Development of a Parametric Model for Analysing Temperature Effects of Solar Radiation on Yachts

High quality aesthetics are a de-facto necessity on large luxury yachts and it is for good reason that the classic colour of the conventional yacht fleet has been unsurprisingly white. However, an increasing number of owners are opting for dark colours, which unfortunately have a tendency of absorbing much greater solar heat. This leads to wavy thermal expansions over the hull, reducing its aesthetic appeal. Other problems such as degradation of hull coatings and increased energy needs to maintain thermal comfort are also manifested. To overcome this, solutions like stronger scantlings, expensive hull coatings and larger ship cooling systems are being used. Most systems dramatically increase a ship’s weight and cost. Therefore, a joint research project was set up by Baglietto Shipyards of La Spezia and the University of Genoa to analyse the temperature distribution over yacht hulls, followed by the interactions between the metal hull and the epoxy filler layer. This paper analyses the first phase, based on an analytical approach, parametric modelling and experimental investigations.