Application of potential flow methods to fast displacement ships at transcritical speeds in shallow water

Computer codes implementing three different numerical methods for the prediction of ship squat at transcritical speeds in shallow open-water are tested. SlenderFlow is a potential flow code specifically for ships in very shallow water, based on partially dispersive slender body theory. Flotilla is a potential flow code based on fully dispersive thin-ship theory. Rapid is a general nonlinear free-surface panel code. Code predictions of transcritical sinkage, trim and resistance in laterally unrestricted water were compared to the experimental results of Graff (1964) for two Taylor series hulls in a finite-width towing tank. Once tank width effects were accounted for, each of the three codes was found to give good predictions within the valid range of the underlying theory. A simple method for estimating transcritical wave resistance from trim is presented.