Watercraft stabilizing flotation structure

Details Watercraft stabilizing flotation structure Watercraft stabilizing flotation structure

1985-05-10

1987-09-22

Peters, Jr., Joseph F.

Ships

Ballasting

Floats

114248, 114258, 114352, 114363, 440 12, B63B 3584

Patent

active

046947701

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention pertains in general to boats having external buoyancy floats, and more specifically to a stabilizing flotation structure designed to be attached to a single-person ski type watercraft.


BACKGROUND ART

Single-person ski-type powered watercraft such as those commonly known by their registered trademark "Jet Ski" manufactured by Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha of Kobe, Japan; the Hydro-Ski-Northwest manufactured by Sorrellco, Incorporated, United States of America, and those planned by the Japanese firms of Honda and Yamaha have an inherent problem of instability while in the water. The instability is present when the craft is at rest, when climbing aboard and getting underway, or when operating at very slow speeds.
Because of this instability, the unmodified watercraft has limited utility in that the only water-stable period is when the craft is underway at cruising speeds. Additionally, user comfort is compromised because to operate the watercraft, the operator must remain in a standing or kneeling position.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are related and indicative of the state-of-the-art:


______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. INVENTOR ISSUED ______________________________________ 4,353,321 Liu 12 October 1982 4,320,713 Nishida, et al 23 March 1982 3,702,106 Wilder 7 November 1972 ______________________________________
The Liu patent describes a watercraft having an integral engine and front-end steering with a separate pontoon. The stability is accomplished with a pair of adjustable flotation pontoons that are extended when stationary and retracted when traveling at higher speeds. The stabilizing members are controlled manually or automatically by a spring loaded mechanism.
The Nishida et al patent attempts to solve the instability problem by permanently adding a float on either side of the hull, pivotally attached, with the capability of being locked into an angular position entirely above the separator rail of the craft. This float is triangular in shape and is less than half of the length of the hull, or at least one-third the total length of the watercraft, also the floats are attached at the rear portion only, and are hinged to retract vertically for transportation while the watercraft is out of the water. Further, a seat for two persons is attached to the hull being of the straddle type, allowing the operator and at least one passenger to sit in tandem.
The Wilder patent discloses a watercraft propelled by an outboard power motor and that uses an outrigger pontoon stabilizing means that extends from an operable position to a retracted inoperable position. Various means are utilized to remotely control this extension and a chair type operators seat is positioned above the top deck of the main hull.


DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Single-person ski-type watercraft, such as the Kawasaki Jet-Ski, are normally operated from a standing position. These watercraft utilize a jet of water or a propellor for propulsion and have an inherent problem of instability when at rest or at slow speeds. Of particular importance is the difficulty in mounting such a craft when in the water, as stability is achieved only at higher speeds when the dynamic pressure of the water reacts with the moving hull to create lift and a gyro effect of the operator is realized. When the craft is immobile danger of capsizing becomes apparent in both slowing down to a stop and particularly when an operator is boarding the watercraft in open water.
The watercraft was purposely made with a minimum amount of surface area in the hull to maximize speed and manuverability. To further this objective, the operator normally operates the craft from a standing position.
In view of these limitations, the primary object of the invention is to provide stabilization of the craft under all conditions in the water. Thus, increasing the watercraft's utility by making the veh

REFERENCES:
patent: 3321784 (1967-05-01), Rasmussen
patent: 3538877 (1970-11-01), Moore
patent: 3634897 (1972-01-01), Cuccio
patent: 3646904 (1972-03-01), Canning et al.
patent: 3659546 (1972-05-01), Miklos
patent: 3726245 (1973-04-01), Critcher
patent: 3756189 (1973-09-01), Yutzler
patent: 4141309 (1979-02-01), Halboth
Marine Products catalog, p. 65, 1983.

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