The “Goccia” - drop - with a Degree

 

Inspired by nature, entirely developed in-house, “approved” by the University of Genoa, and now patented.
This is the story behind “Goccia”, the new bronze through-hull fitting (item 1262), whose prototype was unveiled at METS 2024 in Amsterdam and is now ready for the market.

From a design perspective, the first thing that stands out is the drop-like shape of the fitting’s external scoop. It’s not merely an aesthetic feature: this distinctive, nature-inspired form ensures optimal hydrodynamics by efficiently channeling water intake without generating turbulence or pressure drop.

The design was developed internally by Guidi and validated through a collaboration with DITEN – the Department of Naval, Electrical, Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering at the University of Genoa.

This partnership is the latest chapter in a relationship that began in 2019, with joint projects focusing on valve testing (both ball and non-return types) and research into the corrosion resistance of marine-grade materials, particularly bronze.

For the “Goccia”, the focus was specifically on hydrodynamics: Guidi developed the design, while the University carried out detailed CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations to quantify performance benefits.
The results confirmed significant improvements: increased efficiency, reduced hydrodynamic resistance, enhanced flow rate, and decreased noise – an increasingly important factor in both recreational and commercial marine sectors.

Typically, efficiency and noise reduction are conflicting targets: reducing one tends to worsen the other. However, in the case of the “Drop” through-hull fitting, no compromise was necessary — both parameters were improved simultaneously.
Even more interestingly, the CFD analysis showed that performance gains become more pronounced as vessel speed increases.

This outcome demonstrates how nature-inspired engineering, combined with advanced numerical simulation, can lead to highly innovative marine solutions. The future of the “Drop” looks promising: its simplicity translates into tangible functional advantages, positioning it as a potential new standard in its product category.

Guidi’s art. 1262 through-hull fitting has obtained European patent EUIPO 015080731-0001.

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