U.S. patent application number 11/278383 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-22 for pontooned watercraft.
Invention is credited to Scott Billings, Phillip Noel Carter, Bradley Ryan Madu, Michael Bruce Reilly.
Application Number | 20070039534 11/278383 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37080882 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070039534 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Reilly; Michael Bruce ; et
al. |
February 22, 2007 |
Pontooned Watercraft
Abstract
The present invention relates to watercraft, and in particular
to small watercraft used in fishing, hunting and similar recreation
on lakes and streams. The watercraft has a displacement hull and a
pontoon attached to the hull. The pontoon has an elongated float
and an arm, integral with the float and radiating therefrom, for
attachment to the hull. The hull has a substantially round bottom
and a gunwale and the pontoon is attached directly to the hull,
proximate the gunwale.
Inventors: |
Reilly; Michael Bruce;
(Delta, BC) ; Madu; Bradley Ryan; (Langley,
BC) ; Carter; Phillip Noel; (Langley, BC) ;
Billings; Scott; (Langley, BC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MR. MICHAEL J. ROMAN;CLARK WILSON LLP
800-885 WEST GEORGIA STREET
VANCOUVER
BC
V6C-3H1
CA
|
Family ID: |
37080882 |
Appl. No.: |
11/278383 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
114/61.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B 39/00 20130101;
B63B 34/00 20200201; B63B 1/125 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
114/061.1 |
International
Class: |
B63B 1/00 20060101
B63B001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 1, 2005 |
CA |
CA2,503,429 |
Claims
1. A watercraft, comprising: a) a displacement hull; and b) a
pontoon attached to the hull.
2. A watercraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pontoon
comprises: a) an elongated float; and b) an arm, integral with the
float and radiating therefrom, for attachment to the hull.
3. A watercraft as claimed in claim 2, wherein: a) the hull has a
substantially round bottom and a gunwale; and b) the pontoon is
attached directly to the hull, proximate the gunwale.
4. A watercraft as claimed in claim 3, wherein the arm is
buoyant.
5. A watercraft as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bottom of the
float is lower than the bottom of the hull, whereby the watercraft
rests on the float when on land, the float raising the bottom of
the hull above the land.
6. A watercraft as claimed in claim 3, wherein the top of the arm
defines a substantially flat platform substantially level with the
gunwale, whereby the platform provides a step between the float and
the gunwale for embarking on or debarking from the watercraft.
7. A watercraft as claimed in claim 3, wherein the continuous
surfaces of the pontoon resist snagging objects.
8. A watercraft as claimed in claim 7, wherein the continuous
surfaces of the pontoon resist snagging water plants.
9. A watercraft as claimed in claim 7, wherein the continuous
surfaces of the pontoon resist snagging sporting tackle.
10. A watercraft as claimed in claim 3, further comprising second,
third, and fourth pontoons.
11. A watercraft as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pontoons are
disposed proximate the four corners of the hull so as not to
obstruct the sides of the watercraft amidships.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to watercraft, and in
particular to small watercraft used for fishing, hunting and
similar recreation on lakes and streams.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Small watercraft, for example canoes, kayaks, scows, dories,
prams, whaleboats, rafts, rowboats, pontoon boats and inflatable
dinghies, help sporting enthusiasts gain access to the great
outdoors. The fact that such watercraft exist in so many varieties
is evidence of a wide variety of demands placed upon them and a
wide variety of design criteria to be balanced.
[0005] For fishermen, hunters and others, key criteria include safe
buoyancy, high stability, easy embarkation and debarkation, good
storage space with easy access, low drag (including snag
resistance), high maneuverability, easy transportability,
unobstructed equipment use and a low seating position.
[0006] Not surprisingly, it is difficult optimize all of these
criteria in a single watercraft. For example, inflatable dinghies
are highly buoyant and stable, but they also tend to have high drag
and low maneuverability. In contrast, canoes have low drag and are
highly maneuverable, but they are relatively unstable, particularly
during embarkation and debarkation or when reaching over the
gunwale.
[0007] Pontoon boats, which are typically simple platforms
supported above the water on a pontooned frame, have low drag and
are reasonably maneuverable; however, the platform carries
passengers and equipment high above the water, exposing them to the
elements and to view, which can be detrimental for hunting, for
example.
[0008] Boats with displacement hulls carry passengers and equipment
below water level; however, such hulls have relatively higher drag
and lower maneuverability. These latter characteristics can be
particularly problematic when the boat is to be paddled or rowed or
is to be driven with a smaller outboard motor, for example an
electric motor. Unfortunately, the lowest-drag shape for a
displacement hull, the round bottom hull, is also the least stable
and so is generally not suitable for active recreation.
[0009] Thus it might be expected that none of the currently
existing watercraft either optimizes or strikes a perfect balance
between all these criteria. Accordingly, a watercraft that strikes
a different balance would usefully satisfy a different combination
of such demands.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is an object of the present invention to produce a
watercraft that provides safe buoyancy, high stability, easy
embarkation and debarkation, good storage space with easy access,
low drag (including snag resistance), high maneuverability, easy
transportability, unobstructed equipment use and a low seating
position.
[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a watercraft having a displacement hull and a pontoon
attached to the hull. The pontoon desirably has an elongated float
and an arm, which is integral with the float and radiating
therefrom and which may be buoyant, for attachment to the hull. The
hull may have a substantially round bottom and a gunwale and the
pontoon may be attached directly to the hull, proximate the
gunwale. The continuous surfaces of the hull and the pontoon resist
snagging objects, including water plants and sporting tackle.
[0012] The bottom of the float may be lower than the bottom of the
hull, whereby the watercraft rests on the float when on land, the
float raising the bottom of the hull above the land.
[0013] The top of the arm may define a substantially flat platform
substantially level with the gunwale, whereby the platform provides
a step between the float and the gunwale for embarking on or
debarking from the watercraft.
[0014] The watercraft may further include second, third, and fourth
pontoons, disposed proximate the four corners of the hull so as not
to obstruct the sides of the watercraft amidships.
[0015] Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent upon considering the following drawings,
description, and claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The invention will be more fully illustrated by the
following detailed description of non-limiting specific embodiments
in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures. In the
figures, similar components and/or features may have the same
reference label.
1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is an oblique top view of a watercraft according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an oblique bottom view of the watercraft of FIG.
1;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the watercraft of FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the watercraft of FIG.
1;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a right side elevation view of the watercraft of
FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the watercraft of FIG.
1;
[0023] FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of the watercraft of FIG.
1.
2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
(a) Structure of Specific Embodiments
[0024] The structure of the invention will now be illustrated by
way of explanation of non-limiting specific exemplary embodiments
shown in the drawing figures and described in greater detail
herein.
[0025] FIGS. 1 through 7 show a watercraft according to one
embodiment of the present invention, generally illustrated at 10.
The watercraft 10 includes a displacement hull 12 having a gunwale
14 and four pontoons 16 attached directly to the hull 12, proximate
the gunwale 14. Each of the pontoons 16 includes an elongated float
18 and an arm 20, integral with the float 18 and radiating
therefrom, for attachment to the hull 12.
[0026] The hull 12 can be molded from glass fiber and resin or from
plastic in accordance with known methods. The pontoons 16 can be
rotationally molded from plastic in accordance with known
methods.
[0027] The pontoons 16 are disposed proximate the four corners of
the hull 12 so as not to obstruct the sides of the watercraft 10
amidships.
[0028] Each of the pontoons 16 can provide additional buoyancy to
the watercraft 10, for example 50% of the buoyancy provided by the
hull 12 itself. The float 18 would contribute most of such
buoyancy; however, the arm 20 might be made buoyant as well. This
additional buoyancy outside the gunwale 14 increases the overall
stability of the watercraft 10, such that the hull 12 may safely
have a round bottom. In fact, the hull 12 and the pontoons 16 are
all substantially characterized by smooth, continuous surfaces that
have low drag and resist snagging objects, for example water plants
or sporting tackle.
[0029] As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the bottom of each float 18
extends lower than the bottom of the hull 12, such that the
watercraft 10 can rest on the floats 18 when on land, the floats 18
raising the bottom of the hull 12 above the land.
[0030] As best seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 6 and 7, the top of each arm 20
includes a substantially flat platform 22 that is substantially
level with the gunwale 14. The platform 22 in effect provides a
step between the float 18 and the gunwale 14 for embarking on or
debarking from the watercraft 10.
(b) Operation of Specific Embodiments
[0031] In operation, a user would typically embark onto the
watercraft 10 by stepping onto the platform 22 on one of the
pontoons 16, before stepping over the gunwale 14 and into the hull
12, perhaps via a seat or a deck, for example a foredeck. The user
would debark in the opposite way. In this manner, the hull 12 and
the pontoons 16 cooperate to hold the watercraft 10 reasonably
stable while people embark and debark, and provide such people with
reasonably stable places to stand during the process of embarkation
and debarkation to steady themselves, plan their next step, and
shift any load they are carrying.
[0032] In the event that the watercraft 10 is beached ashore,
intentionally or otherwise, it would rest upon the pontoons 16
instead of the hull 12, thus providing two advantages. First, any
damage wrought by the shore onto the watercraft 10 would be
delivered not to the hull 12, but to one of the more easily
repaired or replaced pontoons 16. Second, the pontoons 16 present
less surface resistance than the hull 12 when pushing the
watercraft 10 from the shore.
[0033] With the pontoons 16 providing more combined buoyancy than
the hull 12 itself, the watercraft 10 has very safe buoyancy; the
fact that the buoyancy contributed by the pontoons 16 is divided
among four distinct bodies provides further safety. The hull 12
might be completely swamped and the watercraft 10 would still
float. In fact, for some endeavors, for example hunting, it is
particularly desirable that the displacement hull 12 sit low in the
water, so that the watercraft 10, its passengers and its contents
create little distraction.
[0034] The round-bottomed hull 12 provides generous and easily
accessible storage space on the inside, while presenting a smooth,
low-drag outer surface in combination with the pontoons 16 for
quiet and easy propulsion and maneuverability, even by paddle, oar
or small electric outboard motor. These smooth, continuous surfaces
also resist snagging water plants. And in contrast to more
conventional pontoon craft, in which pontoons extend from framework
instead of integrating smoothly with a hull, these smooth,
continuous surfaces also resist snagging sporting tackle, for
example fishing line.
[0035] Such unobstructed use of sporting equipment is reinforced by
disposing the pontoons 16 proximate the four corners of the hull 12
so as not to obstruct the sides of the watercraft 10 amidships.
Thus for example, a user can cast a fishing line abeam the
watercraft 10, reel in a fish, and haul the fish over the gunwale
14, all without obstruction from the pontoons 16.
[0036] In between uses, the plastic and/or glass fiber construction
render the watercraft 10 light for easy transportation and
storage.
(c) Description Summary
[0037] Thus, it will be seen from the foregoing embodiments and
examples that there has been described a way to make and use a
watercraft that provides safe buoyancy, high stability, easy
embarkation and debarkation, good storage space with easy access,
low drag (including snag resistance), high maneuverability, easy
transportability, unobstructed equipment use and a low seating
position. The watercraft has a displacement hull and at least one
pontoon attached to the hull. The pontoon may have an elongated
float and an arm, integral with the float and radiating therefrom,
for attachment to the hull. The hull may have a substantially round
bottom and a gunwale and the pontoon may be attached directly to
the hull, proximate the gunwale.
[0038] While specific embodiments of the invention have been
described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered
illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the
invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various
changes, modifications and substitutions can be made to the
foregoing embodiments without departing from the principle and
scope of the invention expressed in the claims made herein.
[0039] While the invention has been described as having particular
application for outdoor recreation, those skilled in the art will
recognize it has wider application, for example for transportation,
search and rescue, and military applications.
* * * * *