| From: | Graht Graht@**********.worldnet.att.net |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Submarines (was RE: Shipping (was Re: the value of |
| Date: | Sat, 17 Jul 1999 19:40:45 -0500 |
/In article <4.1.19990715210602.00939890@**********.worldnet.att.net>,
/Graht <Graht@**********.worldnet.att.net> writes
/>Not quite. Small craft (up to and including yachts) have a sharp prow.
/
/So do most warships.
/
/>However, most big ships have a blunted "probe-like" extension below the
/>surface, shaped almost exactly like the front end of a sub. Since it's
/>under water it looks like the large boat has a sharp prow, but in fact it
/>doesn't. I don't know about the physics of it, but large ships don't have
/>a sharp prow in general.
/
/Merchant ships are designed to run at one speed and do so for most of
/their lives. The bulbous forefoot you describe is used to create a second
/bow wave, out of phase with that made by the hull, and so reduce the
/wavemaking resistance of the ship. The effect is highly speed-specific.
/
/Warships have to operate over a much greater range of speeds and so do
/not use bulbous bows.
Nifty. I love it when I learn something new on this list :)
-Graht
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