Energy Consumption of a Sailing Quad-Maran Automated Vessel

An innovative electrically operated automated Quad-maran is developed in this study. The vessel consists of 4 hulls and each hull is capable of yawing independently around its axis. The vessel is expected to sail and carry out environmental measurements automatically in waters like oyster farms, with an outstanding efficiency and brilliant energy-saving characteristics. An elemental research was first carried out to investigate the vessel’s resistance and propulsion performance as well as its electric energy consumption during sailing. Water tank tests were implemented on the actual hulls. Later, sea trials using the whole vessel were carried out in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, where the vessel sailed under remote control from a PC far away. Pool trials were also carried out. In this paper, detailed information is given on the design and working features of the Quad-maran automated vessel. Results of the tests and trials are evaluated, and the interference between hulls observed during tests is discussed. The electric energy consumption and as well as the relating efficiency are calculated and discussed.