I felt it was about time I gave you an update on the success of the Rotor Stabilization which was fitted to Motor Yacht Impetus.
After being offered the position of Captain on board Impetus and hearing of the revolutionary Quantum Marine stabilisation system, I thought I had better do some homework on what I was going to have to work with. Their website was very informative in regards to the theory behind the 'Magnus Effect' which the system utilizes, and the owners were full of praise for the performance of the rotors on their maiden Atlantic crossing.
Our itinerary was to include the Cote d'Azur, Italian Riviera, Bay of Naples, Sicily and Croatia before heading all the way back west to Gibraltar in preparation for our Atlantic Crossing to Fortaleza, Brazil. We experienced excellent cruising conditions for the majority of our trip.
Now most would not even mention a stabilization system in fair weather but this is where the first positives of the rotors shone through.
 New Quantum Marine Roller Zero Speed Stabilizer Being Fitted |
 New Quantum Marine Roller Zero Speed Stabilizer Being Fitted |
The first real test of the rotors was on our way to the Aeolian Islands (named after Aeolus, the God of winds) just north of the Messina straits which is the busy stretch of water that separates Sicily from mainland Italy. I did my best to time the passage so we passed the active volcano of Stromboli at about 4am.
The conditions decided to deteriorate at about 1am so I engaged the stabilizers in preparation for some rough weather as the wind increased to a constant 28 knots with gusts reaching 45 knots on the quartering beam. The short fetched 4ft swell quickly had a 3ft wind chop added on top. White water crests were rolling into the side of the hull and the main deck was constantly awash with green water. Now this may sound like a few lines out of a fiction novel, but nasty little patches of weather such as this are not uncommon in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea.
The performance of the rotors was staggering. On schedule, the guests on board made their way to the wheel house eager to take in the view of a glowing volcano. Of course the only thing to see was spray and white water.
All were amazed at the conditions as they had no idea from the comfort of their cabins. The predictive ability of the stabilization ensured that the maximum roll experienced was only 4 degrees. Stromboli was bypassed, guests returned to their cabins and we continued on for another four hours to an anchorage at the main island of Lipari.
As I mentioned earlier, one of the main advantages of the rotors is the ability to retract them when not in use. During our 15 day Atlantic crossing to Fortaleza, Brazil, we only had to engage the stabilization for two and a half days. As well as the extra 0.7 of a knot in boat speed achieved, we saved approximately 2 US gallons (7.5 litres) per hour in fuel. That is approximately 600 US gallons (2260 litres) over the twelve and a half days we did not have a need for the stabilizers.
This equates to about twenty seven and a half hours or 260 miles added range at 9.45 knots. This average speed for the Atlantic Crossing was achieved at an average RPM of 1359.65 and an engine load average of 51.33%.
We are currently writing a log for you on the Rotor Zero Speed Stabilization. I will forward this information as soon as enough data has been collected. Fortunately for us, Impetus is excellent at anchor and we have only had the need for the zero speed a few times over the the last six months. It has proven itself so far to be as good as promised. I look forward to sending you more data on Impetus in the near future. She is definitely deserving of her International Super yacht Society award as one of the top five yachts between 23m and 32m for 2005.
Yours Truly,
Captain Ben Castle
Motor Yacht Impetus
More news on Impetus on this site:
Captain's Report
Impetus Feratured in Awlgrip Ad
Launching of Impetus
Impetus Under Construction