This invention relates generally to catamaran-styled watercraft, and more particularly to flat catamaran hulls configured for diverting water away from passengers while enabling sideways drifting of the watercraft.
The sport of boating offers enthusiasts wide varieties of recreational options. While some enjoy the luxury of large yachts, many that would like to be out on the water do not have the financial resources to purchase such luxury yachts, and likewise often do not wish to undertake the time commitment of upkeep of a large vessel. As a result, there are many boating enthusiasts who prefer smaller watercraft, such as runabouts, flats boats, tenders or personal watercraft that may readily be trailered and obtained for far less financial investment than a yacht. Moreover, such smaller watercraft can be easier to operate, maintain, and offer a “sporty” operation that the more casual enthusiast might have interest in.
Many such watercraft employ a V-shaped bow that is particularly shaped to cut through and shed water and waves to the outboard sides of the boat as it travels through the water, thereby keeping the passengers relatively dry during operation, particularly in rougher sea conditions. However, on catamaran-style watercraft, typical V-bows, gull bows, or flat hull designs can tend to create a very wet ride for the passengers. More particularly, water and waves that impact the inboard side of the V, gull, or flat between the catamaran hulls as they travel forward through the water is first directed upward off of each inboard surface of the V, gull, or flat, and then back at the passengers sitting atop the catamaran. While such watercraft can provide a compact and portable assembly, the splashing of water on the passengers can be an annoyance that many may wish to avoid.
Moreover, as typical hull assemblies for such watercraft are intended to particularly cut through the water, the hull configurations are likewise typically shaped so as to provide a banking of the vessel during a turn and minimize a tendency of the hull to slide or plane sideways across the water to ensure adequate control of the watercraft as it is underway. While such hull configurations do succeed at offering increased banking type control, they likewise at least somewhat limit the motions of the watercraft so as avoid having the watercraft slide through a turn or curve, and thus limit the freedom of movement of the watercraft over the surface of the water.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for compact watercraft that are easy to transport and operate, that while compact will nonetheless minimize splashing and spraying of the occupants of the watercraft, and that provide for a greater freedom of movement of the watercraft over the water surface when underway so as to maximize enjoyment and excitement of the boating experience for the operator and passengers while maintaining an adequate level of comfort and safety.
Disclosed herein is a flat catamaran watercraft construction having a bow that defines a “split V” configuration in which the bottom surface of each of the two asymmetrical catamaran hulls at the forward portions of each hull slope upward from the inboard side of the hull to the outboard side of the hull. Such upward slope of the bottom of each hull sheds water and waves to the outboard sides of the vessel as it travels through the water, such that the amount of water and spray that is directed upward between the individual hulls towards the passengers is vastly reduced from that of previously known constructions. Further, the rear portions of each such hull define an angled slope along both inboard and outboard sides of the hull (between a bottom, nearly horizontal surface of each hull and the side, nearly vertical surfaces of each hull), which angled slopes allow the rear portion of the watercraft to slide and drift sideways along the surface of the water as the watercraft turns, thus adding an element of excitement to the movement of the watercraft over previously known constructions. The flat catamaran hulls and deck of the watercraft are preferably of unibody construction, such that they are formed (e.g., molded or otherwise machined) in a single, one-piece assembly both for ease of manufacture and to provide a more rigid, stable and robust assembly than previously known constructions.
In accordance with certain aspects of an embodiment of the invention, a flat catamaran hull is provided comprising first and second hull portions extending along outboard sides of the hull, each hull portion having a bottom surface having a forward end and a back end, and a forward portion of each hull of said first and second hull portion adjacent the forward end sloping upward from an inboard side of each of the first and second hull portions to an outboard side of each of the first and second hull portions, and a horizontal deck with a raised platform extending over and between the first and second hull portions.
In accordance with further aspects of an embodiment of the invention, a catamaran hull is provided, comprising first and second hull portions extending along outboard sides of the hull, and a horizontal deck with a raised platform extending over and between the first and second hull portions, wherein the first and second hull portions and deck are unitarily formed in a single, one-piece assembly.
In accordance with still further aspects of an embodiment of the invention, a catamaran hull is provided, comprising first and second hull portions extending along outboard sides of the hull, each hull portion having a bottom surface having a forward end and a back end, and a forward portion of each hull of the first and second hull portions adjacent the forward end sloping upward from an inboard side of each of the first and second hull portions to an outboard side of each of the first and second hull portions, wherein a back portion of each hull portion immediately adjacent the back end defines an angled sloped wall along both of the inboard side and the outboard side of the first and second hull portions.
Still other aspects, features and advantages of the invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a number of particular embodiments and implementations, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. The invention is also capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details can be modified in various obvious respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The invention may be understood by referring to the following description and accompanying drawings. This description of an embodiment, set out below to enable one to practice an implementation of the invention, is not intended to limit the preferred embodiment, but to serve as a particular example thereof. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and specific embodiments disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other methods and systems for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent assemblies do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.
Descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted to enhance clarity and conciseness. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. does not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denotes the presence of at least one of the referenced item.
The use of the terms “first”, “second”, and the like does not imply any particular order, but they are included to identify individual elements. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. does not denote any order of importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising”, or “includes” and/or “including” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Although some features may be described with respect to individual exemplary embodiments, aspects need not be limited thereto such that features from one or more exemplary embodiments may be combinable with other features from one or more exemplary embodiments.
Unless otherwise indicated, all dimensions shown in the attached drawings are exemplary only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to those specific dimensions.
Further, and as best viewed in the rear view of catamaran 100 of
Platform bow section 170 (which again is formed unitarily with flat catamaran hulls 110, deck platform 150, and seating portion 160) has a top face 172 that similarly mounts forward gull wing panels 174. As with gull wing panels 168, forward gull wing panels 174 each include a flat lower panel 174(a) that joins each forward gull wing panel 174 to the top face 172 of platform bow section 170, an angled face 174(b) that extends outward towards the sides of the watercraft 100, and a flat upper panel 174(c) that may similarly serve as a stepping surface for an operator or passenger to move to the forward-most portions of catamaran hulls 110. A preferably one-piece splash shield 173 may be provided and affixed to the front of each forward gull wing panel 174 to further aid in preventing splash and spray from contacting the operator and passenger when the watercraft 100 is underway.
The rear of platform section 150 also includes a motor mount 180 which again is part of the unibody construction that includes catamaran hulls 110 and platform section 150. As best shown in
With reference again to
Further, and as best shown on
A watercraft configured in accordance with the foregoing and that particularly embodies an upward slope of the bottom of each flat catamaran hull may shed water and waves to the outboard sides of the vessel as it travels through the water to a greater extent than previously known catamaran constructions. Likewise, a watercraft configured in accordance with the foregoing and that particularly provides the rear portions of each such hull with an angled slope along both inboard and outboard sides of the hull may allow the rear portion of the watercraft to slide and drift sideways along the surface of the water as the watercraft turns, thus adding an element of excitement to the movement of the watercraft over previously known constructions. Still further, a watercraft configured in accordance with the foregoing and particularly embodying a unibody construction may ease manufacture and provide a more rigid, stable and robust platform than previously known constructions.
Having now fully set forth the preferred embodiments and certain modifications of the concept underlying the present invention, various other embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlying concept. It should be understood, therefore, that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth herein.
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/174,261 titled “WATER DIVERTING FLAT DRIFTING HULL FOR A CATAMARAN,” filed with the United States Patent & Trademark Office on Apr. 13, 2021, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
7461612 | Houck | Dec 2008 | B1 |
8656856 | Morrow | Feb 2014 | B1 |
8752492 | Harris | Jun 2014 | B1 |
11046398 | Enyart | Jun 2021 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20220324535 A1 | Oct 2022 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63174261 | Apr 2021 | US |