For sailors-turned-explorers Nikki and Jason Wynn, every new journey starts with a question: what’s next? After years of sailing some of the world’s most remote tropical waters, the answer this time wasn’t just a destination, it was an entirely new approach to life at sea.
Fresh from their unforgettable sailing expedition to Antarctica, complete with navigating into an active volcano and uncovering some of the most remote, untouched landscapes on Earth, they are now preparing for their boldest chapter yet.
Their focus has shifted from sail to motor, driven by a desire to push further into extreme environments. High-latitude exploration demands a new level of performance: strength, reliability, range, and autonomy. After months of research, visits, and sea trials, they found their perfect match: an aluminium-hulled, 50ft Explorer Yacht, purchased at auction and now proudly named UNDRA, the Swedish word for curiosity.
Currently based in the Netherlands, the Wynns are deep in the preparation phase, refining UNDRA for her maiden voyage. This isn’t just any refit, it’s a transformation into a vessel capable of traversing some of the harshest and most remote regions on the planet.
The couple have set their sights on exploring Scandinavia, the Arctic, and beyond. To achieve this, every system onboard must deliver efficiency, reliability, and comfort, even in the most demanding conditions. This is where stabilization becomes critical.
After extensive research into the stabilization market, the Wynns narrowed down their choice based on three key factors:
1. Compact Design
With limited installation space onboard, the SG20’s compact footprint made it the only viable solution without sacrificing performance.
2. Global Support Network
As part of the Yanmar Group, Smartgyro offers worldwide support, an essential safety net for vessels operating in remote and unpredictable locations.
3. Field Serviceability
For long-range adventurers, downtime isn’t just inconvenient, it can be mission-critical. The ability to service the SG20 anywhere in the world ensures maximum uptime and peace of mind.
The Smartgyro SG20 is a compact yet powerful stabilization solution engineered for vessels in this size range. The Wynns wanted to ensure maximum comfort and stability offshore.
Among all the upgrades made to UNDRA, Nikki and Jason said:
“The gyro stabilization is by far the single biggest upgrade we have made to any vessel we have ever owned. We spent a lot of time researching stabilization before committing to the SG20. With limited space we had to choose carefully.
Because our boat is semi-displacement, we didn't want to add any additional underwater appendages. So, the SG20 was the right fit for this boat and where we want to cruise. We're excited to get out to sea and see how it performs in real world cruising!"
Whether installed during construction or as part of a refit, Smartgyro systems are designed to adapt easily to different scenarios. For UNDRA, the SG20 was fitted during an after sales refit, within an existing layout that presented complexity and limited space.
Thanks to Smartgyro’s design and modular approach, the system was successfully integrated without compromising performance or accessibility. Even more importantly, the SG20 remains fully maintainable in situ. This is a crucial advantage for explorers operating far from service hubs.
The boat is currently undergoing rigorous sea trials, results and stabilization experience will be shared via a follow up blog later this summer. For anyone planning extended time in remote regions, reducing fatigue and motion onboard isn’t just a luxury, it’s essential.