Case Study: Delta Marine achieves greater design flexibility and lightweight, vibration‑resistant megayachts with ANSYS Mechanical

Megayacht Builder Uses Simulation Software to Increase Design Flexibility

Delta Marine, a leading builder of 100‑foot-plus megayachts, faced the challenge of giving owners near‑complete freedom to customize interiors while meeting strict weight, strength and vibration targets. Irregular pillar locations and highly nonlinear load paths from movable partitions meant traditional methods couldn’t predict load distribution reliably. To meet a brief for a luxurious, high‑speed yacht with optimized structural elements, Delta Marine turned to ANSYS and specifically ANSYS Mechanical.

Using ANSYS Mechanical (with geometry imported from Rhinoceros), Delta Marine modeled composite laminates with shell and solid elements, ran global and local stress evaluations, generated FE reports for regulatory defense, and performed modal analysis to identify critical vibration modes. ANSYS enabled targeted strengthening of hull and decks, letting designers place walls where they wanted while maintaining strength, minimizing weight and preventing vibration—resulting in a stronger, faster and more flexible megayacht design and defensible structural decisions backed by simulation.

Delta Marine

Chad Caron

Naval Architect