Italian high-performance tender builder selects innovative stabilizer unit for installation on Monaco Government vessel due to its unique maintenance and roll reduction benefits

High Tech Marine , manufacturer of technically-advanced tenders, has selected Smartgyro’s innovative stabilization solution for its new firefighting and rescue patrol boat for operation in the harbour waters and along the Monaco coastline. The Italian builder has expanded its business to Solas LY3 certified rescue boats and professional boats for fire extinguishing and sea rescue, backed by its experience in the design and production of custom and luxury tenders.

The Smartgyro SG20 unit will be installed on the highly bespoke 12.85m vessel to effectively eliminate roll in the harshest conditions, facilitating rescue operations and firefighting procedures, while also aiding safe transportation of passengers and improving comfort for the crew.

Commissioned by the Monaco Government, the advanced High Tech Marine (HTM) patrol boat will be delivered by September 2022 and enter service immediately, enabling the region’s Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers to provide firefighting and rescue services in the Principality’s ports and along a coastal zone which may include the surrounding French territorial waters.

Superior stabilization is a crucial feature of the vessel’s design, in part due to a high-performance hull allowing a top speed of over 40 knots for safe, high-speed navigation in up to 4m high waves.

Recently introduced to the market as the smallest model in the Smartgyro range, the SG unit delivered to the Italian tender specialist is ideal for the size of this patrol boat and was the first SG20 sold when the agreement was finalised late in 2021.

Massimiliano Fontana, CEO and Yacht designer High Tech Marine, said: “As custom producers, we were able to include a range of features that is rare for a boat of this size, fully satisfying the customer’s requests during the Monaco Government call for bids. We aim to create a product with the highest quality, without neglecting any details, both from an aesthetic and functional point of view. We are using only Italian-made accessories, with the exception of a Finnish propulsion system.

“Due to our experience in building luxury tenders for mega yachts, we know it is crucial to give a boat of this type the right comfort. In comparison with other competitors on the market, we considered Smartgyro the best quality. One of the main reasons for choosing the SG20 is undoubtedly the accessibility and innovation brought by Smartgyro in this sector, which allows for any maintenance and service without completely removing the gyro. This is a significant advantage for the vessel. Apart from improved comfort for the benefit of the crew, the stabilizer is necessary for rescue operations to be carried out more safely and easily in rough seas, and also for the transportation of patients or survivors. During the extinguishing of fires, it will allow more precise operation, in combination with the electronic anchor.”

The Principality of Monaco firefighting and rescue boat will carry ten crew members, including a pilot and fire-fighting operator, plus eight rescue members with specific equipment such as scuba-diving gear or fire-fighting equipment.

In 2021, Smartgyro announced the addition of the SG20, suitable for boats from about 45 feet to 55 feet, and SG60, for boats from 55 feet to 65 feet, to further expand its unique line-up of advanced gyroscopic stabilizers and meet the needs of more boat owners and builders.

The outstanding innovation of the stabilizers engineered by the YANMAR-backed company is the cutting-edge modular mechanical design, ensuring the range is unique to the market as the only gyro units that can be serviced, maintained and assembled directly inside the boat. With no need for the whole gyro to be shipped back to the factory for maintenance, up-time on the boat is maximized, while builders benefit from new design opportunities and easier installation in vessels with small access spaces.

2021 was a significant year for Smartgyro with the expansion of its business, the appointment of key personnel, a move to larger headquarters in La Spezia, Italy, and the continued growth of its worldwide dealer network to meet demand which continues this year.