Albert Hickman was widely acknowledged to be a pain in the ass, though he also set the pattern for most of what is necessary to move boats as quickly as possible across water. The above outline dates from 1914, though remains the state of the art whether you want to move ferries at the fastest possible speed, or anything else on water with the aid of a multi-hull.
Once there was sufficient power for boats to plane, although it changed everything it also changed nothing in many ways, in the way that for a number of years the car was literally a horseless carriage. Hickman effectively prioritised form over displacement in order to make running on water as fast and efficient as possible.
One hundred and ten years on, and with much of what moves over water being shifted toward drones as in air, there is less need for displacement again. Thus it is that flat-packed catamarans powered by propellers driving air (which is also more efficient) are set to change the paradigm.
Hickman was considered 'an eccentric and an annoyance whom most wished would quietly go away' and on that note, I've emailed the Lancashire Powerboat Racing Club.
Again.
The turbine was pioneered in boats much the same way, replacing most other means once introduced by Charles Parsons. Needless to say the Royal Navy did all they could to prevent its appearance at their review in 1897.
