"Jimmie" Hamilton Award
1984
John D. Adams and Walter F. Beverly
For the best original paper published in the Naval Engineers Journal during the year 1984 as set forth in the following:
The bases for selection were the professionalism of subject matter, depth of treatment, the importance of the paper’s technical contribution and its lasting value to the naval engineering professional, the individual effort involved in its preparation, clarity of composition, and style.
Mr. Adams’ and Mr. Beverly’s paper, “Technical Evaluation of the SES-200 High Length-to-Beam Surface Effect Ship,” in the May 1984 issue of the Naval Engineers Journal, is a major contribution to the literature in the field of naval engineering. It not only meets all the selection criteria, but more importantly, represents a contribution to the profession which is of the highest quality, marking the authors as worthy for recognition by this Society and their peers.
Recent Navy surface effect ship (SES) research has been aimed at achieving efficient operations at task force speeds without compromising the SES advantage of operating at still higher speeds. Results had previously shown that this objective could be achieved by designing ships with higher length-to-beam ratios than those of the previous generation of Navy SES. These ships are typically referred to as “High Length-to-Beam SES.”
In this fine paper, Mr. Adams and Mr. Beverly describe an extensive program undertaken by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to validate this research and demonstrate high length-to-beam SES capabilities. Under this program a 110-ft commercial SES was procured and stretched from a lengthy-to-bean ratio of 2.65 to 4.25. This ship is the SES-200, the only large high length-to-beam SES in the world.
The authors give a brief history of the SES-200, present a synopsis of the SES-20 Technical Evaluation Program, and document the results of the performance, seakeeping, and maneuvering tests conducted.
Operation in heavy seas is demonstrated, heavy weather motion responses are compared to Navy surface ship criteria, and directional stability and maneuvering test results are reported.
In performing this highly valuable evaluation, the authors have made an important and lasting contribution to the naval engineering profession and to the literature, and are therefore worthy to receive the 1984 “Jimmie” Hamilton Award.