Sure, it's perfectly doable to put hydrofoils on any type of hull, especially passive hydrofoils. We tried, and it wasn't especially nice, nor efficient.
The trick is to use fully submerged ones. But those are much harder to keep stable, as they are inherently unstable. That's were our secret sauce is. We can control them through software similar to what you see in drones. Also, we've created the mechanical and structural components necessary for wave handling.
You won't find this type of innovation, especially the software, in any other boat in production. That's the new stuff.
or would the software installed in one of the many sailboat designs using foils prevent their high accident rate?>
The homepage claims superior ride and comfort in bad sea states.
Although hydrofoils are limited to about 400 tons, apparently, there have been several successful naval missile boats used by both sides in the Cold War.
Wings in ground effect is another thing that’s cool.
For a limited definition of bad sea states--the FAQ says the limit before you might unexpectedly land is about 1m wave height, which wouldn't be a serious issue for an ordinary boat almost 8m in length [1].
That said, I do think there's a place for hydrofoils on sheltered bodies of water. There is (or was, 10 years ago) a regular hydrofoil ferry service that runs between Petrozavodsk and the island of Kizhi [2], which cuts travel time dramatically compared to a traditional ferry.
[1] https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/safety-rules/before-boat...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJLnJx9SzR8
https://thesarnian.com/guernsey-history/condor-1-hydrofoil-f...
I went on one once. It was disappointing. Going above decks was no longer allowed, so it was a bit like a very bumpy airplane ride with everyone sitting in their seats and nervously eyeing the sick-bags.
Limitations on sea states. This gets dangerous when the waves very suddenly start striking the hull. The hull doesn't impact the bottom of the wave but mid-wave, slamming into it in a way a normal hull never would. Limitations on cargo capacity (too heavy and it won't 'fly') which is why large hydrofoils are normally limited to passenger services. Increased draft at low speeds (ie when not flying). Moving parts below the waterline are always a fouling hazard. When that delicate foil hits something it doesn't end well. Outboard engines are mounted in a way to survive such events by folding backwards. A lifting foil cannot do that.
These all lead to a dangerous senerio. Say you are driving a hydrofoil in increasingly bad conditions. Because you are 'flying' slightly above the waves you don't notice that they are getting worse. Then one slams into the hull at full speed, or something breaks, and you can no longer 'fly'. The non-foil boat would have turned back long ago, but because you were flying above most of the waves you are now deep into a situation your craft was never meant to handle.