A study on performance of planing-wing hybrid craft

ABSTRACT A hybrid craft is defined as a combination of different lifting surfaces. The lift force can be of aerodynamic or hydrodynamic character. This research deals with the conditions of using planing mono-hulls equipped with a couple of wings, called planing-wing hybrid craft. A parametric study is conducted by using Vortex Lattice Method to determine feasibility of using an aerodynamic wing mounted to planing craft. It has been determined that the wing area should be more than twice as much as the wetted surface of the craft, to get an effective wing for planing craft. Furthermore, the wing should be so designed as to obtain its high aspect ratio. Maximum lift force contribution resulting from different wing configurations considered in this study is less than 35 percent of the total hydrodynamic lift force at an arbitrary condition. On this basis it may be concluded that the wing may be effectively used only in special conditions, hence this is not recommended for general application.