Speed and Power of Ships

David Watson Taylor was a pioneering American marine architect who developed fundamental principles for ship design. He established the first ship-model testing facility in the United States and authored Speed and Power of Ships (1910). This work introduced the Taylor Standard Series Method, which allowed for the estimation of a ship's water resistance based on its hull proportions. Taylor's research significantly advanced the understanding of how hull characteristics influence a ship's speed and power requirements, making it possible to predict a ship's performance more accurately. His work is still considered informative in naval architecture.1