A new type of motorboat takes to the water in disguise
Using foils to travel faster through the water
A STRANGE craft has been seen darting around Britain’s south coast recently. It has been causing something of a sensation among local seafarers, not least because it is painted in “dazzle” camouflage. This is composed of a series of geometric shapes and was used on vessels in the first world war to make it difficult for an enemy to estimate a ship’s speed and heading. A similar bit of subterfuge was behind the paint scheme on this mystery boat. But rather than dodging artillery shells or torpedoes, this dazzle was designed to make it hard for competitors to see details of the hull.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Shiver me timbers”
From the September 1st 2018 edition
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