Dictionary Definition
swath
Noun
1 the space created by the swing of a scythe or
the cut of a mowing machine
2 a path or strip (as cut by one course of
mowing) [syn: belt]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
- IPA: /swɔːθ/
Alternative spellings
Etymology
Old English swæþ, swathu (a "track", "trace", "scar") Corresponds to MLG and MDu swat, MHG and MNG swade, NDu swad(e), OFries swethe border. Root meaning: trace of a cut.Attested in English since 888 in its obsolete
meaning of track or trace, since 1475 in its more modern usage.
Cognate with German Schwaden (row of
mown grass or grain).
No definite cognates outside Germanic
languages.
- See F. Kluge, Etymologisches Wörterbuch (De Gruyter), entry Schwaden, and OED.
Noun
Usage notes
To be distinguished from main meanings of swathe, but that is also an alternative spelling for this word.Related terms
Extensive Definition
The Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) is a
twin-hull ship design that minimizes hull volume in the surface
area of the sea. By minimizing hull volume in the sea's surface,
where wave energy is located, the vessel becomes very stable, even
in high seas and at high speeds. The bulk of the displacement
necessary to keep the ship afloat is located beneath the waves,
where it is less affected by wave action, as wave excitation drops
exponentially with depth. Placing the majority of the ship's
displacement under the waves is similar in concept to submarines,
which are also not affected by wave action.
Effects
The twin-hull design provides large, broad decks
and a stable platform. The main disadvantages to the SWATH hull
form are that they are more expensive than conventional catamarans,
require a complex control system, have a deeper draught than
catamarans and mono-hulled ships, and a higher maintenance
requirement. Furthermore, SWATH vessels can use up to 80% more
power than an equivalent catamaran, and are more limited in speed
compared to equivalent catamaran vessels.
History
The SWATH form was invented by Canadian Frederick
G. Creed, who presented his idea in 1938 and was later
awarded a British
patent for it in 1946. It was first
used in the 1960s and 1970s as an evolution
of catamaran design
for use as oceanographic research
vessels or submarine
rescue ships.
Specific examples
- CCGS Frederick G. Creed, a Canadian Coast Guard survey ship.
- Sea Shadow, a US Navy experimental stealth ship.
- Sea Fighter, a US Navy experimental littoral combat ship.
- Asia Star, formerly the Radisson Diamond, a 350 person all balcony luxury cruise ship with 20295 tonnes gross tonnage.
- R/V Kilo Moana, a University of Hawaii research vessel.
- Cloud X, a passenger ferry running between Florida and the Bahamas.
- Nekton Rorqual/Swacat 80, an 80 foot cruise ship operated by Nekton Diving Cruises.
- Cetus and Perseus, pilot vessels for the Netherlands Loodswezen.
- Döse, Dunen, pilot vessels for the German Brotherhood of Elbe - Pilots.
- Elbe, pilot station vessel for the German Brotherhood of Elbe - Pilots.
- Planet Type 752, weapons + sonar research ship of the German Navy.
- The Goya in Dan Brown's book Deception Point is a Swath.
See also
- Multihull
- Catamaran
- Hydroairy Ship, another twin hull design
- Trimaran
- Swath Width
References
External links
swath in German: Small Waterplane Area Twin
Hull
swath in French: SWATH
swath in Croatian: SWATH brod
swath in Dutch: SWATH
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
Indian file, array, articulation, bank, belt, buzz, catena, catenation, chain, chain reaction, chaining, concatenation, connection, consecution, continuum, course, cycle, descent, drone, endless belt, endless
round, file, filiation, gamut, gradation, hum, line, lineage, monotone, nexus, path, pendulum, periodicity, plenum, powder train, progression, queue, range, rank, recurrence, reticulation, rotation, round, routine, row, run, scale, sequence, series, single file, spectrum, string, strip, succession, swathe, thread, tier, train, windrow