Built for Speed and Safety: How Petestep Used Orca3D Marine CFD to Help Design a High-Performance Law Enforcement Boat 

Overview 

In this Orca3D Customer Spotlight, we’re proud to highlight the collaboration between Petestep AB (Stockholm, Sweden) and Silverback Marine (Tacoma, WA) on a game-changing law enforcement vessel: the Silverback Grizzly 21 LE. 

Designed specifically for the New Mexico State Parks Rangers, this 21-foot aluminum powerboat is optimized for high-speed tactical response across river, lake, bay, and moderate offshore environments. It combines advanced hull engineering with field-driven design—resulting in a boat that’s fast, efficient, and mission-ready. 

The vessel is now under construction with delivery scheduled in 2025. 

Design Goals & Real-World Input 

Silverback and Petestep began with a user-centered approach: interviewing marine law enforcement officers and captains to understand real-world operational needs and frustrations with traditional patrol boats. 

Common themes that emerged: 

  • Existing designs lead to operator fatigue from rough rides and poor ergonomics 
  • Need for bow ramp access for easy beach landings 
  • Requirement for improved shelter, safety gear storage, and deck layout 
  • From these insights came a clear mission: Set a new industry benchmark for the 21-foot law enforcement patrol boat category. 

Innovation in Action: Petestep’s Spray Deflector Technology 

At the heart of the vessel is Petestep’s patented Spray Deflector Technology — a revolutionary alternative to traditional stepped hulls with strakes.

Instead of transversal steps that create air cavities, this hull features angled deflectors that redirect spray water to generate forward thrust and lift. This reduces drag and slamming and dramatically enhances ride comfort and efficiency

Key benefits include: 

  • 30–50% reduction in G-forces, decreasing slamming and improving crew endurance 
  • Up to 35% greater fuel efficiency compared to conventional monohulls 
  • A drier more comfortable ride 
  • Significant cost savings over the vessel’s lifespan for public agencies 

Paired with an outboard engine and 23° deep-V deadrise, the hull design offers agile handling and a top speed of 60+ mph—critical for rapid law enforcement deployment. 

Petestep Patented Spray Deflector Technology

Using Orca3D: Simulating Success with Marine CFD 

To ensure the Silverback Grizzly 21 LE would meet its performance and comfort goals before the first cut of aluminum, Petestep relied on Orca3D Marine CFD—a powerful, integrated simulation tool built specifically for naval architects and boat designers. 

Orca3D Marine CFD enabled the Petestep team to: 

  • Visualize flow patterns and pressure distributions around the hull and superstructure, both hydrodynamic and aerodynamic 
  • Identify areas of turbulence or flow separation, especially around the console, bow ramp, and freeboards 
  • Evaluate lift and drag forces across multiple operating conditions 
  • Run self-powered simulations, accounting for real engine loads and propulsion performance 
  • Compare design alternatives quickly, using automated mesh generation and fast solver speeds 
  • Refine geometry iteratively before prototyping—reducing cost and uncertainty 
Petestep analysis using Orca3D Marine CFD

The team used Orca3D Marine CFD to verify that their design would not only reduce slamming and improve ride quality, but also support higher speeds and greater fuel efficiency—all while maintaining the handling precision law enforcement agencies demand. 

“Orca3D CFD is an important tool in our data-driven approach to making boats ride better and more efficiently.”  — Jonas Danielson, CEO, Petestep AB 

For Silverback Marine, this marked a significant shift—their first time adopting a simulation-first, data-driven design workflow. 

Key Features of the Silverback Grizzly 21 LE 

  • 21’ aluminum deep-V hull (23° deadrise) 
  • Petestep Spraywater Technology for reduced slamming and increased efficiency 
  • Top speed: 60+ mph 
  • Shoxs suspension seating for crew comfort 
  • 18” wide bow ramp for easy beach landing 
  • Dual weapon lockers, Whelen lights/sirens, and non-marking perimeter fendering 
  • Spacious enclosed shelter for operators 
  • Designed for multi-environment patrol: river, lake, bay, and modest offshore seas 

Project Timeline & Collaboration 

  • Design Phase: January – March 2025 
  • Current Status: Under construction 
  • Delivery Target: 2025 

Key Team Members: 

  • Petestep AB: Jonas Danielson, Fredrik Wikerman, Filip Wängelin, Vilhelm Djurberg 
  • Silverback Marine: Kyle Gracy, Ian Gracey and Team
Silverback Grizzly 21 LE

Conclusion 

The Silverback Grizzly 21 LE is more than a patrol boat—it’s a testament to user-driven design, cutting-edge hull technology, and the power of simulation tools like Orca3D. By integrating Petestep’s Spraywater Technology with Orca3D Marine CFD , the team created a law enforcement platform that’s built for speed, comfort, and long-term operational savings. 

Whether you’re a boat builder, naval architect, or government agency looking to modernize your fleet, this project proves that data-driven naval architecture is the future.

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