Hydrofoil

The hydrofoil usually consists of a wing like structure mounted on struts below the hull, or across the keels of a catamaran in a variety of boats (see illustration).

Lifting structures used in water, include various foils, including hydrofoils.

A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water.

If the fluid is a gas, the foil is called an airfoil or aerofoil, and if the fluid is water the foil is called a hydrofoil.

Alexander Graham Bell considered the invention of the hydroplane a very significant achievement, and after reading the article began to sketch concepts of what is now called a hydrofoil boat.

Many other inventions marked Bell's later life, including groundbreaking work in optical telecommunications, hydrofoils, and aeronautics.

With his chief engineer Casey Baldwin, Bell began hydrofoil experiments in the summer of 1908.

Frederick Walker Baldwin (January 2, 1882 – August 7, 1948), also known as Casey Baldwin, paternal grandson of Canadian reform leader Robert Baldwin, was a hydrofoil and aviation pioneer and partner of the famous inventor Alexander Graham Bell.

On returning to Bell's large laboratory at his Beinn Bhreagh estate near Baddeck, Nova Scotia, they experimented with a number of designs, culminating in Bell's HD-4.

HD-4 or Hydrodome number 4 was an early research hydrofoil watercraft developed by the scientist Alexander Graham Bell.

As a hydrofoil-equipped watercraft increases in speed, the hydrofoil elements below the hull(s) develop enough lift to raise the hull out of the water, which greatly reduces hull drag.

Lift is most commonly associated with the wings of fixed-wing aircraft, although it is more generally generated by many other streamlined bodies such as propellers, kites, helicopter rotors, racing car wings, maritime sails, and wind turbines in air, and by sailboat keels, ship's rudders, and hydrofoils in water.

They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes.

Foils of similar function designed with water as the working fluid are called hydrofoils.

Such vessels include the Raketa (1957) type, followed by the larger Meteor type and the smaller Voskhod type.

Raketa (Раке́та, Rocket) was the first type of hydrofoil boats commercially produced in the Soviet Union.

Such vessels include the Raketa (1957) type, followed by the larger Meteor type and the smaller Voskhod type.

Voskhod (Восход, literally "Sunrise"), also known as "Design 352", "Design 03521" and Eurofoil, is a type of passenger hydrofoil boat built in the Soviet Union and later in Ukraine.

Italian inventor Enrico Forlanini began work on hydrofoils in 1898 and used a "ladder" foil system.

Enrico Forlanini (13 December 1848 – 9 October 1930) was an Italian engineer, inventor and aeronautical pioneer, known for his works on helicopters, aircraft, hydrofoils and dirigibles.

The Canadian Armed Forces built and tested a number of hydrofoils (e.g., Baddeck and two vessels named Bras d'Or), which culminated in the high-speed anti-submarine hydrofoil HMCS Bras d'Or in the late 1960s.

HMCS Bras d'Or (FHE 400) was a hydrofoil that served in the Canadian Forces from 1968 to 1971.

One of the most successful Soviet designer/inventor in this area was Rostislav Alexeyev, who some consider the 'father' of the modern hydrofoil due to his 1950s era high speed hydrofoil designs.

Rostislav Evgenievich Alexeyev (Ростисла́в Евге́ньевич Алексе́ев; December 18, 1916 – February 9, 1980) was a Russian Soviet shipbuilder known for his pioneering work on hydrofoil ships and ground effect vehicles.

Later, circa 1970s, Alexeyev combined his hydrofoil experience with the surface effect principle to create the Ekranoplan.

They are also dissimilar from hovercraft or hydrofoils, as they do not have any contact with the surface of the water when in "flight".

The Italian Navy has used six hydrofoils of the Sparviero class since the late 1970s.

The Sparviero-class are small hydrofoil missile boats capable of traveling at speeds of 46 knots.

The US Navy implemented a small number of combat hydrofoils, such as the Pegasus class, from 1977 through 1993.

These hydrofoils carried the designation "PHM" for "Patrol, Hydrofoil, Missile."

Matka class missile boat, introduced in the 1980s and still in service

The Matka class is the NATO reporting name for a group of hydrofoil missile boats built for the Soviet Navy.

Sarancha class missile boat, a unique vessel built in the 1970s

The Sarancha class is the NATO reporting name for a hydrofoil missile boat built for the Soviet Navy.

A new kayak design, called Flyak, has hydrofoils that lift the kayak enough to significantly reduce drag, allowing speeds of up to 27 km/h.

The Flyak is a hydrofoil adaptation to the conventional kayak.

The XCH-4 (officially, Experimental Craft, Hydrofoil No. 4), designed by William P. Carl, exceeded speeds of 65 mph and was mistaken for a seaplane due to its shape.

The Experimental Craft Hydrofoil No. 4 (XCH-4) was a high speed hydrofoil of the United States Navy.

The Moth dinghy has evolved into some radical foil configurations.

The pre hydrofoil design Moths are still sailed and raced but are far slower than their foiled counterparts.

Turya class torpedo boat, introduced in 1972 and still in service

"Turya class" is the NATO reporting name for a class of hydrofoil torpedo boats built for the Soviet Navy and Soviet allies.

The Boeing 929 is widely used in Asia for passenger services between the many islands of Japan, between Hong Kong and Macau and on the Korean peninsula. TurboJET service, which speeds passengers across the Pearl River Delta between Hong Kong and Macau in less than an hour, with an average speed of 45 knots (83 km/h), mainly using Boeing's Jetfoil. Also services Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Kowloon. Operated by Shun Tak-China Travel Ship Management Limited.

The Boeing 929 Jetfoil is the name for a passenger-carrying waterjet-propelled hydrofoil design by Boeing.

Muravey class patrol boat, introduced in the 1980s and still in service

The Muravey class is the NATO reporting name for a class of hydrofoil patrol boats built for the Soviet Navy between 1983 and 1989.

On returning to Bell's large laboratory at his Beinn Bhreagh estate near Baddeck, Nova Scotia, they experimented with a number of designs, culminating in Bell's HD-4.

Bell constructed a laboratory and boatyard on this property, conducting experiments in powered flight and hydrofoil technology, among many other things.

TurboJET service, which speeds passengers across the Pearl River Delta between Hong Kong and Macau in less than an hour, with an average speed of 45 knots (83 km/h), mainly using Boeing's Jetfoil. Also services Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Kowloon. Operated by Shun Tak-China Travel Ship Management Limited.

It operates hydrofoil ferry services between Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and Zhuhai, in the Pearl River Delta area.