HomeCalculatorsWetted Surface - Mumford Formula

Wetted Surface - Mumford Formula

Wetted-surface estimate for displacement hulls from LWL, T and displacement. Used for quick resistance estimates when offsets are unavailable.

ResistanceWetted surface
Wetted surface area S
8,285

Formula, assumptions, and limits

$$S = 1.7 \cdot L \cdot T + \frac{\nabla}{T}$$

Mumford's formula - accurate to ±3 % for typical merchant hulls. Holtrop's S-approximation (implemented inside tech-holtrop-mennen) is more accurate for bulbous or transom-stern hulls.

Symbol legend

SymbolMeaningUnitSource
$L$Waterline lengthmship particulars
$T$Draftmhydrostatics
$\nabla$Displacement volumehydrostatics
$S$Wetted surfaceresult

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