925. Stability and Buoyancy Criteria for Low Waterplane Catamarans

Paper

Abstract

High performance ships and craft, such as hydrofoils, hovercraft;, and low water plane types, because of their unusual shapes and modes of operation, present unique problems t o the Naval Architect when he attempts to design such types to the U.S. Navy’s existing surface ship stability and buoyancy criteria. Thus far however, the hydrofoils and hovercraft (in their displacement mode) have resembled conventional types enough to apply existing criteria. The Low WaterPlane (LWP) Catamaran, because of its highly unusual shape and sensitivity to load variations and flooding casualties, presents the greatest difficulty in attempting to establish meaningful stability and buoyancy criteria
This paper discusses the rationale and methods used to apply state-of-the-art U.S. Navy stability and buoyancy criteria to the low r i t e r i a to the LWP Catamaran. Data showing typical intact and damaged stability characteristics the IMP Catamaran are included.
The results indicate that the existing criteria can be modified slightly and successfully applied to the LWP Catamaran. The criteria proposed herein are currently being used i n t h e LWP Catamaran studies now underway by the U.S. Navy, and if implemented will be a major design consideration in all future ships of this type.