Hydrofoils -why aren't they popular?

[Freebee]

Having watched the Americas cup sailing................. it got me wondering about hydrofoils on power boats. its seems like the Russians pioneered hydrofoils from the 1960's and with modest power achieve good hull speeds once they are up on the foils, so I am guessing good economy with fairly good speeds so what are the drawbacks and what killed the hydrofoil?? A trawl on youtube shows a few more recent naval experimental models but not much in the way of commercial exploitation.......................... Is it time for a comeback??

 

[scottie]

I think that you find that they are almost standard on fast ferry’s

 

[BruceK]

very high maintenance costs and very vulnerable, should one break at speed......

edit. Bearing in mind the size of vessel you're thinking of putting them on.

 

[[2068]]

Foiling technology: everything you need to know about hydrofoils - Motor Boat & Yachting (mby.com)

 

[Alicatt]

Denny's Shipyard built a 43ft semi hydrofoil motor torpedo boat, MTB-109, in 1945, it had a Packard 1220hp petrol engine and a single screw and was capable of 46kt
Both my father and uncle told me about the boat, it was a prototype for a larger craft that was intended to be able to reach around 70kt.
My father was a pattern maker in Denny's in the early war years and my uncle worked in the drawing office of the engine works designing engines and gearboxes.

Motor Vessel MTB.109 built by William Denny & Bros in 1944 for William Denny & Brothers. Dumbarton , Naval (clydeships.co.uk)

 

[ontheplane]

See this

 

[ontheplane]

I think they will come.

How popular they are mainstream I dont know.

 

[kashurst]

Glass bottom boats and yachts LOOKER videos | PARITETBOAT
the future?

 

[Alicatt]

 

[[2068]]

Perfect for lake use.
I do wonder would happen in an F5 Solent Chop.

 

[Tanqueray]

Rodriquez Cantieri Navali (SP?) were and are the leaders here (Messina Italy).
The answer as to how they would fare in a Solent chop is easily answered - The hydrofoils were the 18 hour per day / 7 days per week precursor to todays's Red Jets on the Southampton to Cowes run.
Doing optical alignments on the near 40' long prop shaft bearings at 5am each morning (before the heat from the sun distorted the aluminium hulls and hence the readings ) - ah bliss.
The boats were fine at 32 knots in a gale - the passengers somewhat less so!

 

[BruceK]

Perfect for lake use.
I do wonder would happen in an F5 Solent Chop.

Or hit a pot bouy at speed

 

[Bouba]

Almost all the wind and kite surfers have hydrofoils nowadays. I guess it won’t be long. When we do all go electric then efficiencies are going to happen

 

[BruceK]

Almost all the wind and kite surfers have hydrofoils nowadays. I guess it won’t be long. When we do all go electric then efficiencies are going to happen

Everybody is on such a downer lately. But you have no excuse.

 

[PilotWolf]

I think that you find that they are almost standard on fast ferry’s

Not on any that I've worked on

W

 

[LittleSister]

its seems like the Russians pioneered hydrofoils from the 1960's

I think they will come.

I think you're both a bit behind the times.

Here's one from 1906:



According to Wikipedia 'The first evidence of a hydrofoil on a vessel appears on a British patent granted in 1869 to Emmanuel Denis Farcot, a Parisian'.

 

[ontheplane]

I meant as a commonplace thing!

 

[Bajansailor]

A thread about hydrofoil power boats on the Boat Design Forum in the USA -

Back to the Future

 

[scottie]

Not on any that I've worked on

W

My perception was wrong they appear to have come and gone and it’s now big cats

 

[ontheplane]

They did come, and go - I think they may come back!

They make sense even on Cat's really - very much reduce drag - this will become increasingly important if people want to retain higher hull speeds when we are allowed to burn less and less fuel.