Anti-slamming bulbous bow and tunnel stern applications on a novel Deep-V catamaran for improved performance

While displacement type Deep-V mono hulls have superior seakeeping behaviour at speed, catamarans typically have modest behaviour in rough seas. It is therefore a logical progression to combine the superior seakeeping performance of a displacement type Deep-V mono-hull with the high-speed benefits of a catamaran to take the advantages of both hull forms. The displacement Deep-V catamaran concept was developed in Newcastle University and Newcastle University's own multi-purpose research vessel, which was launched in 2011, pushed the design envelope still further with the successful adoption of a novel anti-slamming bulbous bow and tunnel stern for improved efficiency. This paper presents the hullform development of this unique vessel to understand the contribution of the novel bow and stern features on the performance of the Deep-V catamaran. The study is also a further validation of the hull resistance by using advanced numerical analysis methods in conjunction with the model test. An assessment of the numerical predictions of the hull resistance is also made against physical model test results and shows a good agreement between them.