Patent Application
20180079474
The present invention relates to an anti algae flexible cover preventing fouling to provide an increased hydro-dynamic quality for a boat wherein the anti algae flexible cover is enabled to adjust according to the shape of the boat.
Algae and other organisms that grow underwater surfaces are a common problem for boaters who store their boats in water. The organisms attach themselves to the bottoms of the boats causing unsightly formations or discolorations which also reduce the efficiency of the movement of the boats in water. The drag created by the formation of algae and other organisms causes increased resistance as the boat travels through the water, and therefore a drop in the performance.
However, there are options available to store boats outside the water but these require expensive equipment and additional storage space on boat lifts, or various storage spaces on land so many boaters store their boats in the water. When a boat is stored in water it is subject to the myriad organisms that reside in the water. Many of these organisms such as algae and bivalves fix themselves to surfaces underwater. These organisms can be difficult to remove. Many boaters spend time that could be spent enjoying their boat otherwise, cleaning these organisms from the underwater surfaces of their boats in order to maintain their condition and restore the hydro-dynamic properties of the boat is a difficult task. Further, if a boat is removed from the water with algae accumulation on its surfaces, the algae may dry. Dried algae has a property much like an adhesive, making it very labor intensive to remove or requiring specialized chemicals to remove in order to restore the boat to its intended state.
Usually, it takes time and money to keep a pontoon boat in shape for peak performance. When it is left in lake water algae builds up quickly on the pontoons, and it should be cleaned off as often as every three weeks. The performance of the boat is greatly reduced by this build-up of algae, and it costs more in fuel to operate. The most effective way to prevent this build-up is to purchase an air lift (costing as much as $6000) or to rent one ($500 for a year), so the boat can be lifted out of the water when stored, so algae will not built-up while the boat is at the marina.
Therefore, there remains a need to overcome above mentioned problems and our invention resolve this entire problem.
To solve the above mentioned problems, the present invention relates to an anti algae flexible cover for watercraft enabled to prevent fouling from sediments and organisms on the surface of the craft during storage thereby, retaining the hydro-dynamic quality of the watercraft and is further enabled to adjust according to the shape of the water craft. This anti algae flexible cover prevents contact of the surface of the craft with the open water thereby preventing the deposition of solids and the growth of organisms on the covered surface area of the watercraft or boat.
The anti algae flexible cover is shaped to fit over the underwater portion of a boat, with the edges of the anti algae flexible cover extending above the water line. The edges of the anti algae flexible cover is outfitted with a conduit that contains an elastic material or drawstring to close the anti algae flexible cover around the form of the boat. The anti algae flexible cover is further kept in place by a multitude of strap fastened together which go over the anti algae flexible cover. The straps provide pressure to the anti algae flexible cover in order to facilitate the dispersion of water trapped between the anti algae flexible cover and the boat at the time the anti algae flexible cover is installed, wherein the strap also holds the anti algae flexible cover in place during storage. The strap is secured to anchor points on the boat itself, and are further tightened by the use of a ratchet mechanism to apply additional tension through leverage to the strap and thereby providing further pressure to the anti algae flexible cover against the surface of the boat. The anti algae flexible cover is outfitted with outlet(s) to release water during the application of the anti algae flexible structure, allowing water trapped between the boat and the anti-micro organism flexible cover to be dispersed, ensuring a tight fit of the anti algae flexible cover to the surface of the boat.
This anti algae flexible cover works by preventing the formation of sediments, algae, and other organisms on the surface of the boat in two ways. First, it covers the surface of the boat underwater so that the surface of the boat is not exposed to the organisms in the open water and second, it blocks light that enable the growth of organisms that rely on light to live from forming on the surface of the boat. The anti algae flexible cover is removable and reusable. The algae flexible structure prevents the need for cleaning the formation of organisms from the surfaces of the boat below the water line.
The prevention of these formations is enabled to improve the efficiency of the boat as the organisms that would otherwise decrease the hydro-dynamic qualities provided by the shape of the boat and is not allowed to grow in the conditions provided by a boat that is adequately covered.
The following drawings illustrates exemplary embodiment; however, they are helpful in illustrating objects, features and advantages of the present invention because the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiment (s) of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
References to “one embodiment,” “at least one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “one example,” “an example,” “for example,” and so on indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in an embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described. All publications, patents and patent computer implemented methods mentioned herein are incorporated herein in their entirety.
In the preferred embodiment of the given invention, the sailor willing an anti algae protective covering for his/her boat [100] is enabled to make use of this anti algae flexible cover [102]. The given anti algae flexible cover [102] further comprises a heavy gauge material providing double security to the boat and also prevent [100] from the growth of organisms or settling of solids onto the covered portions of the boat [100]. The edges of the anti algae flexible cover [102] is outfitted with a conduit that contains an attachment member [104] to close the anti algae flexible cover [102] around the form of the boat [100]. The anti algae flexible cover [102] is further kept in place by a multitude of straps [108] fastened together which go over the anti algae flexible cover [102]. The straps [108] provide pressure to the anti algae flexible cover [102] in order to facilitate the dispersion of water trapped between the anti algae flexible cover [102] & the boat [100] and also hold the anti algae flexible cover [102] in place during storage. This anti algae flexible cover [102] works by preventing the formation of sediments, algae, and other organisms on the surface of the boat [100] in two ways. Firstly, it covers the surface of the boat [100] underwater so that the surface of the boat [100] is not exposed to the organisms in the open water and secondly, it blocks light that encourage the growth of organisms that rely on light to live from forming on the surface of the boat [100]. The anti algae flexible cover [102] is removable and reusable and is enabled to be left on the boat [100] for extended periods of time, enabling those who choose to store their boat [100] in the water to do so. The anti algae flexible cover [102] prevents the need for cleaning the formation of organisms from the covered surfaces of the boat [100] below the water line.
In other embodiment the anti algae flexible cover [102] for the boat [100] is also provided with an outlet [106], wherein the outlet [106] is coupled to the anti algae flexible cover [102] and enables dispersion of excess water trapped between the anti algae flexible cover [102] and the boat [100].
While the invention has been described in detail with specific reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is understood that variations and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.
