U.S. patent number 3,709,179 [Application Number 05/052,543] was granted by the patent office on 1973-01-09 for high speed boat.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Wyle Laboratories. Invention is credited to Peter R. Payne.
United States Patent |
3,709,179 |
Payne |
January 9, 1973 |
HIGH SPEED BOAT
Abstract
A boat for operating at high speeds even in water having waves
of moderate to large height, comprising a pair of laterally spaced
hull sections connected by a body. The rear portion of each hull
section has a planing surface, all of the planing surfaces normally
being submerged even during high speed travel. The front portion of
each hull section has a narrow width and sharp entry angle for
cutting into waves instead of riding over them. The body that
connects the hull sections normally extends at a large height above
the water surface, and it includes a front body portion at the bow
to assure that the boat will ride over very large waves.
Inventors: |
Payne; Peter R. (Silver Spring,
MD) |
Assignee: |
Wyle Laboratories (El Segundo,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
21978303 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/052,543 |
Filed: |
July 6, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
114/286;
114/288 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B
1/20 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B63B
1/20 (20060101); B63B 1/16 (20060101); B63b
001/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;114/61,65.5P,62,66.5,56,66.5R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
466,836 |
|
Nov 1951 |
|
IT |
|
1,136,861 |
|
Dec 1968 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Buchler; Milton
Assistant Examiner: Kelmachter; B.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A boat adapted to operate at high speeds in water having waves
of at least moderate height comprising:
a pair of laterally spaced hull sections, each having a sharp entry
angle at its bow portion, and a planing surface along its rear
portion; and
a body connecting said hull sections, said body normally extending
above the water to define a tunnel normally above the water between
said hull sections;
said planing surface of each hull section being at the bottom of
the hull section, and said planing surface of each hull section
gradually increasing in width from a point spaced behind the bow to
the rear of the planing surface, whereby there is a minimum
variation of planing surface even if the boat's attitude changes
considerably.
2. The boat described in claim 1, wherein:
each of said planing surfaces has a convex planform, whereby to
provide greater pitch damping.
3. The boat described in claim 1, wherein:
each of said planing surfaces has a concave planform, whereby to
further increase efficiency.
4. A boat for movement at high speeds comprising:
a pair of hull sections; and
a body portion lying above the water surface and connecting said
hull sections;
each of said hull sections having a narrow forward hull portion
with a sharp entry angle immediately above the water of less than
about 10.degree. and a hull portion behind it with a normally
substantially completely submerged bottom planing surface, said
planing surface being of primarily triangular planform to generally
increase in width at stations progressively nearer the rear of the
boat.
5. The boat described in claim 4 wherein:
said body portion includes a bow part extending between the front
portions of said hull sections, said bow part having a lower
surface whose center is upwardly inclined, whereby to ride over
large waves.
6. The boat described in claim 4 including:
a pair of tabs extending rearwardly from the rear of each planing
surface; and
means for pivoting said tabs to change the attitude of the
boat.
7. A boat for movement at high speeds comprising:
a hull having a narrow bow portion and a planing surface along the
bottom of at least part of its rear portion, said planing surface
gradually increasing in width along most of its length from a point
spaced behind the bow, and said planing surface located so that
substantially all of it is submerged even at a speed where the
dynamic forces of water on said planing surface supplies more lift
than is supplied by buoyant forces on the hull.
8. The boat described in claim 7 wherein:
said bow portion has an entry angle of less than about 10.degree.
immediately above the waterline when the dynamic forces of water on
said planing surface begin to exceed buoyant forces on the
hull.
9. The boat described in claim 7 wherein:
the sides of the hull immediately above said planning surface
extend substantially vertical, so they supply substantially no
dynamic lifting forces, whereby to minimize variations in dynamic
lift with small variations in depth of submersion.
10. A boat adapted to operate at high speeds in water having waves
of at least moderate height comprising:
a pair of laterally spaced hull sections, each having an entry
angle of less than about 20.degree. as measured between a point on
the tip of the bow at a height above the water approximately
one-third the height of the bow above the water and a pair of
points on opposite sides of the hull surface and spaced behind said
bow point by a distance equal to the height of the bow above the
water, and each hull section having a planing surface along its
rear portion;
a body connecting said hull sections, said body normally extending
above the water to define a tunnel normally above the water between
said hull sections; and
means for propelling said hull sections at a speed at which a
majority of the weight of the boat is supported by planing forces
on said planing surfaces.
11. The boat described in claim 10 wherein:
said entry angle is less than about 10.degree..
12. A boat adapted to operate at high speeds in water having waves
of at least moderate height comprising:
a pair of laterally spaced hull sections, each having a sharp entry
angle at its bow portion, and a planing surface along its rear
portion, the planing surface of each hull section being tilted
outwardly from a horizontal plane along substantially its entire
area;
a body connecting said hull sections, said body normally extending
above the water to define a tunnel normally above the water between
said hull sections; and
means for propelling said hull sections at a speed at which a
majority of the weight of the boat is supported by planing forces
on said planing surfaces.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to water craft.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Boats with conventional displacement hulls are not satisfactory at
high speeds because the large submerged surface results in high
drag, due largely to its wave-making tendency. Such drag increases
sharply when the Froude number, which equals
exceeds about 0.2 for a typical displacement hull. Planing hulls
can be used to achieve considerably lower drag at high speeds
because the dynamic (planing) forces acting on the hull tend to
lift the boat up on top of the water surface. However, the hulls
used heretofore experience pounding when even small waves are
encountered. The pounding is largely due to the increase in the
effective planing surface (and therefore, an increase in dynamic
lift forces), when the hull encounters a wave.
Fully submerged hydrofoil craft have been extensively developed,
which can operate efficiently at high speeds, and which avoid
pounding. In hydrofoil craft, a hull is supported out of the water
during high speed travel, by underwater foils fixed to the lower
end of struts that extend from the hull. The hull can be maintained
a small distance above the water by employing foils that are
normally only partially submerged. However, when waves of even
moderate height are encountered, the foils can ride out of the
water or too deeply into it, and the boat is subjected to heavy
pounding. It is also possible to maintain the foils at a large
depth, but then a complex and expensive control system is required
to maintain a constant height of the hull above the water. In both
types of hydrofoil systems, there is considerable complexity and
expense involved in transmitting power from an engine in the hull
to propellers mounted on or near the foils.
A boat which had the low drag characteristics of hydrofoil crafts
at high speeds, which could operate in at least moderately high
seas without complex controls, and which utilized a relatively
simple drive train for a propeller or other driving system, would
be valuable in a wide range of applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a relatively
simple craft is provided which can move smoothly and at high speeds
along water having moderately high waves. The craft includes a pair
of laterally spaced skeg or hull sections which support a body of
the craft above the water. The rear portion of each hull section
has a planing surface that supports the craft primarily by dynamic
forces during motion through the water, so that a minimum amount of
the hull is in the water where it would produce drag. The front or
bow portion of each hull section has a narrow width and a sharp
entry angle for cutting through waves.
When a wave is encountered, the sharp front portion of each hull
tends to cut through the wave instead of producing large dynamic
forces that would tend to lift the bow. In addition, the narrow
width of the front portion results in small bouyancy, so that a
wave does not forcefully lift the bow even by reason of static
bouyant forces. Thus, the attitude of the craft does not change
drastically when a wave of moderate size is encountered. As the
wave encounters the rear portion of each hull, the bouyancy of the
rear portion causes it to rise. The planing surface along the rear
portion is positioned so that normally all of it is submerged.
Thus, no additional planing surface is brought into use by reason
of the wave, and only minor changes in dynamic lifting forces are
produced as the crest of the wave passes by the rear portion of the
craft. The craft therefore, rises and falls smoothly in the waves,
and avoids large pitching and vertical accelerations.
The body portion of the craft, which connects the hull sections,
extends along most of the length of the craft to form a tunnel
therealong. The forward part of the body, which extends between the
front parts of the hull sections, is normally high above the water.
However, when a large wave is encountered, the wave produces
dynamic lifting forces on the body that raise the forward portion
of the craft to assure that the craft will ride over the wave and
will not dive into it and be submerged. The tunnel can also provide
aerodynamic lift forces, particularly where the rear portion of it
is blocked by a door or by spray.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with
particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best
understood from the following description when read in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat constructed in accordance
with one embodiment of the invention, shown during high speed
travel on water, the superstructure of the boat being shown in a
simplified form;
FIG. 1A is a bottom perspective view of the boat of FIG. 1, with
the planing surface emphasized with diagonal lines, and without the
superstructure;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the boat of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the boat of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the boat of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a rear elevation view of the boat of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 6A through 6E are contour views showing the configurations of
the boat at various stations along the length of the boat as
indicated in FIG. 2, but not showing boat portions behind the
stations;
FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a door attachment which can be
utilized with the boat of FIG. 1 to close the tunnel therein;
FIG. 9 is a simplified pictorial view of an automatic tab control
system which can be utilized with the boat of FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is a bottom view of a boat with a convex planform planing
surface;
FIG. 11 is a bottom view of a boat with a concave planform planing
surface;
FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of a boat constructed in
accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 13 is a partial plan view of the boat of FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a front elevation view of the boat of FIG. 12;
FIGS. 15 through 19 are sectional views showing the outline
configurations at various stations along the length of the boat as
indicated in FIG. 12;
FIG. 20 is a simplified side elevation view of a boat constructed
in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 21 is a bottom view of the boat of FIG. 20;
FIGS. 22 through 26 are partial sectional views taken at various
stations along the length of the boat as indicated in FIG. 21;
FIG. 27 is a side elevation view of a boat constructed in
accordance with still another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 28 is a sectional view of only the right half of the boat of
FIG. 27, taken on the line 28--28 of FIG. 27;
FIG. 29 is a side elevation view of a boat constructed in
accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 30 is a view showing the planform of one planing surface of
the boat of FIG. 29;
FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a boat constructed in accordance
with yet another embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 32 is a sectional end view of a boat constructed in accordance
with a further embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows a small boat 10 constructed in accordance with the
invention, moving rapidly over water W. The boat has a pair of
identical laterally spaced hull sections 12, 14 connected by a body
16. The hull sections 12, 14 have very narrow forward portions 18
that normally ride out of the water, and wider rearward portions 20
whose lower regions are normally submerged in the water. The lower
surface 22 of each rearward portion is flat and serves as a planing
surface that supports nearly all of the weight of the boat when it
moves at high speed through the water. Generally, all of the
planing surface 22 is submerged even at high speed travel. FIGS. 2
through 7 illustrate details of the boat configuration.
The use of planing surfaces 22 to support most of the boat weight
at high speeds, allows for a minimum of submerged boat surface and
therefore low drag and high efficiency. Of course, this is
characteristic of vessels which utilize airfoil or planing type
surfaces to support most of a craft weight at high speeds. However,
unlike many other types of such craft, the boat 10 is able to
operate well in seas with moderate waves. When a moderate wave is
encountered, such as one which has a crest-to-trough height
one-third the height H of the boat (as measured perpendicular to
the length of the boat, between the top of the bow and the planing
surface), the front portion 18 of each hull section cuts through
the wave. That is, the sharp entry angle of the hull sections
produces a minimum dynamic force that would tend to lift the bow.
In addition, the narrow width and therefore, small volume of the
front portions 18 results in a minimum of additional static
bouyancy, so there is a minimum of static forces that tend to lift
the bow. As a result, the bow tends to remain almost level rather
than pitching up.
As the crest of the wave reaches the rearward portions 20 of the
hull sections, the greater width and therefore, volume and bouyancy
of the rearward portions causes them to rise in the water, largely
by reason of static bouyant forces. The fact that all of the
planing surface 22 is already submerged means that no additional
planing surface is brought into use and there is a minimum of
additional dynamic forces tending to lift the rear portion of the
boat. Also, the portion of the hull immediately above the planing
surface has substantially vertical sides so it produces a minimum
of dynamic forces and therefore substantially no change in dynamic
forces as it moves down into a wave or up out of it. The rear
portion therefore begins to rise smoothly on the crest of the wave.
It is not thrown out of the water and therefore can smoothly lower
into the trough of the wave, the planing surface 22 generally
remaining submerged throughout the rise and fall. Even if the boat
pitches up substantially or does not fall quite fast enough into
the trough of the wave, only the forward part of the planing
surface will be out of the water. This forward part has a small
width, since the planing surface is triangular. Therefore, there is
a minimum change of dynamic lifting force even if the forward part
of the planing surface rises out of the water and resubmerges.
As shown in FIGS. 2-6, the body 16 merges into the hull sections
12, 14 to form a tunnel that extends through the middle of the
craft. The smooth arch transition from hull section to body
provides a progressively greater response to large waves to prevent
bow immersion at high or low speeds, and it also contributes to an
attractive appearance. However, hull sections which are vertical or
nearly vertical at their inner sides can be used, as will be more
fully explained below.
The front body portion 24 that extends between the front hull
portions 18 at a location normally high above the water, is useful
in preventing swamping in very high waves. If a wave is encountered
which is nearly as high or higher than the height H of the boat, it
will reach the lower surface 24S of the front body portion. The
surface 24S is upwardly inclined, that is, a line 26 parallel to
the surface 24S near the bow, and in the same plane as a side
elevation view, makes an angle A of at least several degrees with
the horizontal. Accordingly, as the surface 24S contacts a large
wave, a dynamic lifting force is produced which lifts the bow. The
large area of the front body portion surface results in a large
dynamic lifting force. This plus the large bouyancy of the body
raises the front of the craft and prevents it from being submerged.
As the wave passes along the tunnel formed by the body, it lifts
the rest of the body by reason of dynamic and static bouyant
forces. While such an encounter with a large wave produces large
pitch and heaving motions, the lifting does prevent swamping and
therefore contributes to safety under conditions of very heavy
seas. The provision of a front body portion 24 also helps to insure
proper response to waves when the boat is stationary or moving at
low speed; for example, it keeps waves from breaking over the deck
under such conditions by raising the bow over them. When the boat
is stationary, the boat assumes the position indicated in phantom
lines at 10A in FIG. 2, so the deck is close to the waterline 29.
When the boat moves at high speed, it lies higher above the
waterline 29 as shown at 10 in FIG. 2, with a trim angle of the
planing surface of between about 2.degree. and about 10.degree. at
high speed.
The tunnel created by the body 16 and hull sections 12, 14 also
contributes to lift of the craft, and therefore allows a smaller
area to remain in the water where it produces drag. It is believed
that the air trapped in the tunnel particularly when spray from the
hull sections closes off the rear end of the tunnel, creates air
pressure that increases lift. The spray can, however, appreciably
increase drag. It has been found that an installation of door means
such as a panel 28 of the type shown in FIG. 8, which can pivot
about an axis 30 to substantially close the rear end of the tunnel,
can produce slightly greater speed.
The planing surface 22 of each hull section which extends from the
point 32 to the rear end of the hull section, is flat and has a
triangular shape. As best seen in FIG. 5, the planing surface is
oriented at an angle of about 15.degree. from the horizontal. This
dihedral or deadrise resists outward rolling in a turn, and in some
configurations causes the boat to bank into a turn, thereby to
minimize sideward forces on passengers. A variety of planing
surfaces can be used, including those with a dihedral that varies
along the length, to produce a "warped plane" bottom, and those
with a concave or convex camber so that the trim angle varies along
the length. The planform of the planing surface is preferably of a
generally triangular shape, so that the width of the planing
surface generally increases towards the rear, at least during the
first half of the planing surface length behind the beginning point
32. This minimizes variation of planing surface even if the front
portion of the planing surface should rise out of the water.
Concave or convex sides can be used for the generally triangular
shape, or combination concave-convex sides (e.g. the forward part
concave and the rearward part convex or vice versa). It has been
found that planing surfaces with fuller forward parts, i.e., with a
convex planform as shown in FIG. 10, have greater pitch damping
than straight-sided triangular surfaces. Planing surfaces with
fuller rearward parts, i.e., with a concave plan-form as shown in
FIG. 11, have less wetted area for the same lift and therefore have
greater efficiency; however, they are harder to stabilize. Greater
stability can be obtained by employing small foils near the rear of
the boat, which provide greater pitch damping. Other types of
planing surfaces which may be used include those which form a V in
section.
It is important that the front portions 18 of each hull section
that lie in front of the planing surface, have a narrow or sharp
entry angle to cut into waves, so that they are subjected so only
negligible dynamic forces when they encounter a wave. While the
bows of ordinary boats may have angles of perhaps 60.degree. at a
height above water of about one-third the total height of the bow
above water, the hull sections of boats of the present invention
are much more sharply angled. As shown in FIG. 7, two points 31 and
33 spaced behind a bow point 35 by a distance equal to the height H
of the bow of the craft, where all points 31, 33 and 35 are at a
height of about H/3 above the water surface (when planing at high
speed), form an entry angle B of less than 10.degree.. As
contrasted with an ordinary hull, the entry angles of the hull
sections of the boats of this invention are generally less than
20.degree. and preferably less than 10.degree.. Where the height H
of the boat is indefinite, the angle B may be measured at a point
above the waterline at high speed (when most of the lift is dynamic
lift on the planing surface) equal to one-half the minimum height T
of the centerline of the tunnel (see FIG. 4). An entry angle of
this fineness should also be present at the waterline at high
speeds. A sharp entry angle which is less than 20.degree. and
preferably less than 10.degree. both at the waterline and up to a
height of one-third the height of the boat above the waterline at
high planing speeds, provides a relatively smooth ride even in
fairly rough seas.
While the boat 10 does not require a complex stabilization system,
a tab system 34 can be employed behind each skeg 36 as a boat
leveler to control pitch attitude, which is influenced by center of
gravity location and wind over the deck. The tab system includes a
tab 38 pivotally mounted on the skeg along an axis 40 that extends
at the same angle (15.degree.) from the horizontal as the planing
surface. A hydraulic cylinder 42 has one end mounted on a bracket
44 on the skeg and another end mounted on a bracket 46 that is
fixed to the tab. The hydraulic cylinder can be operated to pivot
the tab to any position between 7.degree. up and 30.degree. down
from a neutral position where it lies as an extension of the
planing surface 22 of the hull section. The tab system can be used
to trim the boat in roll, or to roll the boat to help initiate a
turn. The tab system has the advantage that it does not protrude
outside of the lines of the hull. Also, the fact that it lies in a
high pressure area, and is generally deflected down to produce a
control moment, results in freedom from cavitation even at high
speeds. It is possible to locate the tabs at the rear of the hull
sections instead of behind them, so that the tabs are less likely
to be damaged. In this case, the tabs would generally lie flush
with the planing surface until it was desired to change the boat
attitude.
FIG. 9 is a simplified view of an automatic tab control system
which moves two tabs 48, 50, in response to turning of a steering
wheel 52 (which also pivots the outboard engines and their mounts
53 that primarily steer the boat). The tabs move in different
directions, one up and the other down, to bank the boat into the
turn, to reduce the effects of centrifugal forces on the occupants.
The steering wheel operates hydraulic cylinders 54, 56 that force
hydraulic fluid through lines to the tabs 48, 50. In turning to the
left, tab 48 moves down while tab 50 moves up, while in turning to
the right the movements are reversed. The tabs 48, 50 can also be
controlled together by an automatic trim system that senses the
speed of the boat and/or the wind, to adjust for an optimum trim
angle.
FIGS. 12 through 19 illustrate a larger boat 60 constructed with an
overall design somewhat similar to the boat of FIG. 1. In this
boat, the entire length of the boat is utilized for passengers
and/or cargo, with the bridge 62 located near the bow and with much
of the volume of the hull sections 64, 66 behind the narrow forward
portions 68 utilized for storage. It may be noted, particularly
from FIG. 14 and FIG. 19, that the rear portions 70 of the hull are
not vertical along the entire height of their outer surfaces.
Instead, these surfaces bulge out at the lower end near the planing
surface, which provides a wide planing surface. A spray rail 72 is
located above the waterline of each hull section to deflect spray
away from the sides of the boat and keep them dry. Such rails can
also be placed on the inner surface of each hull section.
FIGS. 20 through 26 illustrate a craft constructed in accordance
with yet another embodiment of the invention. In this craft, the
body 90 extends horizontally and the hull sections 92, 94 have
vertical inner surfaces 96 that meet the body at right angles
instead of merging with it. The parallel-sided tunnel which is thus
produced minimizes spray in the tunnel, and therefore the drag that
results when the spray hits the tunnel surface. The tunnel has a
substantially constant cross-section, which minimizes pitch-up
during acceleration by minimizing wave-making. This boat has a
minimum response to waves of moderate size, although once waves
reach the top of the tunnel there is a sudden change in response.
In this configuration, no attempt is made to add aerodynamic lift
by closing the rear of the tunnel by spray or a door.
As shown in FIG. 26, the bow of each hull is very narrow for
cutting through waves to provide a soft ride. FIGS. 25 and 24 show
the beginning of a downwardly angled chine flare or chine region 98
on the outer surface of the hull section. The chine 98 helps to
direct spray away from the boat to keep the sides dry. It also
reduces porpoising and helps to prevent tripping on turns (uneven
sideward movement out of the turn) and assure inboard heeling
(leaning) on turns. At the more rearward stations shown in FIGS. 23
and 22, the planing surface becomes more horizontal, this type of
surface generally being referred to as a warped plane. The warped
bottom can help to maintain a stable trim, but can lead to a
somewhat harder ride. It may be noted that strips of material can
be fastened to the hull sections instead of forming chine regions
in the hulls, but this generally increases the number of steps
required in production. Hulls have been tested with inboard chine
strips, and they further reduce spray in the tunnel and reduce any
tendancy to dig in on turns, but these problems were not present in
an appreciable degree so the additional cost of including them may
not be justified.
Thus, the invention provides boats which have surfaces for
producing dynamic lifting forces at high speeds, that support most
of the boat out of the water to thereby reduce drag. These
surfaces, which are referred to herein as planing surfaces, are at
the bottoms of the hull sections to assure submersion of the
surfaces. Two spaced hull sections are utilized, each with a
planing surface, to provide stability. Each hull section has a
forward portion with a sharp entry angle and narrow width to
minimize dynamic and static bouyant forces when it encounters a
wave, so that it can cut through the wave. The planing surface is
substantially completely submerged so that the amount of active
planing surface does not change substantially when the boat heaves
or pitches. In addition, the planing surface is basically
triangular in planform, i.e., its width increases towards the rear
of the boat, so that the front portion of the surface is narrow;
thus, even if the front portion of the planing surface rises out of
the water, there is only a small decrease in effective planing
surface. The planing surface preferably has an angle B' (see FIG.
3) at its leading edge, as seen in substantially a planform view,
which is less than about 20.degree.. Also, at least about 80
percent, and preferably close to 100 percent of the planing surface
is normally (in small waves) submerged even at high speed (i.e.,
when most of the lift is due to dynamic forces on the planing
surface rather than to bouyancy forces).
The boats basically provide efficient high speed operation and
resistance to the effects of waves that is characteristic of fully
submerged hydrofoil craft. However, this is achieved without the
complexity and cost of such a hydrofoil craft. It has been found,
moreover, that whereas a typical hydrofoil craft can operate
smoothly only in waves up to about one-tenth its length, the boats
of the present invention can operate smoothly in waves of up to
about one-fourth their length (or for a typical boat, in waves
nearly equal to the height of the boat). It may also be noted that
in boats of the present invention, there is no distinct change
between planing and non-planing modes of operation, as occurs with
hydrofoil craft, and any operating speed up to the maximum can be
chosen that seems appropriate. The boats of the present invention
also have the advantage that they can be designed without struts
and other members that can snag on objects in the water or be
damaged if run aground. The simplicity of design results in light
weight and therefore large payload.
Many variations in boat design can be employed. As shown in FIG.
27, an up-stepped region 102 can be added at the rear of the boat,
with a lower surface 104 higher than the planing surface 106. This
up-stepped region 102 may be low enough to add bouyancy at the rear
when the boat is stationary or moving at low speed. Yet it does not
substantially affect lift during high speed operation, when the
boat is supported primarily by the planing surface 106 and the
up-stepped region 104 may be completely out of the water or almost
completely out of the water. The up-stepped region 102 also reduces
drag caused by wave-making, when the boat is moving at lower speeds
(when most of the lift is due to bouyancy). FIG. 28 which
illustrates one of the hull sections, shows the inside surfaces I
of the hull sections (the hull sections are identical). Waves are
created in the narrowing space between the hull sections. The
pressure at P.sub.1 of the waves creates a drag component D.sub.1
tending to retard forward motion. The boatail or rearward
converging region 102 utilizes the pressure at P.sub.2 of the waves
along the rear of the boat to provide a propulsive component
D.sub.2 which aids forward motion. Thus, the up-stepped portion 102
uses the waves to reduce drag at low speeds.
Another variation in design, shown in FIG. 29, utilizes a
discontinuous planing surface, including a forward portion 110 and
a rearward portion 112. As shown in FIG. 30, which shows the
planform of the planing surface, this design provides a large
planing area at the forward and rearward ends of the planing
surface, but a smaller planing area at the center. This results in
better pitch stability than for a simple triangular planform, in
much the same manner as a longer wheel base provides a more even
ride in an automobile; that is, a shift in the center of lift to
adjust to a change in weight distribution, wind forces, etc., is
accomplished with a smaller change in pitch attitude. To further
reduce the planing effectiveness of the center region 112 (which is
the front of the rear portion 114), it is stepped up from the
forward portion 110.
Still another variation of the boat, shown in FIG. 31 has a body
without a front portion to connect the bow portions of the hulls.
As mentioned earlier, a bow or front portion of the body can be
useful in preventing swamping in very high waves. However, it has
been found that the aerodynamic lift of the bow portion has a
substantial effect on the attitude of the boat. This is because the
bow is a substantial distance from the center of gravity of the
boat and therefore forces on it produce a large pitch moment. This
pitch moment can change greatly when the boat turns to head into
the wind after heading downward. In some situations, this
necessitates frequent adjustments in the trim (pitch) of the boat.
To avoid this, the front body portion is eliminated. This may
reduce safety in case an unexpectedly large wave is encountered,
but it reduces changes in trim and also reduces the amount of
pitching when moderately large waves are encountered which just
reach the top of the tunnel.
FIG. 32 illustrates a cross-sectional view of yet another variation
of design of a boat. In this boat, the hull portions 120, 122
immediately above the planing surfaces 124, 126 are narrower than
the planing surface, to minimize the amount of wetted surface and
therefore to reduce drag. However, the forces of the hull portions
120, 122 are vertical immediately above the planing surfaces to
minimize dynamic lift forces, so there is a minimum variation of
dynamic lift with variation depth of submersion.
Many other variations in boat shape and in attachments can be made.
For example, a third hull section could be added to form two
tunnels, or the planing surfaces could be located on separate
members attached to the bottom of each side of the boat so that
each hull section includes a separate planing member that forms the
planing surface. The boats can be driven by a variety of propulsion
systems, including water jet propulsion or water ram jet. In any
case, however, high efficiency and smooth travel make it preferable
to have the planing surfaces substantially completely submerged and
the front portions of the hull sections constructed with a sharp
entry angle approaching 0.degree..
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that
modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in
the art and, consequently, it is intended that the claims be
interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.
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