The feasibility of applying the concept of oil-water separation by means of woven hydrophilic fabric to a floating oil containment boom was investigated through a series of model tests. A preliminary model boom configuration was developed and towed at speeds to 0.686 meters/sec (2.25 ft/sec) in both calm water and waves. Oil retention performance of this model was clearly superior to that of a conventional flat plate boom of comparable draft in the environment investigated. A larger model of similar configuration demonstrated no oil leakage when towed at 0.77 meter/sec (1.5 kt) in calm water. While further detailed analysis, engineering, and testing is required to fully examine this concept, it appears that a properly designed flexible boom which uses a hydrophilic skirt material offers significant potential both as a containment device for floating oil in high current situations and as a high-speed collecting device. (Author)