Post by neil on Jan 11, 2023 11:55:50 GMT
There could be an alternative to hydrofoils for large ships on Posiedon. A team at Washington State university built an uncrewed semi-submersible vehicle and showed that it might be more efficient than a normal ship. The idea is that, at higher speeds, the drag of a boat is dominated by the wake it produces. Semi-submersible ships produce a smaller wake so are more efficient. They could also be less affected by wave action.
I can imagine that makes sense for larger ships. Smaller boats can get up onto hydrofoils fairly easily, but larger ships may gain by going the sem-submersible route.
And it allows for that James-Bond-esque moment of the PCs spotting a small object in the distance, only to be awed by a huge ship emerging from beneath the surface, water streaming from the decks.
WSU press release and journalist copy.
I can imagine that makes sense for larger ships. Smaller boats can get up onto hydrofoils fairly easily, but larger ships may gain by going the sem-submersible route.
And it allows for that James-Bond-esque moment of the PCs spotting a small object in the distance, only to be awed by a huge ship emerging from beneath the surface, water streaming from the decks.
WSU press release and journalist copy.
