| Symbol | Description | Units |
| B | Beam | metres |
| Cb | Block coefficient | - |
| Cf | Frictional resistance coefficient | - |
| Cp | Prismatic coefficient | - |
| Ct | Total resistance coefficient | - |
| Cv | Viscous resistance coefficient | - |
| Cw | Wave resistance coefficient | - |
| D | Displacement | cubic metres, tonnes |
| Fn | Length-based Froude number | - |
| Fnv | Volumetric Froude number | - |
| g | Gravitational acceleration | metres/sec/sec |
| thetaentry | Entrance half-angle | degrees |
| thetaexit | Exit half-angle | degrees |
| 1+k | Hughes form factor | - |
| L | Length | metres |
| L* | Cube root of displacement | metres |
| nu | Water kinematic viscosity | square metres/sec |
| R | Reynolds number | - |
| Rt | Total resistance | kN |
| Rv | Viscous resistance | kN |
| Rw | Wave resistance | kN |
| S | Wetted Area | square metres |
| T | Draft | metres |
| U | Ship speed | metres/sec, knots |
| W | Catamaran hull separation | metres |
| rho | Water density | kg/cubic metres |