Ships – Hull or hull adjunct employing fluid dynamic forces to... – Having hydrofoil
Patent
1989-06-19
1991-04-09
Sotelo, Jesus D.
Ships
Hull or hull adjunct employing fluid dynamic forces to...
Having hydrofoil
441 74, B63B 3572
Patent
active
050055062
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to recreational water vehicles. Recreational water vehicles have taken many forms including those which may be generally described as water scooters. These include vehicles which are capable of conveying a person, resemble water born motor scooters on which the pilot sits astride and operates with handle-bars, and jet ski arrangements on which the driver stands.
Generally these vehicles require steering arrangements which naturally add to the cost and complexity of the vehicle. Directional control of some of those vehicles is achieved by body lean; or by the driver creating differential drag by placing a hand or leg in the water in order to turn the vehicle. Vehicles of the general type with which the present invention is concerned are disclosed in AU-B 23826/62; AU-B 51972/64; AU-A 34321/68; AU-B 66456/81; AU-B 76677/81; AU-A 90525/82; DE-A 3503046; FR-A 351515138 and US 3324822.
In the case where steering is achieved by body lean the known vehicles lack response and maneuverability, particularly at low speed. The present invention aims to provide a recreational water vehicle in which steering is initiated by body lean but in which the vehicle, by virtue of its design, facilitates enhanced maneuverability, particularly at low speed where the turning circle and rate of turn are poor in existing craft of this general type.
Another failing of existing vehicles of this type is their lack of resistance to inversion which could disable the craft through ingestion of water by the motor.
In a second aspect the invention aims to provide a recreational water vehicle in which flotation is provided to resist inversion of the motor.
The present invention provides a recreational water vehicle, which comprises:
a longitudinally extending hull;
an engine housing attached to a rear of the hull and having means for non-steerably mounting a motor so that propulsion of the vehicle is always directly forward; the housing extending upwardly from the hull so as to provide a backrest for a seated driver; and
handle means mounted on the hull to enable the driver to keep a hold on the vehicle;
the vehicle being steerable by weight transfer of the driver from side to side of the vehicle; and wherein a laterally extending portion is provided at each side adjacent the rear of the vehicle to assist slow speed turning of the vehicle.
In a further form the present invention provides a recreational water vehicle, which comprises:
a longitudinally extending hull;
an engine housing attached to a rear of the hull and having means for non-steerably mounting a motor so that propulsion of the vehicle is always directly forward;
the housing extending upwardly from the hull so as to provide a backrest for a seated driver; and
handle means mounted on the hull to enable the driver to keep a hold on the vehicle;
the vehicle being steerable by weight transfer of the driver from side to side of the vehicle; and wherein the housing for the engine contains flotation means at an upper end thereof so that in the event of the vehicle tipping over the flotation means resists inversion and submersion of the motor and hence the vehicle when fitted to the vehicle. The flotation means are generally spaces filled with a foam plastics material or air.
In a further embodiment the hull is provided with footrests to facilitate placement of the drivers feet and to further assist in the control of the vehicle.
In a particularly preferred form the water vehicle incorporates a conventional outboard motor within the engine housing with the leg of the motor extending downwardly with the propeller of the motor at the required depth below the underside of the hull of the vehicle for efficient operation. It is understood that small watercraft powered by outboard motors are relatively unstable due to the high centre of gravity of the motor. It is noted that prior art vehicles of this type have employed motors which are integrated into the hull so as to be much lower and hence reduce the unbalancing effect or transverse stability of the vehicle.
By empl
REFERENCES:
patent: 3433201 (1969-03-01), Brown et al.
patent: 4274357 (1981-06-01), Dawson
Powerboard Australia Pty Limited
Sotelo Jesus D.
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