Bluegame, a brand of Sanlorenzo Yachts, and Smartgyro, gyro stabilization technology company, are proud to announce their success in achieving a world-first in stabilizing the Bluegame BGM75 multihull, which will debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival from September 10 to 15.
Bluegame partnered with Smartgyro to enhance the stability of their new luxury BGM75 catamaran, aiming to achieve higher standards in comfort and performance. While multihulls are naturally stable, monohulls have gained popularity because they often include stabilizers. Recognizing the growing demand for increased comfort and stability, Bluegame decided to take on the challenge of equipping the BGM75 with advanced Smartgyro SG80 stabilizers. This project set the ambitious goal of matching, or even surpassing, the comfort levels of stabilized monohulls.
BGM75, the first model of the BGM range, does not fit into an existing segment but creates a new one: it is a significant departure from the catamarans on the market, thanks to its reduced length-to-width ratio. The closer proximity of the two hulls has allowed for a seamless lower deck and a full beam owner's cabin, an unprecedented feature for a boat with two hulls. Consistent with the Sanlorenzo Group’s positioning, the BGM75 is first and foremost a luxurious, beautiful motor yacht that “by chance” has not one hull, but two.
The collaboration between Bluegame and Smartgyro to investigate the potential of this innovative project began in 2023. For both companies, this was a ground-breaking endeavour: stabilizing multihulled vessels is notoriously complex due to their shape and the physics involved. Nevertheless, Bluegame entrusted Smartgyro, confident in their established technical expertise and highly skilled team, to achieve the desired results.
The project was highly specialized; Smartgyro provided Bluegame with the maximum forces generated by the stabilizer, enabling the Research & Development (R&D) team at Bluegame to carry out the necessary modifications to the hull. This collaboration ensured that the Smartgyro unit could be installed safely and meet the recommended standards.
No specific mathematical model for catamarans existed to back up whether the concept would work so the project meant Smartgyro’s R&D team had to first investigate the technical aspects of how two gyroscopes could be installed and effectively operate in parallel within the two hulls of the catamaran. Several adjustments of the control systems alongside software modifications had to be made in this unique project specification.
Carlo Galli, CEO of Smartgyro, commented: “We were very excited to work with Bluegame on this exceptional and pioneering project. We are delighted with the results that we managed to achieve and know that Bluegame’s new discerning BGM75 owners will appreciate the maximized comfort they will experience aboard.
To achieve the impossible in collaboration with a company such as Bluegame, has been very significant for us. We worked together very closely throughout to ensure we achieved the best results possible for this stunning 75’ catamaran.”
Sea trials were a crucial part of the project. Testing the theories and tuning the algorithms of the gyroscopes to achieve an optimal parallel operation in different sea conditions, when one hull was experiencing different forces to the other, was a big part of the challenge. Several adjustments and modifications were made to fine tune the system and achieve the maximum roll reduction.
The final results achieved after the numerous sea trials were excellent, granting significant roll reduction in comparison to a non-stabilized multihulled vessel. Now, the stabilized catamaran’s comfort is comparable to a stabilized monohull vessel.
Carla Demaria, CEO of Bluegame, commented: “Understanding the high standards of our expert and sophisticated clientele, we were resolute in pursuing this project, confident that it would surpass their expectations for comfort. We recognized the complexity of stabilizing two hulls in parallel, a challenge no one had tackled before.
Smartgyro’s proven expertise and innovative approach instilled in us the confidence we needed. This has been a truly collaborative effort, with both teams working seamlessly together, enhancing each other’s strengths.”
Bluegame and Smartgyro continue to collaborate closely on future projects following the success of this ground-breaking development in stabilization for multihulls.