John Dorrian is an experienced boatie and current owner of a 2006 Salthouse 65 which he uses for cruising and offshore fishing in all conditions. Already familiar with the reliability and quality of the Twin Disc range, having Quickshift® transmission in his boat, John was drawn to the brand when it came time to upgrade his hardware.

After several hands-on experiences at boat shows and in-depth discussions with Twin Disc technicians, John was convinced it was the right way to go for the control, maneuverability and stability he was seeking.

He went with four Twin Disc Express Joystick System® (EJS) stations with Express Positioning System® (EPS), main helm, tower, port cockpit, starboard cockpit, and the addition of the Seakeeper 16. He had his boat’s electric thrusters changed to hydraulic thrusters at the same time to create a package that he is totally thrilled with.

What were your aims with the new equipment?

With the Seakeeper I was looking for stability as the monohulls do roll around, particularly when fishing. I didn’t want stabilizer fins so the Seakeeper seemed to be the best option. I also wanted the dynamic hold Express Positioning System® for fishing and Express Joystick System® to assist with docking.

How did you hear about the Twin Disc EJS and Seakeeper products?

Mainly talking to other owners about what they were using and in most instances what was out there
 just didn’t meet my needs. I had spoken to the Twin Disc guys at the boat shows and when they had the right products, and I tested them on the Twin Disc demonstration boat at Sanctuary Cove Boat Show in 2015, I was able to see and use the products first hand so it was invaluable in helping me make my decision. I couldn’t do that with other options on the market.

Why did you choose Twin Disc and Seakeeper?

The products they offered answered all my needs and I already had the Twin Disc Quickshift® transmission so it made sense to retro fit. Other systems would mean a whole rebuild, which just didn’t seem to make sense.

What did the experience involve, from initiating the project through to installation?

Twin Disc are great project managers, especially Trygg Hermanniusson. They just looked after the whole project and if there were any problems or issues Trygg was straight on to it. I like people who come to me with a solution to a problem, and Trygg did that.

It’s not easy to put hydraulic thrusters into an existing boat but the Twin Disc tech and install team has the technical experience to make it happen. Also, my boat is in survey so the gyro installation had to comply with the survey requirements. The Twin Disc team worked with the surveyors to ensure the installation was compliant.

Have the products performed to your expectations?

Yes definitely, particularly in wind and seas at 10 to 15 knots. I did a lot of research before I made the commitment and the products have performed to the levels I expected.

Do the Twin Disc and Seakeeper products add to your enjoyment of your boat?

100 percent most definitely! The Express Joystick System® stations take a lot of pressure off when berthing, the Express Positioning System® allows us to hold on a fishing spot we may not have been able to anchor and the Seakeeper just makes it a whole lot more enjoyable whether at rest, underway or most importantly, when fishing.