Magma Flopper Stopper Review

[angelfish2]

Thanks Ken, I've always been curious about these contraptions. They are definitely worth the price for the extra comfort.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by jamhass

The farther out you rig them, the more effective they will be. Even a couple of feet can make quite a difference, and is worth the effort.

Watch swap meets. I found a like new one for 50 bucks.

That's all I'd have, a couple of feet. Also, I only have the one boom, so I'd probably end up with just one flopper stopper. Good idea about looking used, although there are no swap meets around here.

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Tom,

We tried hanging one off a bow cleat, and it didn't seem to work very well for preventing the front to back rocking, so we instead went with the spinnaker pole off the side at 90 degrees and the boom situated at 45 degrees more at the stern than directly at 90 degrees of the beam. The stopper hanging off the boom is about six-seven feet away from the boat. The stopper off the spinnaker pole is more like 12-14ft out.

Again, I'd only have one, and my problem is roll, not pitch, so it would be off the beam, not bow or stern. Any reason why you need that 2nd one?

[Don C L]

I use the plastic cone variation regularly and one thing I did was make a dedicated pole for it because I wasn't comfortable with the halyard being yanked at an angle up top. It is probably fine, but I imagine chafe on edges of the sheaves. It's pretty easy and quick to rig with a bowline around the mast and the halyard only pulling it up to just below the spreaders and the line going out to outboard end of pole. Then I added guys with loops set at the right length to snag cleat fore and aft. I use the plastic cone models (my boat is pretty small) but I like your kind for the way they fold up; much easier to stow. And mine needs a weight to hang from it too; the magma, no.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I use the plastic cone variation regularly and one thing I did was make a dedicated pole for it because I wasn't comfortable with the halyard being yanked at an angle up top. It is probably fine, but I imagine chafe on edges of the sheaves. It's pretty easy and quick to rig with a bowline around the mast and the halyard only pulling it up to just below the spreaders and the line going out to outboard end of pole. Then I added guys with loops set at the right length to snag cleat fore and aft. I use the plastic cone models (my boat is pretty small) but I like your kind for the way they fold up; much easier to stow. And mine needs a weight to hang from it too; the magma, no.

It's actually surprising how little pull there is on the rope leading to the stopper. I'd expected quite the force, but apparently it doesn't require much to stop the roll.

[Copacabana]

Just a FYI ... In one of the Pardey's books they give instructions to make a flopper stopper using a plastic crate (like the perforated ones they use for milk) and heavy cloth (Sunbrella, for example). I can't remember which book, but it may be The Cost-Conscious Cruiser. It's a pretty simple thing: a one-way valve really.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Copacabana

Just a FYI ... In one of the Pardey's books they give instructions to make a flopper stopper using a plastic crate (like the perforated ones they use for milk) and heavy cloth (Sunbrella, for example). I can't remember which book, but it may be The Cost-Conscious Cruiser. It's a pretty simple thing: a one-way valve really.

I got one too, they work ok for a small boat, but the square milk crates (strong ones, not craft store kind) are the best and they aren't easy to find. At least you can use the crate for something else too! I think the kind Ken has is probably the best. While the plastic cones work fine, they don't stow well when they are rigged up.

[Kenomac]

Here's another review on the same Magma Flopper Stopper I made a few days before. On this video, I only had the one off the spinnaker pole deployed. Enjoy the view of Croatia.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e1dSl0h3W3Q

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by angelfish2

Thanks Ken, I've always been curious about these contraptions. They are definitely worth the price for the extra comfort.

I'd buy them again. It turns our boat into a catamaran in anchorages comfort wise. One thing it definitely supresses 100% is the annoying wakes produced by powerboats. I see even the cats bounce side to side when a ferry goes by, but on our boat... absolutely nothing. I can't even tell when another boat passes by, even when they produce a fairly large wake.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

That's all I'd have, a couple of feet. Also, I only have the one boom, so I'd probably end up with just one flopper stopper. Good idea about looking used, although there are no swap meets around here.



Again, I'd only have one, and my problem is roll, not pitch, so it would be off the beam, not bow or stern. Any reason why you need that 2nd one?

Yes. One does a very good job, two is better.

With only one stopper deployed, when a swell or wave hits us from the side, the boat will first dip/roll towards the stopper, then the roll is supressed when the boat comes back up. With two stoppers, one on each side, there's no dip to the side when the wave hits, so we can't even tell if a boat has passed by when we're inside the boat.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

That's all I'd have, a couple of feet. Also, I only have the one boom, so I'd probably end up with just one flopper stopper. Good idea about looking used, although there are no swap meets around here.



Again, I'd only have one, and my problem is roll, not pitch, so it would be off the beam, not bow or stern. Any reason why you need that 2nd one?

It depends on the hull shape.
We had a full keel, canoe stern with a big bowsprit. (Lord Nelson 35)
One at the tip of the bowsprit and one off a whisker pole to starboard.
It worked well for us.

[Flyingriki]

Love this forum! Thanks folks, great stuff!

[Van Der Beek]

I appreciate your review Kenomac and will try this out once refit is done and I’ve gotten her back into the water. It looks promising.

Nice to get all the benefits of a sailboat and also the benefits of a catamarans stability (or even better) at anchorage.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

What, nobody interested is preventing rock n roll?

Thanks for that, Ken.

My boat rolls like a pig in rolly anchorages. It's so bad that I've had people get seasick -- at anchor! .

Rigging up something like this is on my list.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Thanks for that, Ken.

My boat rolls like a pig in rolly anchorages. It's so bad that I've had people get seasick -- at anchor! .

Rigging up something like this is on my list.

Rig two like we did, you'll be pleased with the results. Rolling at the anchorages never bothered me much, but Pam hated it. She's much happier now, but didn't like that I'd spent the money until she saw the results.

Now we're putting off the catamaran, these things saved us a small fortune.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Rig two like we did, you'll be pleased with the results. Rolling at the anchorages never bothered me much, but Pam hated it. She's much happier now, but didn't like that I'd spent the money until she saw the results.

Now we're putting off the catamaran, these things saved us a small fortune.

Your boat maybe doesn't roll like mine. It's vastly worse than previous boats. Don't know why - must be the hull shape and bulb keel.

Yes. I'll make up a couple of those. My 8 meter long carbon pole ought to be just the ticket for deploying one of them.