Living Area Dimensions: In a 40ft equilateral top frame, a 12ft-wide rectangle that extends to the "back" edge yields approximately 24.3 ft × 12 ft floor plan.
Solar Layout (Panels Level with Roof):
Real-world daily yield in the Caribbean: 40–45 kWh/day (4.0–4.5 peak sun hours after derating).
| Component | Weight Estimate |
|---|---|
| Top Triangle Frame (Al box beams + cross struts) | ~1,100 lbs |
| Living Structure (8' height, 12×24' planform, windows, insulation) | ~8,500 lbs |
| 3 Legs / Foil Hulls (19' span, 2"–10" chord, marine Al 5083/6061) | ~5,400 lbs |
| Netting, Railings, Davit/Crane, RIB, 6× RIM Drives, Electrical/Plumbing | ~6,000 lbs |
| Total Lightweight (Excl. Payload & Batteries) | ~21,000 lbs |
Additional Buoyancy per 1 ft of Additional Submergence:
Yes. If an active foil generates enough hydrodynamic lift to push a leg up 1 ft against an incoming wave crest, and pull it down 1 ft in the trough, the peak-to-trough motion is reduced by ~50% (4 ft wave → feels like 2 ft). This assumes proper phase control and sufficient actuator bandwidth.
To counteract ~900 lbs of dynamic pressure per leg (1 ft draft change), the lift equation gives:
Recommended Planform: ~5.5 ft span × 2.0 ft mean chord, NACA 1400 series, flapped trailing edge.
| Component | Est. Unit Cost | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum Foil Wing + Pivot Notch (1/4 chord) | ~$650 | ~18 lbs |
| Marine Linear/Brushless Actuator + Rod Ends | ~$280 | ~8 lbs |
| Control Valve/Driver Box + Sealed Bearings | ~$220 | ~6 lbs |
| Assembly, QA, Coating, Packaging | ~$200 | ~6 lbs |
| Total per Stabilizer Unit | ~$1,350 | ~38–42 lbs |
Note: 3 stabilizers per vessel. Total system ~$4,050, ~120 lbs per vessel.
| Target Speed | Est. Electrical Draw | Eff. Range Factor (V²/V³ scaling) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 knots | ~6.5 kW | Baseline |
| 5 knots | ~12.5 kW | +~90% |
| 6 knots | ~23.0 kW | +~80% |
Stabilizer drag & control overhead adds ~0.5–0.8 kW continuous.
Marine pack density: ~65 Wh/lb. Gross: 260 kWh. Usable (80% DoD): ~208 kWh.
| Speed | Range (Nautical Miles) | Endurance (Hours) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 kts | ~128 nm | ~32 h |
| 5 kts | ~83 nm | ~16.5 h |
| 6 kts | ~48 nm | ~8.5 h |
Average daily harvest: 35–42 kWh/day (accounting for angle, dust, humidity, inverter/charge losses). Full recharge from 15% SoC takes ~6–7 clear days.
Classic SWATH hulls naturally filter ~40–50% of wave energy due to deep buoyancy and narrow waterplane area. Active foils add frequency-dependent damping.
| Sea State (Peak-to-Trough) | Passive SWATH Felt Motion | + Active Stabilizers @ 4 kts | + Active Stabilizers @ 5 kts | + Active Stabilizers @ 6 kts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 ft | ~1.1 ft | ~0.8 ft | ~0.9 ft | ~1.0 ft |
| 4 ft | ~1.5 ft | ~1.0 ft | ~1.2 ft | ~1.3 ft |
| 5 ft | ~1.9 ft | ~1.2 ft | ~1.4 ft | ~1.6 ft |
Why stabilization peaks at 4-5 kts: Foil effectiveness (Lift ∝ V²) increases with speed, but phase-lag and control latency limit ultra-low-speed correction. At 5 knots, the system is in its "sweet spot" for energy-to-motion reduction.
Daily Energy Budget:
| Configuration | Continuous Sustainable Power | Max 24/7 Cruise Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Standard SWATH | 583 W | ~1.7 knots |
| With Active Stabilizers ON | ~430 W (propulsion) after ~150W stab load | ~1.4 knots |
At these speeds, you'll achieve 35–40 nm/day with near-zero crew fatigue and excellent weather-tracking capability.
| Cost Category | Single Prototype | Batch of 20 (Economies of Scale) |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum Fabrication & Welding (Hull/Frame/Legs) | $320,000 | $165,000 |
| Outfitting: Interior, Glazing, Netting, Railings, Davit | $180,000 | $95,000 |
| Propulsion & Energy (6× RIM, LiFePO4, Inverters, Solar) | $410,000 | $240,000 |
| Active Stabilizers (3× units, Controllers, Sensors) | $4,500 | $4,000 |
| Engineering, Certification, Tooling & QA | $280,000 | $75,000 (amortized) |
| Assembly, Testing, Logistics & Margin | $205,500 | $241,000 |
| Total Estimated FOB Cost | ~$1,400,000 / unit | ~$780,000 / unit |
Note: Excludes import duties, USCG/ISO certification, final commissioning in destination port, and proprietary software development for flight-stabilizer control algorithms.