A New Paradigm for High-Speed Monohulls: the Bow Lifting Body Ship

Lifting body technology has been demonstrated—via computational fluid dynamics (CFD), scale-model tests, and full-scale at-sea trials—to provide reduced motions at zero and loiter speeds while providing dynamic lift at high speeds to reduce hull drag and to provide active ride control. Hypothesizing that incorporating a lifting body with the bow of a monohull may capture the positive effects of bulbous bows, preliminary CFD studies showed potentially significant benefits of such a configuration in reducing total hull resistance. This led to additional computational studies resulting in the design of a notional 91.4 m, 50-knot monohull with a patented bow lifting body. Scale-model tests, conducted with and without a lifting body, confirmed CFD predictions of improved resistance of the bow lifting body configuration over a wide speed band. Based on these results we developed a quarter-scale technology demonstration craft: a 21.3 m stabilized monohull with bow lifting body. This paper describes the conceptual design, computational analysis, and scale-model testing of the notional 91.4 m bow lifting body ship; the design, construction, and at-sea testing of the 21.3 m bow lifting body technology demonstration craft, including implementation of an active ride control system; and future opportunities and direction for this technology