On prediction of longitudinal attitude of planing craft based on controllable hydrofoils

The purpose of this research study was to examine the attitude response of a planing craft under the controllable hydrofoils. Firstly, a non-linear longitudinal attitude model was established. In the mathematical model, effects of wind loads were considered. Both the wetted length and windward area varied in different navigation conditions. Secondly, control strategies for hydrofoils were specified. Using the above strategies, the heave and trim of the planing craft was adjusted by controllable hydrofoils. Finally, a simulation program was developed to predict the longitudinal attitudes of the planing craft with wind loads. A series of simulations were performed and effects of control strategies on longitudinal attitudes were analyzed. The results show that under effects of wind loads, heave of fixed hydrofoils planing craft decreased by 6.3%, and pitch increased by 8.6% when the main engine power was constant. Heave decreased by less than 1% and trim angle decreased by 1.7% as a result of using variable attack angle hydrofoils; however, amplitude changes of heave and pitch were less than 1% under the control of changeable attack angle hydrofoils and longitudinal attitude. © 2013 Harbin Engineering University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.