Abstract
This study investigates the level of accuracy with which Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is capable of modelling the nearfield longitudinal wake profiles of a high-speed planing hull. It also looks to establish how various set-ups influence the accuracy, with a specific emphasis on turbulence modelling. It analyses a hull over a broad range of conditions to provide detailed insight into the strengths and limitations of CFD, comparing the numerical results to the experimental results previously generated by the authors. A quantitative comparison is made for the centreline (CL) and quarterbeam (QB) longitudinal wake profile plots. Following this, a qualitative comparison is made between photos of the flow pattern from the experimental testing and free surface elevation plots from CFD. The study concluded that CFD is an accurate and robust method of modelling the nearfield longitudinal wake profiles of a high-speed planning hull.