Patent ID: 6240869
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: B63B

Abstract:
Stabilization apparatus (12) for a watercraft (10) having a hull (14), comprising:at least one hydrofoil (20, 60) with a leading edge (22, 62) and a trailing edge (24, 64), the edges (22, 24, 62, 64) defining a chord (26, 66) extending therebetween, said at least one hydrofoil (20, 60) being mounted below an underside of said hull (14) and arranged for rotation about an axis (30) that is generally perpendicular to said chord (26, 66) and directed towards said underside of said hull (14); andcharacterized by control apparatus (40) comprising a processor (46) that calculates a steady state roll angle of said watercraft (10) and a time derivative of an angle of roll of said watercraft (10) about said steady state roll angle, wherein a zero roll angle corresponds to an upright position of the watercraft (10), said control apparatus (40) rotating said at least one hydrofoil (20, 60) about said axis (30) in response to said time derivative so as to stabilize said watercraft (10) about said steady state roll angle which does not necessarily correspond to the upright position of the watercraft (10).