Marine vessel comprising a planing hull

1 . A marine vessel comprising:

a bow section, a stern section and a centreline; and

a planing hull extending between a hull bow in the bow section and a hull stern in the stern section, the planing hull comprising:

a vee bottom section extending along the centreline from the stern section to the bow section, the vee bottom section being V-shaped and forming a keel of the marine vessel; and

a pair of retainer walls extending from the stern section towards the bow section along either side of the vee bottom section,

wherein, in at least the stern section each retainer wall extends downwardly parallel to, or at an acute angle to, the centreline and lowermost edges of the retainer walls rise away from the keel from the hull stern by the lowermost edges having a greater longitudinal angle than the keel, the longitudinal angle being the angle relative to the horizontal plane and a keel line, the keel line extending along and projected from the keel, and

wherein the vee bottom section is configured to, as the marine vessel travels across water, direct water outwardly from the centreline towards the retainer walls and the retainer walls are configured to direct said outwardly directed water aft relative to the hull and retain said aft directed water between the retainer walls and vee bottom section in at least the stern section for providing lift to the marine vessel.

2 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retainer walls extend parallel to the centreline and/or keel in the stern section.

3 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retainer walls are configured to, towards the hull stern, increase a ratio of water to air per unit of volume between the retainer walls and the vee bottom section.

4 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the keel is lower than the retainer walls.

5 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vee bottom section comprises a pair of lower main sections each extending outwardly from each side of the centreline along a lower main section width A, the retainer walls extend along a retainer wall height B and the retainer wall height B is less than about 0.5 A.

6 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vee bottom section extends outwardly from the centreline at a vee bottom angle α relative to horizontal, which is in a range of from about 18 degrees to about 28 degrees inclusive, and/or the retainer walls extend downwardly at a retainer wall angle β relative to horizontal, which is in a range of from about 70 degrees to about 90 degrees inclusive.

7 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the retainer walls extend from the hull stern.

8 . A marine vessel comprising:

a bow section, a stern section and a centreline; and

a planing hull extending between a hull bow in the bow section and a hull stern in the stern section, the planing hull comprising:

a vee bottom section extending along the centreline from the stern section to the bow section, the vee bottom section being V-shaped and forming a keel of the marine vessel; and

a pair of retainer walls extending from the stern section towards the bow section along either side of the vee bottom section, and

wherein the bow section comprises at least one spray deflector for deflecting spray from rising over the bow section, the at least one spray deflector comprising a deflection surface extending downwardly forwards along the centreline and outwards from the centreline.

9 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising an upper body mounted to the hull, optionally wherein the upper body comprises a fender, deck or gunwale.

10 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the keel extends along a keel line and the deflection surface extends downwardly forwards along the centreline at a deflection surface angle relative to the keel line in a range of from 10 degrees to 30 degrees inclusive.

11 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the at least one spray deflector comprises an upper body spray deflector comprising a deflection surface formed by the upper body and a deflection cavity formed between the deflection surface and the hull.

12 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the deflection cavity of the upper body spray deflector is partially bounded by the upper body and is formed by an upwardly extending concave recess in the upper body.

13 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the hull comprises a stem and an upper edge to which the upper body is mounted, wherein the upper body spray deflector extends from the stem at least partially around the upper edge of the hull.

14 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising outer hull sections extending from the stern section towards the bow section and along and outwardly from the retainer walls.

15 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising outer chines extending from the stern section towards the bow section and along and outwardly from the outer hull sections.

16 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the at least one spray deflector comprises a hull spray deflector comprising a deflection surface formed by the hull and a deflection cavity formed between the deflection surface and the hull.

17 . The marine vessel as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the hull comprises a stem and the deflection surface is located at the stem, wherein the hull comprises the deflection cavity in the form of a concave recess extending upwardly into the stem and hull.

18 . A method of operating a marine vessel comprising:

a bow section, a stern section and a centreline; and

a planing hull extending between a hull bow in the bow section and a hull stern in the stern section, the planing hull comprising:

a vee bottom section extending along the centreline from the stern section to the bow section, the vee bottom section being V-shaped and forming a keel of the marine vessel; and

a pair of retainer walls extending from the stern section towards the bow section along either side of the vee bottom section,

wherein, in at least the stern section each retainer wall extends downwardly parallel to, or at an acute angle to, the centreline, and lowermost edges of the retainer walls rise away from the keel from the hull stern by the lowermost edges having a greater longitudinal angle than the keel, the longitudinal angle being the angle relative to the horizontal plane and a keel line, the keel line extending along and projected from the keel, and

wherein the method comprises propelling the marine vessel through water such that the vee bottom section directs water outwardly from the centreline towards the retainer walls and the retainer walls direct said outwardly directed water aft relative to the hull and retain said aft directed water between the retainer walls and vee bottom section in at least the stern section such that lift is provided to the marine vessel.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the bow section comprises at least one spray deflector, the at least one spray deflector comprising a deflection surface extending downwardly forwards along the centreline and outwards from the centreline, wherein the method comprises propelling the marine vessel through the water such that the at least one spray deflector deflects spray from rising over the bow section.

20 . A marine vessel comprising:

a bow section, a stern section and a centreline; and

a planing hull extending between a hull bow in the bow section and a hull stern in the stern section, the planing hull comprising:

a vee bottom section extending along the centreline from the stern section to the bow section, the vee bottom section being V-shaped and forming a keel of the marine vessel; and

a pair of retainer walls extending from the stern section towards the bow section along either side of the vee bottom section,

wherein, in at least the stern section each retainer wall extends downwardly parallel to, or at an acute angle to, the centreline and the retainer walls rise away from the keel from the hull stern, and

wherein the vee bottom section is configured to, as the marine vessel travels across water, direct water outwardly from the centreline towards the retainer walls and the retainer walls are configured to direct said outwardly directed water aft relative to the hull and retain said aft directed water between the retainer walls and vee bottom section in at least the stern section for providing lift to the marine vessel,

wherein the retainer walls are separated from the hull stern.

21 . A marine vessel comprising:

a bow section, a stern section and a centreline; and

a planing hull extending between a hull bow in the bow section and a hull stern in the stern section, the planing hull comprising:

a vee bottom section extending along the centreline from the stern section to the bow section, the vee bottom section being V-shaped and forming a keel of the marine vessel; and

a pair of retainer walls extending from the stern section towards the bow section along either side of the vee bottom section,

wherein, in at least the stern section each retainer wall extends downwardly parallel to, or at an acute angle to, the centreline and the retainer walls rise away from the keel from the hull stern,

wherein the vee bottom section is configured to, as the marine vessel travels across water, direct water outwardly from the centreline towards the retainer walls and the retainer walls are configured to direct said outwardly directed water aft relative to the hull and retain said aft directed water between the retainer walls and vee bottom section in at least the stern section for providing lift to the marine vessel, and

wherein the retainer walls extend downwardly at a retainer wall angle β relative to horizontal, which is about 90 degrees.