaska, the vessel is powered by twin 1,350 hp Detroit Diesels, cruises at 18 knots with a top speed of 22 knots and has a 6,000-gallon fuel capacity. Already fitted with Naiad fins, Mixer was recently hauled at Nordlund’s Tacoma, Washington, yard for minor maintenance and the gyro installation.
Miles said after installing a Seakeeper 7000 series gyro on his first Maritimo, “It worked so well I bought a second gyro for another Maritimo and now this one for Mixer. We fish a lot, so when we troll and stop to catch salmon, the gyro stabilizes the boat when the fins don’t.”
Because the Seakeeper mounts completely inside the hull, it was installed in the lazarette, just forward of the steering gear, through temporary hatch cut in the cockpit deck. Small for its power at about 50″ L x 55″ W x 36″ H, the gyro required only minor relocation of two water heaters, spare anchor storage and refrigeration equipment for the retrofit.
105' Nordlund Motor yacht Mixer equipped with Seakeeper Gyro.
“Seakeeper delivers exactly what Mr. Miles wants, it steadies Mixer while trolling, and eliminates the snap roll in a swell while at anchor,” said Paul Nordlund of Nordlund Boat Company. “The general opinion is that the Seakeeper gyro enhances the performance of the fins while the boat is underway. When the speed of the vessel is less than 8 to 9 knots, the fins are not very effective and the gyro does al l the stabilizing.” Designed for larger boats, the Seakeeper M21000 spins a forged,
High-strength steel flywheel at 4,000 rpm in a near-vacuum environment. It generates an unmatched 21,000 Newton meter seconds of angular momentum, creating a powerful righting force to stabilize craft at anchor, at slow speeds or underway.
Combining style, function and fun in her custom design, yacht Mixer’s well-appointed interior includes an elegant spiral staircase leading from the main deck to the master stateroom. Her family appeal shows in the dining table that seats a dozen or more people for parties, for which Miles’ wife does all the cooking. The Mixer yacht’s sportfish purpose is apparent from her three bait tanks, fighting chair and freezers recessed into the afterdeck.
Nordlund has been a family-owned, family-run boatyard for more than 50 years. All Nordlund yachts are 100% custom-designed and built. “When a customer wants stabilization on their boat, we recommend the Seakeeper gyro,” said Nordlund.
