aeromarine research

What aeromarine research does

AeroMarine Research is a Cambridge, Ontario-based private company founded in 1999 by professional engineer Jim Russell, focused exclusively on performance powerboat design. Its core products are three Windows-native software packages — Tunnel Boat Design Program (TBDP), Vee Boat Design Program (VBDP), and PropWorks2 — that perform integrated aerodynamic and hydrodynamic performance prediction for tunnel boats, power catamarans, Vee hulls, and Vee-pad hulls. The technology relies on proprietary algorithms developed from first engineering principles without 'fudge factors,' validated through wind tunnel testing, NRC water channel testing in Ottawa, and full-scale hull verification; the Motor Wizard database containing 3,695+ OEM engine specifications underpins propeller and speed prediction accuracy. The company complements its software with three technical books (Secrets of Tunnel Boat Design Second Edition, Secrets of Propeller Design, History of Tunnel Boat Design), a free monthly TBPNews newsletter, and engineering consulting services.

The business operates as a bootstrapped, founder-led lifestyle enterprise. Revenue comes from one-time perpetual software licenses (TBDP/VBDP at US$499, PropWorks2 at US$69), book sales (US$39-$69), and professional consulting on design, performance, safety, and accident investigation. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the aeromarineresearch.com e-commerce site plus email/phone orders, with demand generation via the TBPNews newsletter, free technical articles, YouTube videos, and editorial contributions to powerboat magazines worldwide. Customer segments span performance powerboat designers and builders, racing drivers and enthusiasts, recreational powerboat owners, and university engineering programs; the customer base reaches over 50 countries and 45 US states.

Strategic posture is product-refresh rather than growth-investing: the company has raised no external funding, maintains no disclosed headcount growth, and its principal investments are periodic major software version releases (V8 in 2021, V9 in 2026) and content updates (book Second Edition in 2024). The business model is operationally lean — headquarters is a residential address and ownership sits entirely with the founder — making key-person risk and succession the defining structural concerns rather than market competition.

Name

aeromarine research

Legal name

AeroMarine Research

Website

https://aeromarineresearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

AeroMarine Research, founded in 1999 in Cambridge, Ontario, develops proprietary powerboat design software (TBDP, VBDP, PropWorks2), publishes technical books, and provides engineering consulting for performance powerboat designers, builders, racing drivers, and marine engineering educators worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Design Software

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydrodynamics & Performance Engineering (Resistance, Propulsion, Seakeeping, Maneuvering) (IMAJAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Propulsion, Power & Energy Systems Design (Diesel, Hybrid, Electric, Alternative Fuels) (IMAJAGAE), Digital Engineering & Simulation (CFD/FEA, Digital Twins, Model-Based Engineering) (IMAJAGAL)

Keywords

• Powerboat design software
• Hull performance prediction
• Marine hydrodynamics analysis
• Propeller selection software
• Tunnel boat engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: One-time perpetual software license sales for TBDP, VBDP, and PropWorks2 programs. Software is delivered on CD or USB media with lifetime personal license.
2. Technical Books: Sale of technical publications including 'Secrets of Tunnel Boat Design - Second Edition' (US$69), 'Secrets of Propeller Design' (US$39), and 'History of Tunnel Boat Design'.
3. Consulting Services: Engineering consulting on powerboat design, performance analysis, safety analysis, accident investigation, and lectures on engineering hydrodynamics and aerodynamics.
4. Newsletter (TBPNews): Free monthly newsletter with technical articles, videos, product announcements, and publications. Likely supplemented by premium content or advertising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AeroMarine Research develops and sells Windows-based powerboat design and performance prediction software — TBDP (Tunnel Boat Design Program), VBDP (Vee Boat Design Program), and PropWorks2 — that perform integrated aerodynamic and hydrodynamic analysis for tunnel boats, power catamarans, Vee hulls, and Vee-pad hulls across full velocity ranges. The company also publishes technical reference books on tunnel boat and propeller design authored by founder Jim Russell, and offers engineering consulting on powerboat design, performance analysis, safety analysis, and accident investigation. All software is delivered as one-time perpetual licenses on CD or USB media, supported by a Motor Wizard database of 3,695+ OEM engine specifications.

Product overview

AeroMarine Research offers a suite of specialized powerboat design products centered around proprietary software and technical publications for tunnel boats, catamarans, Vee hulls, and Vee-Pad hulls. The core product line consists of two major software packages (TBDP and VBDP) that perform integrated aerodynamic and hydrodynamic performance analysis across full velocity ranges. Supporting the software are three technical reference books: the comprehensive 'Secrets of Tunnel Boat Design' (now in its Second Edition), 'Secrets of Propeller Design', and the 'History of Tunnel Boat Design'. Additionally, PropWorks2 provides propeller selection and speed prediction capabilities. All products are developed and supported by professional engineer Jim Russell with 40+ years of experience in powerboat design and racing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tunnel Boat Design Program (TBDP): Performance prediction and design optimization software for tunnel boats and power catamarans
• Vee Boat Design Program (VBDP)
• PropWorks2
• TBPNews

Products and services

• Tunnel Boat Design Program (TBDP) Windows-based performance prediction and design optimization software for tunnel boats, powered catamarans, and modified vee hulls. Performs integrated aerodynamic and hydrodynamic analysis across full velocity ranges, including dynamic stability analysis, porpoising prediction, lateral stability analysis, step design analysis, and full-velocity-range performance evaluation. Sold as a US$499 lifetime personal license delivered on CD or USB media. No CAD experience required.
• Vee Boat Design Program (VBDP) Windows-based performance prediction and design optimization software for Vee hulls and Vee-Pad hulls. Includes all features of TBDP with specific analysis for vee hull configurations including vee-pad design optimization, variable deadrise analysis, and vee hull-specific stability analysis. Sold bundled with TBDP under the US$499 lifetime personal license.
• PropWorks2 Propeller selection and speed prediction software for powerboats. Includes MotorWizard database with 3,695+ OEM engine specifications for outboard and inboard motors, plus features for cupping effects calculation, slip effects, pitch selection, and calibration for instrument tuning. Sold at US$69 as a one-time perpetual license.
• Secrets of Tunnel Boat Design - Second Edition Comprehensive technical reference book covering tunnel hull, catamaran, and modified vee hull design with over 250 pages and 275+ photos. Includes history of tunnel boat design, ten design steps for performance analysis, calculation examples, step design, center-pod design, dynamic stability analysis, and speed prediction methodologies. Sold at US$69.
• Secrets of Propeller Design Technical reference book with 80 pages and 75 photos/illustrations covering propeller design fundamentals including pitch, rake, skew, cupping, gearcase design, cavitation, ventilation, blowout, nosecones, surface drives, and speed calculation formulae. Sold at US$39.
• History of Tunnel Boat Design

Quantifiable outcome

• TBDP predicted maximum velocity of 115.1 mph with < 0.5% accuracy on acceleration model in real-world testing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature14 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered moderate, minor and core.

• SpeedVision/Powerboat TelevisionmoderateOthers · 1 January 2003Jim Russell appeared as guest expert on SpeedChannel's 'Powerboat Television' show, specifically for 'Tunnel Hulls' episode (#13, 2003). Interviewed by F1 Champion Mark Rotharmel.
• National GeographicmoderateOthersJim Russell (Jimboat) served as technical consultant on National Geographic special for 'Thrill Zone - Extreme Powerboats' series. The show featured how engineering CAD models, performance-based computer software and design analysis tools have led to safer, higher performance powerboats. Show covered Formula One Racers, Offshore Powerboats, and Unlimited Hydroplanes.
• Discovery ChannelminorOthersJim Russell served as editorial consultant on Discovery Channel's 'What Happened Next - Boat Dynamics' TV show.
• NRC Water Channel Laboratory (Ottawa, Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine research conducted at the NRC water channel laboratory in Ottawa, Canada. Research verified through wind tunnel testing, water channel testing, and full scale hull verification testing.
• Prof. David SavitskycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect liaison with Prof. David Savitsky (known for Savitsky planing method) regarding planing characteristics development. Prof. Savitsky's expertise in hydrodynamic lift and drag contributed to AR's advanced analysis techniques.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Rhino (McNeel): Rhino is a 3D NURBS modeling platform widely used in boat design, often paired with marine plug-ins like Orca3D. It is not a direct competitor in performance prediction but is part of the same boat designer's toolchain that AeroMarine Research targets.

Regional players

• SeaTrials (BMT): BMT provides ship and boat design services and shiphandling simulation tools for commercial and naval marine markets. It is comparable as a marine performance analysis provider but serves primarily commercial/defense customers rather than recreational tunnel boat designers.

Direct peers

• Orca3D: Orca3D provides Rhino-based marine design tools covering hull fairing, resistance, and stability analysis for small craft and powerboats. It directly competes with AeroMarine Research in serving powerboat designers with performance prediction and design optimization software.
• DelftShip / Free!Ship: DelftShip offers hull form modeling and basic resistance/stability analysis for recreational and small commercial vessels. It overlaps with AeroMarine Research in serving the powerboat/hull design community, although it is a general-purpose tool rather than tunnel-boat-specific.
• Michlet (Hidetaka Saito): Michlet is a specialized ship resistance and wave pattern analysis tool widely used by independent boat designers and researchers. It competes with AeroMarine Research in the niche of first-principles performance prediction for planing and small craft, though it is less focused on tunnel hulls.

Broad incumbents

• Maxsurf (Bentley Systems): Maxsurf is a long-standing naval architecture software suite for hull form design, stability, and resistance prediction used by professional boat designers and shipyards. It addresses a broader professional/commercial naval architect audience than AeroMarine Research's niche tunnel/catamaran focus but solves overlapping performance prediction problems.
• Siemens Star-CCM+: Siemens Star-CCM+ is an enterprise-grade CFD platform used for marine hydrodynamics, propeller analysis, and seakeeping simulations. It competes in the marine performance prediction space with AeroMarine Research at the high end, where customers have the budget and expertise for full CFD.
• ANSYS Fluent / Marine CFD: ANSYS Fluent is a general-purpose CFD suite used for marine resistance, seakeeping, and propulsion analysis. It competes at the high end of marine engineering and is referenced by AeroMarine Research customers comparing TBDP against CFD-grade tools.
• AVL CRUISE M: AVL CRUISE M is a system-level marine vehicle simulation tool used for performance, fuel economy, and propulsion analysis. It addresses professional marine OEMs with broader scope and budget than AeroMarine Research, overlapping on performance simulation for marine vessels.

Others

• Practical Sailor / Boat Design Books: Practical Sailor is a long-running technical publication serving enthusiast sailors and powerboaters with design, gear, and performance content. It is comparable as a content authority in the small craft space where AeroMarine Research also publishes books and articles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AeroMarineResearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about aeromarine research