Creating a New Concept in Performance-Built Sport Catamarans

Abstract

The high-performance boat building industry has forever been focused on hydrodynamics in hull design. New lightweight, outboard-powered catamarans have created a new kind of vessel, which flies as much as it floats during operation. An existing championship catamaran hull has been scanned using portable articulating arms located within a common reference coordinate system by a laser tracker. This point cloud data will be used for the creation of a variety of aerodynamic treatments that can be tested and refined. The point cloud data was used to create a CAD model which represents the existing boat conditions. This CAD data will be used for CFD analysis as well as 3D printing a scale model for wind tunnel testing. To bring the new performance hull to completion, several requirements must be met: First, the latest hydrodynamic hull design must be employed for speed, safety and maneuverability; second, the latest and most advanced aerodynamic hull and top-side deck designs must be employed to reduce drag and increase safety; and third, a transferable matrix must be developed so that all knowledge gained through this process can be retained and utilized.