SEAKEEPING BY DESIGN

Abstract

ABSTRACT“Seakeeping … is the ability of our ships to go to sea, and Successfully and safely execute their missions despite adverse environmental factors.”— VAdm. R.E. Adamson. USNIn June 1975, VAdm. R.E. Adamson, USN, then Commander Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, addressed the participants of the Seakeeping Workshop [1] and established what has come to be a most profound definition of seakeeping as it relates to the U.S. Navy. In those few words he identified the two major issues facing the operator today and provided the focus for all subsequent seakeeping efforts within the design community at the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). For it is these two hues of mission sum and safety at sea which are addressed within NAVSEA, for each new ship design and for ships in the Fleet, in terms of: SEAKEEPING PERFORMANCE — Ability to execute mission in a sea environment, and SEAWORTHINESS — Ability to survive in an extreme sea environment.In the past, the design of ships exhibiting superior seakeeping performance and seaworthiness and seaworthiness has been looked upon by many as an art or an academic exercise. The objective of this paper then is to demonstrate clearly that the ability of our ships to execute their missions successfully and safely in a sea environment is not by chance but by design.