In the last quarter of 2022, we worked with Blue Gulf Cat in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), providing them some support in hydrodynamic design of a stepped planning hull. Through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and our high-speed expertise, we were able to provide additional input into their creation of an efficient stepped hull, balancing safety and performance while operating close to the threshold of dynamic instability.
DLBA is proud to have assisted Ocean Aero in the optimization of the new single element wing-sail for the TRITON, the world’s only Autonomous Underwater and Surface Vehicle (AUSV). With both general structural design and overall lift performance, DLBA worked with aggressive schedules and geometric requirements to deliver a great improvement in record time using vortex lattice and computational fluid dynamic propriety programs.
Our team had the opportunity to collaborate on the development of the Thoroughbred U-21. We first mentioned the project back in June of 2020, and it’s awesome to see the first one is on the water. The COVID-19 pandemic presented a struggle getting this girl out of the shop and on the water due to both supply chain and labor impacts for this new Michigan builder.
Sure, your boat looks great above the waterline – but below the waterline is where great performance originates. Tune in to our webinar “Going with the Flow” where together we will explore modern appendages and ride control options that can unlock increased performance of your vessel. Some topics you can look forward to are an introduction to drag, wake adapted appendages, wake control, trim control, and stabilizers.
Another exciting DLBA design is coming together as Century Boats continues production on their first 4100 CC. DLBA worked with the Century team to develop the all-new design to very specific requirements. Though called a center console, this boat is much more and offers many features most similar boats do not provide. The design is a great combination of form and function offering up to 1800 hp in multiple engine packages.
DLBA, in partnership with Edinburgh Designs, recently modernized the towing carriage system for Virginia Tech’s (VT) ship model basin. Trade studies for the carriage upgrade started in 2019, and in the spring 2022 term VT students used the new carriage for lab experiments. DLBA’s team is excited to bring this project to a successful completion!
This month we look back at one of our founder’s greatest achievements – DESTRIERO. DESTRIERO was designed in the late 1980’s by Donald Blount, with the objective of becoming the fastest vessel to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean. The conceptual design of the vessel required the trade space for hull dimensions to be explored quickly without much information. Donald developed an easily adaptable process, using information available in the public domain to zero in on vessel size to meet a set of requirements.
Sure, your boat looks great above the waterline – but below the waterline is where great performance originates. Tune in to our webinar “Going with the Flow” where together we will explore modern appendages and ride control options that can unlock increased performance of your vessel. Some topics you can look forward to are an introduction to drag, wake adapted appendages, wake control, trim control, and stabilizers.
At the end of 2020, DLBA Naval Architects was brought in to scan the entire exterior and all interior compartments of the partially built Guthrie 66 at Croswait Custom Composites in Wanchese, NC. The scans, and resulting surface models turned out great. Since then, much interest has been bubbling to the surface by potential new owners to finish that boat.
If you were at the Palm Beach Yacht show last month, you might have seen VALYRA, a DLBA design built by Hodgdon Yachts. In fact, she was Hull #2, following in the footsteps of her sistership, ZARKAVA (with a couple of subtle upgrades, of course). These boats were designed by DLBA under the keen eye of Donald Blount. Jeff Bowles has led the DLBA team in the engineering effort over the course of several years, which has included sea trialing a parent craft, hydrodynamic model testing, aerodynamic CFD analysis, advanced noise reduction engineering, and more.
