Computational techniques used for velocity prediction of wing-sailed hydrofoiling catamarans

Abstract

Velocity Prediction Programs (VPP) are among the most commonly usedtools in racing yacht design.Whether looking at a parameter-based variant with few degrees of freedom or a full 6 DOF experimental/CFD data postprocessor, their output is often critical to design decisions. In the past,research in this area has mostly concentrated on monohulls, since most major regattas were sailed in these boats. Following the 34th America’s Cup, (foiling) multihulls have moved into the focus of elite sailors and designers. However, publically available information on velocity prediction for these boats remains relatively sparse, especially if resources do not allow for extensivewind tunnel or RANS-CFD studies. Hence the computational techniquesusedin this study are deliberately restricted to freely available software and self-programmed code that can be run on a standard desktop computer.