The use of ride control systems on high speed vessels has become the norm within many industries, producing better seakeeping that in turn provides a more comfortable and operationally effective vessel. Commercial ferry designers have been at the forefront of adoption of new technologies notably with early adoption of T-foils and interceptors. These devices have been taken up by others, for example offshore crew boats and frontline naval warships. The range of vessel types has also expanded with more industries adopting different hull designs including catamarans and trimarans. Ride control systems have developed alongside innovative designers producing for example combined lifting foil and ride control systems, lifting T-foil systems, retractable T-foils. This paper will review the different ride control devices including fins, trim tabs, interceptors, T-foils (including retractable T-foils) and lifting foils. As well as technical aspects, the discussion will consider costs, ease of installation, operational and maintenance requirements and material choice. Extensive examples from a wide range of industries will be presented. By the end of the talk, delegates will have a broad understanding of the options available to them in improving the seakeeping of their vessels.
An experimental investigation on slamming kinematics, impulse and energy transfer for high-speed catamarans equipped with Ride Control Systems
