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Bray adds blisters, bi-foils and bulbous bows to improve efficiency.
03/01/2005
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| Bray 86 |  |
Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. Although fuel costs are
continually on the rise, the insatiable pioneering spirit, coupled with better
accessibility to yacht-friendly regions worldwide, mean owners continue to seek
vessels that can go the distance. Bray Yacht Design has answered the call,
researching designs that improve efficiency.
The firm has discovered that
adding a blister to each side of the hull amidships modifies the wave train at
hull speed. The interaction of the two is like having a bulbous bow amidships,
which means the hull itself causes fewer waves, and therefore less power is
needed to move the boat.
Combining this development with the bulbous bow and
the bi-foil skeg gives Bray’s 86-foot sportfisher 20 percent greater efficiency
when cruising at 12 knots. With the already efficient hull form, Bray claims it
adds up to 30 to 50 percent less resistance than other long-range motor yachts.
In addition, the appendages reduce pitch between 35 and 50 percent in a
seaway.
The sportfisher is currently building in steel at Vancouver’s
Bracewell Marine Group as a filming platform for Fox Sports Network’s “Inside
Sportfishing“ show. Her impressive 5,000-nautical mile range at 10 knots will
come in handy during her two-year worldwide shoot documenting the journeys of
fishing legend Zane Grey.
Patrick J. Bray at 604-531-8569. www.brayyachtdesign.bc.ca
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