The modern era of high performance sailing has ushered in a new design paradigm for modern race boats. Compared to past hull shapes, the current in-favor design is both wide and light, it is in this description that the Wide-Light project's name originates.

This project provides insight into the accuracy of existing modeling methods in predicting performance of Wide-Light designs. It is intended for this information to better inform and equip handicapping systems and box rules to address Wide-Light designs.

Five different CFD stakeholders carried out blind CFD analysis on an identical test matrix using different computational codes and approaches. The same test matrix was run as a tank test for both canoe body only and appended configurations as a control for the hull geometry. The CFD results were compared with the tank test control results to determine CFD model accuracy. This project illustrated the accuracy of commercial CFD codes in predicting the forces on a Wide-Light sailing yacht. Additionally, this project provides a comprehensive set of data against which researchers may develop and validate their own numerical tools.