Patent ID: 7581508

Claim:
A semi-planing, monohull surface ship operable at speeds exceeding a length Froude number of 0.25 comprising: a hull having a profile which produces a high pressure area at a bottom portion of the hull in a stem section of the hull and hydrodynamic lifting of the stern section at a speed above a length Froude number of 0.30; at least one inlet located within the high pressure area; at least one waterjet coupled to the at least one inlet for discharging water which flows from the inlet to the waterjet for propelling the vessel; a power source coupled to the at least one waterjet for propelling water from the at least one inlet through the waterjet to propel the vessel and to discharge the water from an outlet of the waterjet; an apparatus for the non-disruptive ejection of a drag reducing substance which includes a polymer into a boundary layer of water flowing over a submerged portion of the hull in substantially straight flow lines relative to a waterline to reduce skin-friction over a relatively large wetted area of the hull at speeds exceeding a length Froude number of 0.25.