Flopper stopper rigs UK?

[Ifraser]

Hi. After several nights rolling excessively at anchor and having read "Voyaging under power" I've decided that a flopper stopper rig has a lot to offer my vessel predominantly at anchor but also under way with paravanes deployed. I've found quite a few companies selling systems in the US but can't see any in the UK. I'm sure I could get something custom fabricated but it would be a lot easier to buy a system ready to bolt on. Has anyone come across any suppliers of such systems over here? Thanks Iain.

 

[Orcades]

Hi Ian , I have been hunting the net for similar and can't find any in the UK
I don't have masts and see you don't either . So may need to be a double pole horizontal and a tie back up th the fly bridge ,
Don't know if there is a science to this or just make one up ! Maybe need to pass it through a naval architect !
There are some sketchy designs on the web and lots of fish etc ! Think the states is a lot bigger market !!
Cheers Andy

 

[Ifraser]

Hi Ian , I have been hunting the net for similar and can't find any in the UK
I don't have masts and see you don't either . So may need to be a double pole horizontal and a tie back up th the fly bridge ,
Don't know if there is a science to this or just make one up ! Maybe need to pass it through a naval architect !
There are some sketchy designs on the web and lots of fish etc ! Think the states is a lot bigger market !!
Cheers Andy

Thanks Andy, I do have a mast as it happens it was just "under renovation" when that pic was taken! I think my dad will be able to sort me out some poles and there is a good section on fs rigs in the book "Voyaging under power" I just need to make sure that my mast stays are fitted securely because the stresses are quite high. Fs rigs are not something I've seen at all in the UK but I don't think they'd look out of place on a boat like mine and will hopefully minimise rolling in an anchorage. Thanks for your reply and your boat looks lovely. Cheers Iain

 

[FF]

IF FS are uncommon in the UK , you might contemplate some sort of lighting at night.

Mant folks think the can pass fairly close to an anchored vessel, one that is 50-60 ft wide may be a surprise.

A couple of lawn walk units should do if you install a better battery .

 

[Ifraser]

IF FS are uncommon in the UK , you might contemplate some sort of lighting at night.

Mant folks think the can pass fairly close to an anchored vessel, one that is 50-60 ft wide may be a surprise.

A couple of lawn walk units should do if you install a better battery .

Valid point. Thank you I shall do that when I fit them.

 

[Brooksie]

I think you will have to have the systems designed for your specific vessels.
No off the shelf systems are available for good reason:
Depending on the exact angle of your stays, every pound (sometimes more) of force it takes to stop your rolling is transmitted to your gunnels and then to your overhead as cyclical compression loads which can be huge in bad conditions. The size of the fish and the conditions determine the loads but the remainder of the rig determine how much and where it reaches the vessel.

 

[Gulf Comanche]

Here's my FS setup. 1st & 2nd pictures show the mast with outrigger poles, also the forward mast stays where mounted to the pilot house roof. 3rd picture shows the baseplate mounted to the galley roof, 4th picture shows one of the mast poles where it comes thru the galley roof, continues thru the deck to where it is welded to the hull framing. At the time these pics were taken, the outrigger poles were 15 ft long; I had them cut down to 13 ft so I could get in my covered slip and get under some ot the bridges where I cruise.
My advise is to get some expert help in designing your setup as there's a lot of stress on things when underway. If you don't, you might cause damage to your boat and then need expert help anyway.
Mike

 

[Phil Fill]

They are usually designed for the specific boat. You can buy the fish, but the mast poles and stays are custom made. For the mast, poles and stays I will be using a local sail boat rigger, as we several in the marine to sort of copy. I installed a new aluminum mast and have the poles/fish. Going to have the plant make the chain hull plates and spreader bars this winter. Might install them next spring.

 

[JDCAVE]

I would look around your commercial fishing waterfront and see what they are using. They were already installed on my boat at purchase but I understand that they were a $20k install. They are really just a set of poles installed on the bulwarks with hinge that allows them to drop down at a 45-60 degree angle. Forestays to the bulwarks on the foredeck and also to the mast completes the setup. A pair of jackknives attached between the poles and the mast will prevent the poles from accidentally flipping back and damaging structures or worse, flipping the fish out of the water and at your Pilothouse or hull. There were probably 10,000 fishing boats on the west coast of BC that had these things installed at sometime or another, mostly by DIY types. So many of these vessels are currently being scrapped over here that you could get everything for the price of scrap metal.--if you were here. Still, check around at your commercial tie-ups to see if they have done something similar. You would probably want to replace the rigging with stainless and get everything powder coated but....or you could just spend £20,000 for some trendy UK yacht yard to come up with something for you.

Here's a link to a vessel currently for sale that demonstrates the setup

http://www.pacificboatbrokers.com/details.asp?File_Number=LF4136

Also, google gillnetters, British Columbia.

Jim, Sent from my iPad using Trawler

 

[Bay Pelican]

Ifraser

I note in your original post that you were looking for a rig "primarily at anchor". The thread then followed to full underway flopperstopper rigs for perhaps 12,000-13,000 pounds. These are great systems, but involve cost and real estate on the boat. If you are looking for something at anchor, Magma's rock and roll system with two collapsible/removable 9 foot poles and 6 ft square fish works well for our 42' trawler. Price is probable 600 pounds.

Marty

 

[FF]

The biggest downside to a good F-S rig is the air height increase that may require long waits for bridge openings.

 

[Orcades]

Thanks Marty never seen these before , it's worth a try !!
Andy

 

[OFB]

Most paravian systems ( flopper stopper ) that I am familiar with are designed more around a budget than actual end use loads. I am not suggesting load points and loads do not need to be calculated. Just that all the systems I see have break away points under some load conditions. usually at shackles and pole mounts. As an example.

Point being you can find used systems at a reasonable cost and mount them using different load calculations for the break away points.

Also lots of vessels can handle the FS system mounted from mid ship to about 75 % of hull length aft. They don't have to be mid ship. Can make a big difference for cost of mounting the system so just a point.

Always nice to have options.