Hydrofoil Configurations for Sailing Superyachts: Hydrodynamics, Stability and Performance

Abstract

Hydrofoil-assisted racing monohulls have undergone significant development phases in the past decade, yet very little scientific data has reached the public domain: an increasingly critical issue as the superyacht industry is now looking at the implementation of foils onto leisure vessels. Consequently, three contemporary configurations, namely a Dynamic Stability System, a Dali-Moustache and a Chistera have been towing tank tested to present the first complete characterisation of the hydrodynamic efficiency, quantification of the added dynamic stability and eventually the resulting impact on sailing performance. Furthermore, the considerations inherent to the design and installation of hydrofoils onto superyachts will be detailed. Building on extensive experimental work, this paper provides a comprehensive assessment of current design options with both technical and practical guidelines and recommendations to improve performance.