What is the connection between soft ride and fuel consumption?
A boat can be made softer in waves in a variety of ways. However, each method leads to other effects:
- Less beam (decreases stability, increases hump speed and limiting space)
- Adding weight (linearly increasing fuel consumption)
- Increasing deadrise angle (increasing fuel consumption)
- Using Petestep technology (decreasing fuel consumption and quieter ride)
Decreasing the beam is often not a good idea because decreased stability and space is never desirable. To achieve a reduction of vertical acceleration (hardness of ride) by 30% using conventional technology by adding weight or increasing the deadrise angle, around 50% more energy is required and hence, 50% more fuel consumption.
Petestep technology always gives a boat a significantly softer ride, and/or significantly lower fuel consumption. We can make a boat ride over 30% softer, while also reducing the resistance by 5-10%. Compared to a boat with similar softness using conventional technology, resistance is now reduced by over 35%.