IMDEX ’97 International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, Greenwich-London, October 1997

Design Aspects and Applications of Deep-V Hull Forms to High Speed

Crafts

Stefano Brizzolara & Luigi Grossi

Hydrodynamic and Acoustic Department
FINCANTIERI Naval Shipbuilding Division, Genova - Italy

Abstract:
The recent increase of the demand for high speed which is being experienced especially in the
market of commercial ships, has given most shipyards the opportunity to improve and employ
their know-how in the design of fast vessels. The combined low powering and good
seaworthiness requirements, which are of vital importance in fast transportation, have stressed
the research and development of unconventional hull forms and determined the growth of
new ships typologies. Nowadays talking about vessels of more than 4000 tons of
displacement which can sail in calm seas at more than 40 knots and grant good seakeeping
and speed performances also for sea states higher that 4, is common. This is the field where
hard-chine monohulls and multihulls of various types have found their specific range of
applicability. Looking into the future, speed limits greater than 50 knots at the same cargo
capacity are awaiting the market maturity and extensive research activities are being carried
out at present by shipbuilders. For these requirements other types of ships, such as SES,
seems to be more suitable.
In this paper an assessment of the newest unconventional hull types which are currently under
construction or object of research projects in FINCANTIERI, is reviewed, focusing the
attention either on the methodology and tools employed in the design phase, either on the
peculiar hydrodynamic characteristics of each hull type. The use of the modern computational
fluodynamic tools (CFD) in the preliminary stage of the project is useful to reach a satisfying
solution which can fulfill the specifications. The validity and effectiveness of these types of
computer simulation programmes are discussed on the base of the results achieved in the
application on the latest designed ships which were tested in model scale and/or built. Some
criteria on the evaluation of the data which such programmes can provide is also included.
The powering, seakeeping and manoeuvring performances of Deep-V monohulls over
conventional round bilge hulls are analysed and critically discussed within their application to
fast ferries. Some interesting full scale results will be presented as well, with the aim to
validate the computational design methods.
 IMDEX ’97 International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, Greenwich-London, October 1997

1. Introduction

Fincantieri Naval Shipbuilding Division, has been involved in research projects of innovative hull forms for advanced
high speed naval ships and fast attack crafts, since years. These research activity has led to a number of design of
unconventional ships typology, aimed to grant the best possible solution in terms of the specific required performances.
Examples of these projects are small-medium size SES (from 200t up to 1000t), developed both for military and
merchant applications, i.e. for fast passenger transportation and for fast attack crafts or submarines identifications crafts,
which can grant very fast speeds (about 50 knots) and good seakeeping quality due to the modern enhanced ride control
systems.
By this experience acquired in the design of medium size SES, recently Fincantieri is the coordinator of some research
projects in the Brite Euram EC program, which cover all the main design aspects of a large ferry SES (150m LBP; 2000t
payload), such as hydro-aero dynamics, structures and machinery for propulsions and ship’s systems.
The research, based on a initial design of Fincantieri, has lead to some important conclusion regarding design
philosophy, model testing, main structure and components solutions and technology. An new original methodology for
the prevision of seakeeping properties of such large SES based on towing tank tests has been assessed as well. The
predicted performances has revealed very promising in terms of powering and seakeeping quality. As an example, to
carry a payload of 2000t at a speed of 50 knots the vessel requires about 80 MW, which is believed to be a relatively
small installed power if compared to a semiplanning hull or hybrid multihull with the same carrying capacity the same
operational speed.
Besides SES there are also deep-V hulls either applied to the design of fast ferries, FAC or fast frigate, SWATH ships
and fast catamarans, which are, at present, object of cooperational research in the CRS program.
Although the proposals and the technologies has been ready since the beginning of the 80’s, the market has registered an
interest in relatively heavy fast ships (service speeds around 40 knots and displacements larger than 1000t) starting from
the beginning of the 90’s, and mainly for commercial applications.
It was only with the construction and the challenge of the Destriero when Fincantieri itself and the world of shipping
turned their minds and begun to believe that speeds of more than 40 knots were not only possible but also simply
achievable. The word “simply” is relative to the technological effort which a construction of deep-V monohull, very
light, efficient and well perfoming in rough seas, needs in comparison with a conventional round bilge hull.
Through an extensive research program made of a ample number of towing tank tests and computer simulations, which
is still continuously programmed, today’s MDV series of deep-V monohulls have been developed.

2. Design Aspects of Deep-V hulls in the application to fast ferries

The main factors encountered in designing a large deep-V monohull can be listed as follows:

• hull form design;

• resistance;
• seakeeping;
• course stability and manoeuvrability;
• intact and damaged stability;
• propulsion system layout;
• propulsors;
• hull appendages;
• internal volume, deck area, accommodations, and
• structure
In the next paragraphs, the various aspects listed above will be discussed with special attention to the peculiar
hydrodynamic related activities, has been faced in the design of the MDV family of fast ferries.
 IMDEX ’97 International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, Greenwich-London, October 1997

2.1 Hull Forms

figure a shows a typical The deep-V hull, which
constituted the very early prototype (employed
in a research project of a fast attack craft1) of the
modern and reviewed hull forms utilised today
in Fincantieri.
Main concepts of these kind of hulls are the
triangular midship section with chine in way of
the waterline and the practically cylindrical
after-body where the main frame section remains
almost constant for at least 50% of the ship
length.
An extensive campaign of model tests aided by
computer simulations on different hull form
solutions has been conducted apporting various
modifications to the original model to improve,
mainly the seakeeping and resistance characte- Figure A - First version of deep-V for small FAC application (1981)
ristics of the MDV (Monohull Deep-V) family
of hulls, which is presented in Figure 2 in the
135m overall length version, which is being constructed at present and will be the world biggest monohull fast ferry to
overcome the 40 knots of speed. Some versions of MDV hulls in the fast ferry application are listed in table a.
Having these hulls commercially found immediate application in the market of fast ferries - transportation at speeds of
over 40 knots of cars/buses and passengers which are not usually used to high accelerations and motions, a special care,
during the body plan definition, has been given to the seakeeping quality of the vessels.
As can be argued from table a, for these kind of applications the maximum volumetric Froude number ranges around
1.7÷2.0, whilst the length Froude number around 0.6÷0.7, so only around the maximum speed the hull sailing condition
is semiplanning. The hull forms and configuration, then, have to be chosen accordingly, and differ, in many aspects,
from the concept of a deep-V born to plan at top speed.
Main concepts in the design of a deep-V hull, indicated also by various authors2, 3, 4, are: maintaining high deadrise
angles at midship and as far as
possible down to the stern; preferring
bow convex or mixed (convex-
concave) lines together with a certain
height of the chine on the waterline at
bow to avoid probability of slamming
and green water or spray on the deck.
The concept of the hull is convenient
also for optimizing internal volumes
deck area and accommodations.
Moreover it is not to neglect the
simplicity of construction and the
consequent reduction of costs and
delivery times.
The displacement/length ratio is of
primary importance and has to be
accurately chosen in the preliminary
phase of the project, and usually, for
these Froude numbers, as higher as
possible, either for benefits on
resistance and on seakeeping.
Figure B - Prospective view of the MDV-1200LL “Superseacat” hull ( march 1997)
Other fundamental parameters as
length beam ratio and longitudinal
center of gravity position, are, in effect, mainly dominated by the transport capacity which usually is given and constrain
the breadth of the hull and its length to grant the desired deck area or equivalent car row length.
 IMDEX ’97 International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, Greenwich-London, October 1997

MDV 1200 MDV 1200 MDV 2000

MDV 3000 "JUPITER"
"SUPERSEACAT" "PEGASUS" "NEPTUNE"
Hull construction material alluminium alloy high tensile steel high tensile steel high tensile steel

Lenght overall 100 m 95 m 128 m 147.7m

Breadth moulded 17.1 m 16 m 19.4 m 22 m
Depth 10.7 m 10.5 m 12.2 m 12.6 m

Passengers 800 600 1000 up to 1800

Cars 175 172 up to 300 up to 450
Coaches 5 up to 8
Trucks (13.6 m long ) up to 30
deadweight 370 t 400 t 600 t 1400 t

Maximum speed 40 38.5 42 42

Service speed 38 knots 37 knots 40 knots 40 knots
Main engines 4 Diesel 4 x Diesel CODAG CODAG
Propulsion power 4 x 6875 kW 4 x 6500 kW 49500 kW 2 x 21 MW + 4 x 6.5 MW
Propulsion units 4 steering WJ 4 WJs (2+2steering) 4 WJs (2+2steering) 4 WJs (2+2steering)
Range abt 250 miles abt 250 miles abt 250 miles abt 300 miles

Table A - Main characteristics of some MDV family ships.

At the end, for the improvement of the resistance characteristic of the hull, the designer can play, mainly, with small
modifications to the hull, as a proper keel-rise and accurate volume distribution to calibrate the LCB location to the
LCG estimate position and, as is the case, the introduction of a stern wedge, which will be discussed in the next
paragraph.
It is not to be neglect the intact and damaged stability, which is one of the main advantage of these types of hulls. The
peculiar almost triangular immersed sections continued from the bow down to the stern, in fact, make the waterline
transversal moment of inertia very large respect to the volume immersed, with a subsequent high position of the
metacentre over the keel. For having an idea on MDV1200LL fast ferry (figure b) the lowest metacentric height over the
keel is not less than 8.5m, respect to a depth of 10.5m. Such good intact stability gives a large degree of freedom in the
definition of the watertight bulkheads positions and enlarge the survivability of the damaged ship in rough seas. Ad hoc
towing tank tests of stability for the vessel with two damaged compartments in waves (it was the first example of these
tests for fast crafts) has demonstrated5 the survivability of the MDV1200LL up to irregular waves of significant height
of Hs=5m (Sea State 6÷7).

2.2 Resistance and Propulsion

The deep-V hull discussed in this paper are to be considered for their operational speeds (Table 1) displacement hulls
and semiplanning hulls only at very high
80
speeds. It results also from other
authors3, 4, that the resistance of deep-V
Ref. Round Bilge
MDV
hulls can be comparable at high speed to
70
that of a reference round bilge. figure c
represent a comparison made in the case
60 of a Fincantieri MDV hull against a
reference fast round bilge brought at the
50 same length and the same displacement.
RT/Displ [kgp/t]

It is visible that for high Froude numbers

40
the resistance of the deep-V hull is lower
than the RB one, while at low speeds it
suffer of a peculiar increment respect to
30
the RB.
The involuntary speed loss in rough sea
20
for a deep-V, in addition, is considerably
less than that for a RB. For the
10 MDV1200 “Superseacat” at sea, a
reduction of 1.7 knots from the
0 maximum speed of 40 knots has been
0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5 0.55 0.6 0.65 0.7 measured in head sea with Hs=3.0m (and
FnL contrary wind). The involuntary
Figure C - Still water resistance comparison Round Bilge / Deep-V reduction for a round bilge of the same
displacement should have been nearly
 IMDEX ’97 International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, Greenwich-London, October 1997

doubled.
The values measured at full scale agreed well with the towing tank tests which predicted a reduction of less than 1.5
knots for Hs=3.0m (no adverse wind) and 0.2 knots for Hs=2.0m. This fact is essentially due to the good seakeeping
characteristics of these hulls, which will be discussed later on.
As for displacement fast round bilge hulls, the resistance in still water is very sensible to the dynamic trim and sinkage
assumed at high speed by the hull.
A known device to play with for obtaining the desired trim and reducing the resistance, is a stern wedge. In the case of
figure d for the MDV1200, once optimized, it was able to reduce the still water resistance of the hull of about the 5% in
the high range of Froude numbers.
Series of towing tests have been made varying the inclination of the wedge and its shape. During the preliminary design
phase a number of CFD simulations were performed, using a linear potential flow panel method already successfully
applied to fast round bilge monohulls and catamarans6, to estimate the wave resistance of the hull with the various
solutions, and orientate the choice towards a restricted number of configurations. Considering potential flow, only, it
was found that inclination of 9-10 deg of the chosen configuration offered the lowest wave resistance. Towing tank tests,
confirmed partially the trends of the results predicted by the programs. It was found, in fact, that increasing the wedge
angle over the optimum experimental entity, causes a decrease in running trim as was predicted by the CFD program,
but leaves the resistance almost unchanged.
Waterjets were chosen as propulsive devices for the MDV. In fact, For speed higher than 35 knots, in general,
propulsion systems based on flush inlet
90 waterjets, up to now are able to grant
No WEDGE
higher overall efficiencies, than propeller
Design Angle WEDGE
various alternatives. The typical transom
80
stern of the deep-V offers, in addition, very
easy fitting of the waterjet nozzles. At low
70 speeds (below 25 knots for our case),
Des. wedge - 2°
instead, the efficiency of waterjets systems
passes under the propeller one and
RT/Disp

60 Des. wedge + 2° dramatically increase the negative gap

which has been noted in figure c on the
effective power.
50
Then, on the whole, it follows that only for
ships, whose operational profiles are
40 centered mainly towards high speeds, it is
convenient to adopt a deep-V hull con-
figuration, unless other strong sea-keeping
30
0.4 0.45 0.5 0.55 0.6 0.65 0.7 0.75 0.8 operativity requirements tend in the
FnL opposite sense.
Figure D - Wedge influence on still water resistance for the MDV1200 Is this the case, for instance, of FAC or of
fast ferries too, which spend most of their
life sailing at full speed.

2.3 Seakeeping
The design activity of a fast ferry MDV monohulls has been conceived reserving a paramount importance to the
seakeeping operability which is one of the main characteristic of distinction of a commercial fast marine vehicle.
A number of operability criteria, nowadays, exists to define the seakeeping quality of a ship, which, in general, derive
from research made in the navies world. Together with the requested operability performance of the ship, one or more
“mission” profiles and the external environment reference conditions are, usually, given to the designer, already in the
early stages of the project.
Besides the common operability criteria which involve the ship as a system (i.e. hull damage, deck equipment damage,
systems-structures damage, propulsion plant and system efficiency), there are others which are connected specifically to
the mission profile and regard for instance ship’s payloads (helicopter/aircraft lan-ding, cargo shifting...) and
personnel/passengers (comfort, motion sickness, fatigue, task proficiency and safety).
A comprehensive seakeeping performance criteria is given in reference7, 8. Example in the field of fast passenger
transportation is motion sickness incidence (MSI).
 IMDEX ’97 International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, Greenwich-London, October 1997

This subject was first studied by O’Hanlon & MacCauley9, which statistically related the motion sickness incidence of a
group of non-acclimatized people to the amplitude of a regular vertical sinusoidal oscillation of a given frequency and
the exposure time. These results combined with more recent requirements of ISO Standards10 in the manner explained in
reference7, 8, brings to the definition of some curves that superimposed to the energy spectra of the vertical acceleration,
limit the punctual value of each frequency component of the vertical acceleration spectra at a given ship’s point
(example in figure f).
0.8 Since only the heave, pitch and roll motions are
SS3 (Hs=1m Tm=6.5s)
responsible of the vertical acceleration at a point of the
0.7 SS4 (Hs=2m Tm=6.5s)
SS5 (Hs=3m Tm=7.5s) ship, the peculiar high damping characteristics of the deep-
Pitch Angle RMS [deg]

0.6 V to these motions, make these types of hulls preferable to

normal round bilge ones. A series of model forced roll
0.5
tests performed to determine the roll damping
0.4 characteristics of MDV hulls at various speeds, confirmed,
as expected, is notably higher that that of a correspondent
0.3 round bilge hull. The roll damping predicted by strip
0.2 theory seakeeping programs which uses empirical formulas
valid mainly for RB hulls, were corrected to adequately
0.1 reproduce the experiment results.
0.0 For similarly good designs, pitch and heave motions of
25 26 27 28 deep-V hull result a bit weaker than those of the
29 30 31 32 33 34 35
SHIP SPEED [knots] corresponding RB, as well. In agreement with general
indications of seakeeping optimization practice for fast
Figure E - Pitch motion t.t. tests for MDV1200LL slender ships, in fact, Deep-V hulls offer high CWL
coefficients, in addition to relatively low vertical prismatic coefficients CPV; characteristics which are usually deemed to
reduce vertical motions responses in rough seas. In figure e, the pitch motion RMS amplitude of MDV1200
“Superseacat” (LBP=88m) is maintaining under the 0.6 deg (RMS) values for sea state 5.
In the design of the MDV hulls, then, a strong effort to increase the passengers comfort on board has been made in the
above explained sense of MSI. Extensive use of computer
1E+0 simulation programs has been made from the first hull
Exposure Time 3h lines definitions to address the towing tanks tests
optimization activity towards the most effective direction.
Many different hull configuration were simulated and
Vertical Acceleration RMS [g]

1E-1
tested in model scale with irregular waves. Different bow
forms, chine profiles and stern configurations were tested.
Being the operational area of these fast ferries most of the
1E-2
time restricted and not typically open, Jonswap spectrum
was preferred to define the various sea state conditions.
The present achieved results are presented in figure f,
MSI = 1%
1E-3 MSI = 5%
where the energy spectra of the vertical accelerations at
MSI = 10%
LCG in head sea is superimposed on the MSI curves for
MSI = 20%
Hs=3m V=35 knots
sea state 4 (Hs=2 m and Tm=6.5 s) and sea state 5 (Hs=2
Hs=2m V=35 knots
1E-4 m and Tm=7.5 s), for the “Superseacat” fast ferry; the
0.1 1.0
considered exposure time is 3 hours, which is thought to
Encounter Frequency (third Octave Band Center) [Hz]
represent the typical voyage length of a fast ferry of this
Figure F - MDV1200LL: Seasickness analysis at LCG, head
kind.
sea SS4 and SS5.
Excellent threshold values of MSI=1% and MSI=5% (i.e.
1% and 5% of unused people is probable to be sick after a 3 hours voyage in sea states 4 and 5) for considered sea states
conditions SS4 (Hs=2m Tm=6.5s) and SS5 (Hs=3m Tm=7.5s) are accomplished.
At present a deeper investigation on the influence of a systematic parametric variation on seakeeping and resistance
performances is conducting by use of different computer codes and will be finalized with seakeeping in irregular waves
coming from different direction and resistance tests on the two most promising hulls. This research project should lead
to the definition of the medium-small deep-V hull of the next generation.
 IMDEX ’97 International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, Greenwich-London, October 1997

2.4 Manoeuvrability and Coursekeeping

Manoeuvrability and coursekeeping are two important aspects in the design of fast deep-V monohulls. A fast ship is
requested to have stopping distances and turning
diameters as small as possible, since at high speeds,
keeping constant the human reaction times, the distances
with unexpected obstacles become shorter.
The absence of appendages in the stern part of the hull as
shaft brackets and rudders, due to the typically installed
waterjet propulsion systems instead of conventional
propeller arrangements, which is an advantage for the
resistance point of view, obliges the designer to deeply
study the coursekeeping characteristics of the vessels.
Theoretic evaluations of the dynamic course stability of
the bare hull is quite difficult being the database of
hydrodynamic derivatives scarce for these kind of hulls.
So, in general, PMM tests with fully appended and
propelled models or mixed combined theoretical and
experimental approaches are necessary.
In addition, some peculiar problems such as the
evaluation of the influence of the waterjets inlets flow,
which sometimes can develop stabilizing yaw moments,
or the evaluation of the full scale transversal component
of steering waterjets as a function of the bucket angle, are
relatively new to naval architect experience but are,
obviously, essential to determine the course stability and
the manoeuvring characteristics of fast crafts.
The approach followed by Fincantieri11 was of the mixed
theoretical and experimental type. The MDV hull was
tested at the PMM (at Danish Maritime Institute, as all the
other MDV towing tank tests) without and with a series of
appendages, towed. The influence of the waterjet steering
Figure G - Influence on the dynamic course stability of various
forces and waterjet inlets were theoretically evaluated and
appendages configurations
added to the derivatives of the experimental
hydrodynamic measured forces.
So it was possible (figure g) to define the proper stabilizers fixed fins longitudinal position (for MDV1200LL and
MDV3000) or fixed stern fins (for the MDV1200 which has retractable stabilizers fins) to grant the desired dynamic
course stability.
In figure g, in fact, the various segments represent the derivatives of the ship turning rate respect to the steering angle in
the origin (dψ/dβ for β=0) of the various configuration either tested or desk evaluated.
The curve represent the result of a simulated bare hull Dieudonnè spiral manoeuvre. The instability hysteresis loop is
not visible, since the simulation is theoretic, so it is possible to observe the derivative in the origin of the axis. In this
representation positive derivatives (segments 1st-3rd quadrant) imply dynamic course unstable ship’s configuration,
though negative (segments 2nd-4th quadrant) mean course stable ship’s configurations.
To assure the desired course stability, a couple of fixed stabilizers fin were placed at after midship for the MDV1200LL
and for the MDV3000, while for the MDV1200, which is equipped with a pair of retractable antiroll fins, a couple small
fixed fins were placed at the stern just in front of the transom. Besides a sufficient hull dynamic course stability there
must exist an appropriate autopilot interfaced with the stabilizer fins control system, to grant intagrated yaw motion
control.
Manoeuvring characteristics of MDV hulls very much depend on the waterjet systems configuration.
The whole MDV family of vessels, in fact, is provided with four stern waterjets, which can be all steerable or two
booster and two steering, and bow thrusters. The steering waterjets have also the ability to inverse the thrust by means of
a reversing bucket. The combination between waterjet’s directional and reversible thrust and bow transverse thrusters,
give the vessels an excellent harbour manoeuvring ability, also in case of strong wind.
Sea trials tests registered, at full speed, final diameter varying from 4.5 to 6.5 ship’s length and crash stopping distances
of 4 to 5 ship’s length in relation to the divers propulsive arrangements.
 IMDEX ’97 International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, Greenwich-London, October 1997

3. Conclusions

Within the yearly experience of Fincantieri Naval Division in designing and building fast naval vessel, and
unconventional vessels research projects (SES, Catamarans, and SWATH), this paper have presented, on the whole, the
recent hydrodynamic design activity which has brought to the MDV series of Deep-V monohulls fast ferries. The
acquired experience in the field of hard chine fast craft can be started with the contruction of “Destriero” (1982).
Main concepts in the choice of appropriate hull forms (derived by the deep-V hulls) have been analyzed for application
to displacement / high speed semiplanning vessels and can be summarized in the following topics:
• triangular midship section with chine in way of the waterline and high deadrise angles (25÷30 degree);
• the main frame section remains as much as possible triangular in the almost cylindrical after-body for more than 50%
of the ship length;
• bow convex or mixed (convex-concave) lines together with a certain height of the chine on the waterline at bow to
avoid probability of slamming and green water or spray on the deck;
• Length displacement ratio as high as possible to reduce wave resistance;
• Proper LCB positioning in relation to LCG location, to obtain favorable initial trims.
The simplicity of construction which derive by the adoption of hard chines hulls respect to RB ones and the exceptional
intact and damaged stability properties are point of success of these family of hulls.
Other advantages and design aspects in terms of resistance, seakeeping and manoeuvrability have been analyzed.
Still water resistance of MDV hulls result slightly lower for high Froude numbers, though higher for slow speeds and
make these vessels convenient over the RB for high speed centered operating profiles. Indications about the
effectiveness of a stern wedge to reduce wave resistance on MDV hulls has been given, resulting in a total effective
power reduction of more than 5%.
Nevertheless, the added resistance in rough sea for the MDV hulls is exceptionally lower than a corresponding RB one.
The sea trials in rough seas confirmed the towing tank predicted values of 1.5 knots involuntary speed loss for the 88m
long fast ferry, in sea state 5 (3m significant wave height). This value is estimated to range around half the
corresponding RB one.
Seakeeping superior characteristics of MDV hulls were also presented and can be summarized as follows:
• higher roll damping of the bare hull (due to the vortex shed by the immersed chines) than a reference RB hull;
• low pitch and heave responses due to high CWL coefficients and low CPV coefficients typical of deep-V hulls;
• the first two statements resulting in low vertical accelerations along ship which can grant for the 88m fast ferry
motion sickness incidence less than 1% in sea state 4 (Hs=2m) and less than 5% in sea state 5 (Hs=3m), head sea.
Coursekeeping ability of the vessels derive from both the combination of a sufficiently stable hull and an adequate
integrated control system of stabilizer fins and waterjets (and other control surfaces) to grant the best synergetic yaw
motion control. Some results of PMM tests made on a MDV hull have been presented together with the device adopted
to grant the dynamic course stability of the hull.
Manoeuvring characteristics at high speeds depends very much on the propulsion arrangement installed and can give
exceptional performances in the best cases.
Restricted water manoeuvrability is excellent and assures satisfactory ability to combat strong winds, due to the
combined actions of waterjets’ directional and reversible thrust and bow thrusters.
The research activity on MDV hulls is still pursued. At present, in fact, a deeper investigation on optimum hull forms,
through a systematic parametric variation, is conducting, using different computer codes involving seakeeping and
resistance performance, and will be finalized with towing tank tests in irregular sea from various direction. This research
project should lead to the definition of the medium-small deep-V hull of the next generation.
 IMDEX ’97 International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference, Greenwich-London, October 1997

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2
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