Superyacht Design / Naval Architecture
Naval Architecture
Naval architectural integration of propellers, shafts, pods, waterjets, rudders, stabilisers and other appendages with hull geometry, wake field, resistance and manoeuvring requirements.
Naval architectural integration of propellers, shafts, pods, waterjets, rudders, stabilisers and other appendages with hull geometry, wake field, resistance and manoeuvring requirements.
Guide
Underwater appendages add wetted area and disturb the hull flow, but many are essential for propulsion, steering and stabilisation. Their geometry and placement influence drag, wake quality, cavitation, noise and loads throughout the yacht.
Aug. 10, 2026
Guide
Podded propulsors and waterjets change the relationship between propulsion and hull form. Pods place major propulsion appendages outside the hull, while waterjets bring water through an intake and discharge nozzle integrated directly into the vessel geometry.
Aug. 10, 2026
Guide
Rudder, propeller and hull operate in one coupled flow field. The hull creates the propeller wake, the propeller accelerates and swirls the flow, and the rudder extracts steering force from that slipstream while feeding forces back into the yacht.
Aug. 10, 2026
Guide
A conventional propeller shaft line connects propulsor position with the internal yacht arrangement through a precise three-dimensional geometry. Shaft angle, bearing locations, hull exits, brackets and structural deflection all influence whether the arrangement works.
Aug. 10, 2026
Guide
A yacht propeller does not operate in uniform open water. The hull boundary layer, stern geometry and appendages create a three-dimensional wake at the propeller disk, making inflow quality central to propulsive efficiency, cavitation and vibration.
Aug. 10, 2026