K01 – Recreational and High Speed Craft
An engineering-focused course on hydrofoils, air cushion vehicles, hard chine planing craft, and the high-speed craft context for multi-hull powering. It covers lift and containment, force balance, stability, and empirical prediction methods as speed rises.
£299.00
20 hours
Focused, self-paced learning designed to fit around professional schedules.
Online, self-paced
Study online at a pace that fits your schedule.
7 sections
Structured curriculum sections.
English
Language of instruction for this course.
34 lessons
Focused lessons organised into a clear learning path.
Course overview
Relevance to CPD: Builds specialist understanding of hydrofoil, air cushion and planing-craft hydrodynamics used in the concept design and assessment of high-speed vessels.
1. Classify the main configurations and lift-control approaches used in hydrofoil craft.
Designed for: engineering graduates looking for refresher courses in niche expert areas.
Entry requirements: an engineering degree or equivalent experience, plus basic fluid mechanics (Bernoulli's equation, Froude number) and the relationship between lift and drag, which the course assumes.
What you will learn
Classify the main configurations and lift-control approaches used in hydrofoil craft.
Explain how air cushion vehicles generate support, stability, drag, and propulsion performance.
Apply the core formulas and concepts to interpret ACV cushion pressure, lift fan power, and drag estimates.
Analyse the force balance, wetted geometry, and empirical prediction methods used for hard chine planing craft.
Relate speed regime, hullform choice, and the main powering considerations across high-speed craft.
Skills and knowledge
Hydrofoils
Hovercraft
Planing craft
High-speed craft
Lift and drag
Stability
Power estimation
Marine propulsion
Course curriculum
Introduction
1.1 Welcome
Hydrofoils
2.1 Hydrofoil Background
2.2 Lift Control Methods
2.3 Foil Arrangements
2.4 Hydrofoil Stability
2.5 Angle and Immersion Effects
2.6 Quiz 1
Air Cushion Vehicle Basics
3.1 ACV Types
3.2 Cushion Containment
3.3 Peripheral and Sidewall Craft
3.4 Flexible Skirt Systems
3.5 ACV Stability Mechanisms
3.6 Quiz 2
ACV Performance and Power
4.1 Thin Jet Theory
4.2 Thick Jet Theory
4.3 Feeding States
4.4 Forward Speed Effects
4.5 Plenum Craft Flow
4.6 Cushion Pressure Levels
4.7 Lift Fan Power
4.8 Drag and Propulsion
4.9 Quiz 3
Hard Chine Planing Craft
5.1 Planing Flow Basics
5.2 Spray Root Geometry
5.3 Force Balance
5.4 Savitsky Method
5.5 Series and Appendages
5.6 Porpoising Stability
5.7 Quiz 4
High-Speed Craft Context
6.1 Speed and Hullform
6.2 Round Bilge Context
6.3 Multi-Hull Powering Context
6.4 Quiz 5
Summary
7.1 Key Takeaways
Ready to enrol?
£299.00