A new active gyrostabiliser system for ride control of marine vehicles

A new gyroscopic method of active ride control on marine vehicles is presented. Gyroscopic stabilisation is selected because it acts entirely within the hull of the vessel while not requiring sufficient movable weight to generate control moments. The new approach is capable of generating greater stabilising moments than existing gyroscopic systems. Physical experiments, using a modulation theory approach, on a ship model practically demonstrate that the specified system is capable of providing levels of ride control comparable with existing systems. Theoretical estimates of the system on full-scale vessels demonstrate its practical feasibility for application on small and medium sized vessels.