Patent Application
20060021561
This invention relates generally to modular, watertight decks and more specifically to modular decks for pontoon boats.
Typical pontoon boats have two long pontoons, on top of which a deck is overlaid. The deck is usually constructed of marine-grade plywood and is attached to the pontoons using a Z- or C-bar frame, the latter being the current preferred method. The plywood deck design suffers from several deficiencies. Plywood decks require wave shields to lessen upward seepage through the seams of the deck. Such seepage causes wet spots on the carpeted floors of pontoon boats and wood rot, and the wave shield adds weight to the boat. The invention solves the seepage problem by creating a watertight deck and eliminates the need for a wave shield.
Another deficiency in plywood-decked pontoon boats is the flex at the frame mounting points when the boat is moving through rough water. Said flex causes the pontoons to deviate from the desired parallel pontoon track. The structural rigidity provided by the invention dictates that the pontoons maintain a parallel track even in rough water.
Because a plywood deck requires a frame, the deck height of a boat with such a frame is higher than the deck height of a boat with the deck herein disclosed. The consequences of a lower deck are a lower center of gravity. For pontoon boats, a lower center of gravity results in better planing characteristics. In addition to deck height, the weight savings of an extruded metal deck (22% for the preferred embodiment that uses aluminum) also increases boat performance.
Finally, the assembly of pontoon boats using the disclosed invention rather than plywood decks is easier and faster, thus requiring less labor than traditional methods of pontoon boat construction.
Bearing the deficiencies of the prior art in mind, it is the object of the invention to provide a lightweight, modular, rigid, and strong deck that is easy to manufacture and assemble.
A number of planks are snapped together using tongue-in-groove connectors on each side of the plank to form a deck of a selected length. Once the deck has reached the desired size, it is squared and spot-welded on the sides of the planks at the seams between adjoining planks. Such welding ensures that the deck remains square because the planks have a slight amount of play when snapped together.
Once the deck is assembled, it is attached to a structure of choice, the preferred embodiment being a plurality of pontoons. In said preferred embodiment, the deck is welded to the pontoons using angle brackets, although a variety of other methods are contemplated. The preferred embodiment uses at least four welds per plank, on either seam where the plank interlocks with two other planks, to ensure structural rigidity. These welds are the same welds used to attach the deck to the pontoons, thus they serve the dual purpose of attachment and strength.
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While the best mode for the current invention has been disclosed here above in detail, persons having ordinary skill in the art will recognize various embodiments for practicing the invention as disclosed in the claims.
