Seakeeper gyro stabilizer basics

Seakeeper gyros need routine service to keep the flywheel spinning safely. Cooling: closed seawater loop, requires clean strainer and functional seacock. Never operate outside sea temperature limits published for your model (typical: 35-90 degrees F seawater). Spool-up: 30-60 minutes depending on model, do NOT engage while cold. Bearing service: every 3-4 years or 3000 running hours, must be done by Seakeeper-certified technician, the flywheel spins at 5000-9000 rpm and DIY on the bearings is a very bad idea. Vacuum: the flywheel spins in a vacuum-sealed enclosure. If vacuum is lost (small leak in the enclosure), performance degrades, the display will show an alert. Vacuum recovery is a Seakeeper service item. Cooling flow: 8-12 gpm typical for Seakeeper 6, 15-20 gpm for the 9. Insufficient flow will trigger overheat shutdown. Anodes on the cooling loop: inspect annually. When decommissioning for winter, run a full Seakeeper winterization procedure, a frozen cooling loop cracks the internal heat exchanger, expensive repair.