Bulbous bow

[DownWest]

Patric,
Can't see the relevence with a/c wings. The flow creates a low pressure area ABOVE the wing, not ahead.
Andrew

 

[rivonia]

Peter. Having done extensive sea trials with and without on a Prout cat and measured performance in all respects over several months I am convinced that the only effect may have been in very light airs with no sea running. Even than I am not convinced it made any difference really. As soon as there was any wave action there was a noticable negative effect in that the rise and fall of the appendage made a great deal of splashing!
You say it really worked for you. Can you tell us how fast the boat went with and without a bow bulb or was it fitted from the time you owned the boat?

Hello Mike, yes they were fitted by the builder.'Peter Dean of Sth Africa'

 

[boatmike]

Hello Mike, yes they were fitted by the builder.'Peter Dean of Sth Africa'

Well with respect Peter, you don't know if they worked or not really do you? All you know is the boat performed OK with them fitted. It may have been just as good or even better without.

 

[rivonia]

Well with respect Peter, you don't know if they worked or not really do you? All you know is the boat performed OK with them fitted. It may have been just as good or even better without.

Hi Mike did you read my original message. We removed them after one was damaged. She appeared to slam more and appeared a little slower. It could of course be to other factors, but who will ever know

Peter

 

[Bajansailor]

Apologies for resurrecting this old thread, but I just came across this link which explains nicely (in addition to all of the excellent descriptions above) how bulbous bows work on 'big' ships - have a look at this B-log from Maritime Professional :
http://maritimeprofessional.com/Blogs/Maritime-Musings/November-2009/Bulbous-bow.aspx

And note how they reckon that the ancient Greeks were the first to put bulbous bows on vessels, in the form of battering rams on their triremes!