FIGURE 1-3

Prismatic coefficient.

of the LWL and shaped to the underwater portion of Speed/Length Ratio Prismatic Coefficient

the midship section, then carv'ed it away to model the I.O and below 525
ends of the boat, the Cp is the remaining percentage

of the original midship-shaped block (Figure 1-3). 1.1 .54

The proper Cp for a boat depends on its intended

speed/length ratio (the speed in knots divided by the 1.2 58

square root of the LWL). The Cp can range widely,

1.3 62
from .48 or so for a sailboat intended for light air use
up to .80 or more for a planing motorboat. The fol-
14 64
lowing table shows the correct Cps for various speed/
length ratios. 1.5 66
Powerboat hulls want Cps matched to their

intended operating speeds —say .60 to .62 for a dis- 16 ,68

placement powerboat, .66 to .70 and higher for a

semidisplacement (or semiplaning — it's the same
17 ,69

thing!) hull. Sailboats generally have average speed/

1.8 and above .70
length ratios of about 1.1 and Cps in the .54-. 5 5

range. It is best if the Cp is a bit on the high side,

because the added resistance from having too high a sailboats because it is a guide to the location of the
Cp for low-speed work is less serious than the resis- sails and rig.

tance from haxing too low a Cp at higher speeds.

Center of Effort (CE) —The center of the sail area.

Center of Lateral Plane (CLP)— The center of It is usually calculated using 100% of the Joretriangle
the underwater area of the hull. Important only for area (the area bounded by the headstays, the mast.

UNDERSTANDING BOAT DESIGN