Multihull Wave Piercing Power Boat

[Powerhouse]

Hi Everyone,
I would like to build an aluminium Powerboat 18-20ft that is maximum width for Towing, I also want something that looks spectacular. As yet I have been unable to find suitable plans and in fact can find very little on Wave piercing Multihulls. I don't want a Cat as they are generally expensive to run. What I would like is something based on the Australian Hydrofield (Jaguar, Fibreglass), this is basically a Monohull with very distinct and efficient "wings" giving you the choice of single or Multi Engines, Big forward storage for a Cabin, Soft riding Hull, extremely efficient for low fuel costs and an extremely stable working Platform. The wave piercing hull seems to be gathering momemtum and from what I understand gives a better rough water capability as it lengthens the Keel. The wings enable the boat to ride on the foam generated.

My question is- Can someone direct me to a site or designer that can help me with my quest.

Thanks
Powerhouse

[mackid068]

Hm. Wave piercing? All you need is a V-hull type powerboat with chines (B-whaler style hull).

[intrepid71]

I don't think wavepiercing multihull boats in the 18-20 ft range exist. I'm not sure the concept will scale down very well. At first I thought you were talking about a scaled down version of Incat's fast ferry shape. Your description of wings and riding on foam doesn't really follow. All wavepiercing cat designs I have seen have the main hull out of the water. If the main hull is in the water then it creates drag and is exposed to pounding from waves, so you gain no advatage. You might as well stick with a monohull shape in that case.

[Cian Groves]

Hi Powerhouse,
Maybe you are thinking about an air rider tri hull, I know the designer is quite well know here in Australia. You can find more info on kits of these hulls on the following link: http://www.marinekits.com/catalogue.php?catid=1.

Please note I am not an employee of this company.

Cheers,
Cian

[Eric W. Sponberg]

Contact my friend Roger Hatfield at www.goldcoastyachts.com in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Gold Coast has built some small wave-piercing ferries (smallest on their website is 39') and I have ridden on one of them. Pretty neat.

Eric

[mackid068]

I'm still confused by wave-piercing's meaning.

[intrepid71]

Originally Posted by mackid068

I'm still confused by wave-piercing's meaning.

Wave-peicing means that the hull or hulls are designed to penetrate through waves rather than riding over them like a traditional hull. The idea being that this will reduce pitching, heaving and slamming accelerations. A wave-piecing hull typically will have a very fine entry and most importantly, will have limited buoyancy forward. In the case of a catamaran design, limiting the forward buoyancy means the the hulls will be slender and often protude well forward of the structure that connects them to the main body, giving them a needle shape. The link to Gold Coast Yachts earlier in the thread illustrates this shape well.

[brian eiland]

There was an old experimental hull form that was worked on down here in Annapolis, and it had some association with the Naval Research Labs. It worked very well if I remember correctly. But I can't recall the name of the thing. I think it had a 'delta like' center hull of some sort.

[Powerhouse]

Thanks for your input, much appreciated
David

[Cary]

I remember having a chat about wave piercing monohulls back in 1972 with Sonny Levy. I came to the conclusion that if you want to go fast, then fly....fly...fly....

[intrepid71]

There is no question that "flying" is faster. Water produces far more drag than air. The problem is that what goes up must come down. A small boat launching off waves at high speed makes for a brutal and possibly dangerous ride.

[Cary]

Poking holes in waves increases the possibility of swapping ends, flipping, and submarining. Not if the flying boat can hover, fly in surface effects and fly like an aerial sports car, it can also land on land. I know because I'm trying to get one developed.

[intrepid71]

Originally Posted by Cary

Poking holes in waves increases the possibility of swapping ends, flipping, and submarining. Not if the flying boat can hover, fly in surface effects and fly like an aerial sports car, it can also land on land. I know because I'm trying to get one developed.

Well, if you can build a boat that can hover, fly in ground effect and land on land, I say cool. You are talking about a technology jump that does make "wave-piercing" seem irrelevant. That said, a properly designed wave-piercer may offer some advantage for those with non-flying boats.

Anyway, good luck with your project.

[Cary]

Sonny and I were exchanging sketches in the Florida Room of the publisher of Southern Boating magazine way back in 1971-72. Volvo built a boat a few years that looked very similar to the sketches. I poked a hole in a wave in one of our 26' runabouts. Basically, it has to do with a sharp froward entry. Wave mechanics can be very tricky.

[DiverDown]

I've always thought it would be interesting to have an Ekranoplan/Wing In Ground motoryacht...imagine 200 knots..