Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 13 December 1968:
Vol. 162. no. 3859, pp. 1273 - 1275
DOI: 10.1126/science.162.3859.1273
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Hydrofoils: Optimum Lift-Off Speed for Sailboats

Robert M. L. Baker Jr. 1

1 Computer Sciences Corporation and University of California, Los Angeles

For a hydrofoil sailboat there is a unique optimum lift-off speed. Before this speed is reached, if there are no parasitic vertical hydrofoil appendages, the submerged or partially submerged hydrofoils increase drag and degrade performance. As soon as this speed is reached and the hydrofoils are fully and promptly deployed, the performance of a hydrofoil-borne craft is significantly improved. At speeds exceeding optimum lift-off speed, partially submerged hydrofoils impair performance if there is no significant effect of loading on the hydrofoil lift-to-drag ratio.

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)