Daniel Esteban Riveros Nieto

CFD Engineer – Marine Hydrodynamics
Turning designs and data into performance

I’m a CFD engineer passionate about understanding how fluid dynamics shapes performance at sea. My work focuses on using high-fidelity simulations to refine hydrodynamic behavior — from agile foiling yachts to large vessels exploring wind- assisted propulsion. At Caponnetto-Hueber, I bridge code and physics to turn complex flow data into practical design insights, helping create faster, more efficient, and more comfortable boats for the next generation of marine innovation.

  • Foil-assisted yacht BGF45 – Enabling the next generation of commercial foiling boats.
  • Catamaran BGM75 – Improving the performance and comfort of this brand-new yacht.
  • Wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) assessment – Applying VPP and advanced 6-DoF CFD to evaluate cutting-edge wind-assisted propulsion concepts for leading shipping companies.

Fields of Expertise

• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
• Hydrodynamic Optimization.
• Wind-assisted Propulsion Analysis.
• Performance Prediction Modelling.
• Software Development & Automation for Marine Engineering.

What drives me

“I believe performance is born from curiosity — every simulation is a chance to discover how water and air can be persuaded to do something extraordinary.”

2010 — BMW Oracle Wing Sail (AC33 Winner)

2010 — Hydrodynamic Workstreams Supporting the BMW Oracle Wing Sail Era (AC33)

During the 33rd America’s Cup cycle, Mario Caponnetto contributed to hydrodynamic assessment workstreams aligned with the BMW Oracle wing-sail platform — the configuration that ultimately won the Match. This milestone marked the shift toward aero-hydrodynamic integration in Cup design culture.

Partners:

BMW Oracle Racing

Project Type:

America’s Cup / Aero-Hydro Integration / Performance Engineering