Numéro : 1949 - Year : 1984
Testing the experimental surface effect ship MOLENES
J.P.BERTRAND, Ingénieur, Division «Navires Spéciaux », Bassin d'Essais des Carènes
The free-manned test craft IAOLENES was designed and built by the Bassin d'Essais des Carènes in order to qualify the feasibility and the interest of high length-to-beam ratio surface effect ships with sidewalls.
As this kind of ship is someway unusual, it seemed unwise to limit its evaluation to model-tests in towing tank; and then it was decided to fulfil our amount of knowledge by the testing of an experimental craft of significant size (V = 5,5 T, L = 12,1 m), able to fly in a maritime environment and integrating every component of an SES concept.
The test performed since 1982 at Toulon allowed to qualify the performances, the seakeeping and the manoeuvring behaviour of A10LENES. The first results provide confirmation that the choice of an high length-to beam ratio was a good one; that choice having been made in 1975 in order to reduce the risks and costs of larger (200- 1500 T) ships development.
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