Relationship between seakeeping requirements and swath ship geometry

Even though in 1987 there were only a dozen SWATH craft and ships afloat around the world, word of their markedly superior seakeeping performance is spreading rapidly. This paper reviews the characteristics of existing SWATH craft and ships from the standpoint of the stated seakeeping objective. Hullform differences between four SWATH craft and ships, including the Navy’s SSP KAIMALINO, are analyzed and interpreted. Important considerations for the early stage design of a SWATH ship are discussed. Differences in the range of feasible hull form geometries for coastal areas and unrestricted ocean operations, and for low speed vs. moderately high speed applications, are pointed out.