Sticky Fingers
Well-known member
Well, inspired this weekend by the superb conditions in the Solent, and my current thoughts about semi-displacement alternatives, I thought I'd experiment with running my planing boat at D speeds. Max D speed was about 8 knots, then there's an sort of awkward zone between 8 and 16 knots when planing starts, then after about 22 she's planing properly.
Two hours later I have a couple of observations.
1. It's much more relaxing although of course it does take longer to get anywhere...
2. It uses a whole lot less fuel (no surprises there).
3. It's much more comfortable, except when encountering some swell in which case it's bloody awful.
OK that's three.
1 and 2 - well, really I quite like these. My musings are about point 3. The hull shape of my boat (which is not Itama-like in any way) won't help of course but it was very uncomfortable encountering the swell from (say) a 50' Princess doing 30 knots. Beam on - rolling, head on, slamming. Two sides of the same coin really. Would any Semi D boat in that position be a lot better? Dunno.
Stabiliser newbie here; maybe active stabilisation (fins) is an answer but I'm probably talking about a small ship. And they won't stop pitching.
<discuss>
PS anyone with a stabilised 45-50' semi-D boat out there?
Two hours later I have a couple of observations.
1. It's much more relaxing although of course it does take longer to get anywhere...
2. It uses a whole lot less fuel (no surprises there).
3. It's much more comfortable, except when encountering some swell in which case it's bloody awful.
OK that's three.
1 and 2 - well, really I quite like these. My musings are about point 3. The hull shape of my boat (which is not Itama-like in any way) won't help of course but it was very uncomfortable encountering the swell from (say) a 50' Princess doing 30 knots. Beam on - rolling, head on, slamming. Two sides of the same coin really. Would any Semi D boat in that position be a lot better? Dunno.
Stabiliser newbie here; maybe active stabilisation (fins) is an answer but I'm probably talking about a small ship. And they won't stop pitching.
<discuss>
PS anyone with a stabilised 45-50' semi-D boat out there?
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