Dropping In Surf Show Podcast Hydrodynamics, Drag, Propulsion, Lift with Mark Buetzow
Apr 21, 2021
Mark Buetzow, veteran ship designer and lifelong sailor/water-skier with 39 years designing large vessels. He breaks down hydrodynamics in bite-size bits. Topics include the three types of drag, how hull length and planing affect speed, propulsion tradeoffs like propellers and RPM, and design lessons borrowed from aeronautics and tow-tank testing.
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From Tugs To 1,500 Foot Tankers
- Mark Buetzow designed ships ranging from 50-foot tugs to 1,500-foot ultra large crude carriers during a 39-year career.
- He stressed the same physics apply across sizes, with different operational constraints like port draft.
Keep The Surface Smooth To Save Power
- Keep hull and board surfaces smooth to reduce frictional drag and immediate performance loss from fouling.
- Anti-fouling paint lasts years; even small barnacle growth forces higher RPMs or more fuel for the same speed.
Make The Rear Fine To Cut Form Drag
- Shape aft sections to be fine and tapered to minimize form drag caused by turbulent wake separation.
- Blunt bows are tolerable, but a fine trailing edge (sharp tail) greatly reduces turbulence and drag.
