U.S. patent application number 13/867785 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-20 for biltmore pontoon boat.
The applicant listed for this patent is Anthony KALIL. Invention is credited to Anthony KALIL.
Application Number | 20140048008 13/867785 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50099150 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140048008 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KALIL; Anthony |
February 20, 2014 |
BILTMORE PONTOON BOAT
Abstract
A fiberglass pontoon boat, having raised and integrated
fiberglass side rails, a flat floor, and a side entry level with
the flat floor. Integrated seats are molded in fiberglass. The hull
and deck join together by flexing the hull to compensate for
opposing draft angles of the hull and deck at the side entry. The
deck has a floor and at least one other interior component, and
terminates in a deck trim flange. The hull has at least two hollow
pontoons and at least two side rails that extend from an outer edge
of the pontoons, and the hull terminates in a hull trim flange.
When assembled, the hull trim flange operatively engages beneath
the deck trim flange to form a unified pontoon boat having a space
between the deck and hull and wherein the side rails are integrated
as structural parts of the interior component.
Inventors: |
KALIL; Anthony; (Palm City,
FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KALIL; Anthony |
Palm City |
FL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50099150 |
Appl. No.: |
13/867785 |
Filed: |
April 22, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61636260 |
Apr 20, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
114/362 ;
114/343; 114/363; 114/77R |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B 2017/045 20130101;
B63B 2231/52 20130101; B63B 29/02 20130101; B63B 19/00 20130101;
B63B 15/00 20130101; B63B 5/24 20130101; B63B 1/12 20130101; B63B
29/10 20130101; B63B 49/00 20130101; B63B 29/14 20130101; B63B
2029/043 20130101; B63B 1/121 20130101; B63B 35/34 20130101; B63B
29/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
114/362 ;
114/77.R; 114/363; 114/343 |
International
Class: |
B63B 1/12 20060101
B63B001/12; B63B 29/10 20060101 B63B029/10; B63B 19/00 20060101
B63B019/00; B63B 29/14 20060101 B63B029/14; B63B 29/04 20060101
B63B029/04; B63B 15/00 20060101 B63B015/00 |
Claims
1. A pontoon boat comprising two unitary structures wherein the
structures comprise: a deck comprising a floor and at least one
other interior component, where at least a portion of the deck
terminates in a deck trim flange; and a hull comprising at least
two hollow pontoon portions and at least two side rails that extend
from an outer edge of the pontoons sections, wherein at least a
portion of the hull, including the two side rails, terminates in a
hull trim flange, such that when the deck and hull are assembled,
the hull trim flange operatively engages beneath the deck trim
flange to form a unified pontoon boat structure having a space
between the deck and hull and wherein the side rail is further
integrated as a structural part of the interior component.
2. A pontoon boat according to claim 1, wherein the interior
component is a seat and the side rail of the hull forms a
structural back side of the seat when the boat is assembled.
3. A pontoon boat according to claim 2, wherein the interior
component is a helm station and the side rail of the hull forms at
least one structural side of the helm station when the boat is
assembled.
4. A pontoon boat according to claim 3, further comprising a side
entry comprising: two vertical trim surfaces formed within the deck
that incorporate part of the floor of the deck between them to form
a lowest part of the side entry and wherein the deck trim flange
extends around the two vertical trim surfaces and the floor between
them; a cut-out in the hull that corresponds with the two vertical
trim surfaces in the deck and the floor between them wherein the
hull trim flange extends around the cut-out; such that when the
cut-out in the hull is aligned with the vertical trim surfaces, the
hull trim flange around the cut-out will operatively engage beneath
the deck trim flange around the vertical trim surface and the
lowest part of the side entry, such that the floor will overlap the
hull between the vertical trim surfaces.
5. A pontoon boat according to claim 4, wherein the lowest part of
the side entry is the widest part of the vertical trim
surfaces.
6. A pontoon boat according to claim 5, wherein the interior
component is a head compartment comprising: a section of the deck
that extends from a top style line of the deck to the floor of the
deck to form an enclosure and wherein the side rail also forms part
of the enclosure; and an opening within the deck section that
allows access to the enclosure, as well as to the space formed
between the deck and hull; such that the head compartment
incorporates the enclosed area formed by the deck as well as at
least part of the space between the deck and the hull.
7. A pontoon boat according to claim 6, wherein the space between
the deck and the hull accessible through the head compartment
enclosure includes the hollow pontoon.
8. A pontoon boat according to claim 7, wherein the hollow pontoon
is further utilized as a quarter berth.
9. A pontoon boat according to claim 8, further comprising a
head/berth pan within the head compartment and at least partially
covering the interior of the hollow pontoon.
10. A pontoon boat according to claim 9, wherein the head/berth pan
covers the quarter berth section of the hollow pontoon space.
11. A pontoon boat according to claim 1, wherein the hull further
comprises a hinge point extending generally horizontally along the
length of a side rail.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/636,260, filed Apr. 20, 2012, which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, including any
figures, tables, or drawings.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to the field of pontoon boats. More
particularly the invention relates to a pontoon boat that includes
modifications in design and fiberglass construction with integrated
railings resulting in features that improve the overall pontoon
boat.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Pontoon boats are a type of boat that is extremely popular
with boaters today. Pontoon boats are usually constructed out of
aluminum, wood, fiberglass, and upholstery. Historically, they have
been a very popular segment of the boating industry, because they
offer features that appeal to elderly boaters, or those with
limited mobility. The features that make them popular to this
buying group are a natural bi-product created by the construction
techniques used to manufacture pontoon boats.
[0004] Pontoon boats historically have two or more separate hulls
that displace water at the corners of the boat, instead of
mono-hull design boats that have only one hull, or one encompassing
waterline to displace the weight of the boat. Pontoon boats get
their name from the pontoon hulls that are made from round tubes
rolled out of aluminum. Recently, round hull shapes have been
enhanced by the addition of stakes, or even completely new shapes
to improve the hull's performance to create competitive
advantage.
[0005] A key selling point to traditional pontoon boats is the very
wide interior volume of the boat. Since most boats from 16-29 feet
are towed on trailers, they are constructed with a maximum legal
road width of 8 foot and 6 inches. Since all trailerable boats
share this maximum width, careful attention is paid to maximize the
interior width to establish competitive advantage. All of the
components of the boat are engineered to maximize this interior
width, which has proven to be a major selling factor for pontoon
type boats. Traditional fiberglass boats do not offer interior
widths that are comparable to aluminum pontoon boats, due to the
nature of their construction techniques, and the necessary side
wall thickness needed to laminate fiberglass.
[0006] Due to the increased popularity of the pontoon style boat,
additional features have been added to the boats in the past few
years to add competitive edge. New furniture styles with improved
quality and features, as well as new fiberglass modules that
incorporate driver's seat risers, entertainment and wet bar
stations, and ottomans are now commonplace in the pontoon industry.
As a result, pontoon boats have increased in weight over the past
few years with the addition of new features and amenities. To
offset the additional weight of pontoon boats, manufacturers have
recently introduced a third, or center pontoon to help displace the
additional weight of the new improvements. This new genre of
pontoon boat is often referred to as a Tri-Toon.
[0007] The Tri-Toon has become a very popular segment of the
aluminum pontoon boat market; however, increased costs of wood,
plastics, aluminum, and vinyl have made them prohibitively
expensive to build. Additionally, the traditional aluminum
construction is prohibitive to many of the modern features being
pioneered in other segments of the boating industry.
Construction
[0008] Pontoon hulls have been developed in aluminum, and some even
made out of plastic or fiberglass. Pontoon tubes are constructed
separately from the rest of the structure of the boat, and
assembled with mounting hardware that is usually welded to the
tube, giving it a dedicated "top side" to which the rest of the
boat is assembled on top of
[0009] Traditional pontoon boats are constructed by securing
aluminum cross beams over the assembled tubes. This creates a grid
that forms the foundation of the pontoon boat, as shown in FIG.
1.
[0010] The grid is welded or bolted on top of the pontoon mounts
that extend up on top of the traditional round tube. This pontoon
mount extends upward, and separates the tube from the bottom of the
channels to give extra clearance between the hull's running
waterlines.
[0011] Floor boards are then secured to the aluminum channels.
Floor boards are most commonly ply wood panels, however, composite
plastic floors or aluminum planks can also be utilized. Carpeting,
vinyl flooring, or decorative wood or faux wood planks are then
added to complete the deck floor. The deck floor covers the entire
floor plan of the boat, even though much of the floor, carpet,
vinyl, or decking will eventually be covered by furniture, driver's
consoles, and other equipment.
[0012] An outer rub rail is secured to the perimeter of the deck
floor to finish it off. Once the deck floor is finished,
manufacturers add the side rails, furniture, helm console, and
other related components to the deck of the pontoon boat. Wet bars,
galley units, or any other furniture fixture is arranged and
secured in place to complete the pontoon boat, as shown, for
example, in FIG. 2.
[0013] The rails are usually made out of a combination of welded
aluminum tubes and aluminum or plastic panels. These construction
techniques are very conducive to maximizing interior width; since
the overall width of the rails is usually about 11/2 inches
wide.
[0014] Furniture is historically made out rotationally molded
plastic bases or aluminum tubes, which are covered with foam and
vinyl to create seating modules. Aluminum frame, or rotationally
molded seat bases are instrumental to creating comfortable pontoon
boats, since the nature of the construction allows the seats to be
built with a very narrow backrest section. Aluminum tubes are
welded to create seating modules where the backrests are no wider
than the aluminum tube. This creates a very narrow backrest, which
translates into a wide interior volume; however, the shapes
attainable with aluminum construction do not allow aesthetically
pleasing shapes. Most pontoon interiors instead rely on a
rotationally molded mold to create pleasing shapes.
[0015] A rotational mold is a two piece cavity tool that is joined
to completely encapsulate the cavity, filled with plastic pellets,
and then heated to melt the pellets. The tool is then rotated in a
large fixture that uses gravity to evenly distribute the molten
pellets into the narrow spaces of the tool. The narrow distance
from the inner and outer backrest allows the seat module to be
built without wasting extra space. This allows a maximum usable
interior width, since the seat backs do not intrude into the
interior space. Similar seating modules have been historically
difficult to construct in fiberglass, since the nature of the
fiberglass material and its application process needs much larger
openings to manually roll the fiberglass by hand into the cavities.
In comparison, rotationally molded seat bases utilize gravity to
flow the material into very narrow cavities. Consequently,
fiberglass seating bases have not been competitive, since the large
amounts of clearance to build the seat backs intrudes into the
interior to a large degree, creating limited seating areas.
[0016] Helm stations are normally made out of fiberglass or
plastic, however, the nature of the construction means that they
must be finished on the interior side of the console, as well as
the outer side, which is normally placed up against the side fence
of the pontoon boat. This wastes some space, since the outside of
the fiberglass sits inside the inner side of the aluminum fence,
however, the nature of the construction of the typical aluminum
construction-pontoon boat prevents any improvement to this
design.
[0017] Other features such as changing rooms, or on-board restroom
facilities, are constructed out of aluminum tubes, furniture, and
rotationally molded bases to create small quarters. Generally, an
aluminum fold up frame is enclosed with canvas curtains in order to
allow privacy, since the changing room's necessary headroom for
adults to stand inside (approx 6' or more) is well above the height
of the furniture, which rarely extends above 3 feet tall. Stepping
down past the floor of a pontoon boat is very difficult, due to the
nature of the wood floor over aluminum channel construction, and
the separation of the tubes from the bottom of the deck, so pop up
changing rooms are essential in a typically constructed pontoon
boat.
Appeal of Traditional Aluminum Pontoon Boats
[0018] Because the aluminum and wood pontoon deck is created on a
completely flat platform, the boats appeal greatly to elderly
boaters or those with limited mobility since the floating deck
height is usually within inches of a floating dock that the boat is
boarded from. This allows easy access to the boat from the dock,
since there are no high sides or structures to step over in order
to board the boat from the side. Conversely, traditional fiberglass
boats have been built as ocean-going vessels with careful attention
paid to deep hulls that can overcome large waves and sea
conditions, so they traditionally have high sides that extend well
above the floor level, making entry from the sides very
difficult.
[0019] Additionally, the wood and aluminum deck has no hardware or
raised step like a tall fiberglass hull's bow stem at the front of
the boat, so there are no objects to trip over when boarding
directly from the front of the boat. Entry doors are commonly
located at 3 or 4 places on the boat including one or both sides,
the front of the boat, and the rear of the boat, allowing easy
boarding from the dock to the completely flat floor of the pontoon
boat in any situation. Ease of entry for elderly boaters, or
boaters with limited mobility is definitely a major factor in the
success of aluminum pontoon boats, over traditional fiberglass
boats.
[0020] Another appeal of pontoon boat to similar buyers is the
stability of the pontoon hull. Conventional pontoon boats, and
Tri-toon pontoon boats with the addition of a center hull, displace
water at the outer-most corners. Consequently, they are very stable
in roll, and they are not as sensitive to weight changes at the
corners as a traditional fiberglass V-hull design. Because the
V-hull design displaces the most water at its deepest point which
is down at the center of the boat, V hulls have a noticeable
tendency to roll, or rock to the side when weight is placed to the
side. This design attribute makes the pontoon boat much easier to
board for elderly or limited mobility boaters, because the platform
they are boarding remains stable, and assures solid footing for
safe entry and egress.
Improvements Over Traditional Aluminum Pontoon Boats
[0021] While the traditional aluminum pontoon boat has many
advantages over a fiberglass boat, it also has several
disadvantages. Due to the nature of the aluminum channel floor's
construction techniques, it is prohibitively expensive to penetrate
the floor, and allow access to any compartments below decks. Some
manufacturers make a special access hatches in the center of the
floor to access small portions of the center tube in a Tri-toon
design, however, the weakening of the structural floor caused by
the cutting out of the cross channels makes penetrating the floor
with large openings difficult. Additionally, since the tubes are
generally separated from the deck by the raised pontoon mounts;
considerable expense must be spent to engineer a water tight
chamber to seal off the top of the tube to the bottom of the deck.
These access hatches can only be placed in a specific location on a
traditional aluminum pontoon boat, in order to keep the boat
sea-worthy.
[0022] Since penetrating the floor is prohibitively expensive, it
also makes stepping down into a head compartment or changing room
difficult. Consequently, changing rooms on pontoon boats are
traditionally at the aft section of the boat, and feature pop-up
curtains to maintain privacy, however, marketing research has
proven that most buyers of pontoon boats are not happy with the
accommodations offered by traditional aluminum pontoon boats.
[0023] Additionally, boarding ladders are normally found only at
the aft platform of a pontoon boat, since the ladder cannot fold
away into a floor penetrating compartment, and therefore must be
attached as an extension of the platform. Side and bow boarding
ladders would not work in this manner, since they would hang off
the side of the boat and extend the maximum width of the boat past
it's 8-6'' wide legal limit, or create a dangerous extension from
the boat's rub rail. The only provisions aluminum pontoon boats
have for side or forward boarding ladders, are ladders that must be
physically removed and stored elsewhere. This type of ladder cannot
be retrieved while in the water, and must rely on a second person
to assist with the deployment of the ladder.
[0024] The construction techniques of aluminum pontoon boats also
affect their performance and efficiency in several ways. First,
aluminum tubes, which are most often round, are not well suited to
hydrodynamic efficiency. Consequently, many manufacturers add
"chines" or lifting strakes to the pontoon hulls in order to allow
them to break the surface of the water, and relieve suction. This
second process adds considerable costs to the pontoon manufacturing
process. Next, the aluminum cross channels underneath the deck of
the boat act as water brakes, since they are positioned at 90' to
the water rushing below. Even small and moderate sized waves will
strike the channels on the under-deck, and cause a surging effect
that slows the traditional aluminum pontoon when underway.
Additional aluminum under deck shields that cover the cross
channels are offered by some manufacturers, however, they are
considerably expensive. Consequently, most pontoon boats are not
designed for speed, since it is prohibitively expensive to make
them perform up to traditional fiberglass boat standards.
[0025] Other disadvantages of traditional pontoon boats can be
found in the construction of the interior. Rotationally molded seat
bases generally have a "rough type of texture" formed by the rough
surface of the cavity tool, and are not aesthetically pleasing to
look at. Consequently, most manufacturers cover the entire seating
assemblies in rich vinyl. These vinyls are very expensive, since
they are designed to resist the sun's ultraviolet rays; however,
they are very sensitive to damage and tearing. In addition,
covering the rotationally molded seat bases is extremely
inefficient, since the bottom, back sides, and inner edges of the
seat bases will not be seen, yet they need to be covered completely
due to the nature of the vinyl sewn cover. This leaves only about
35% of the vinyl surface visible to the eye.
[0026] Similar inefficiencies can be found in the construction of
the deck, since over 60% of most pontoon boats floor coverings are
covered by seating or other assemblies, even though 100% of the
floor level is finished. This means that only a small fraction of
the carpet, wood, and vinyl flooring are utilized, or left
available to walk on.
[0027] Rotationally molded seat bases also offer several other
disadvantages, such as limited access to storage, small storage
capacities, and limited structural integrity.
[0028] It is therefore believed, that this invention can offer
considerable improvements over traditional aluminum pontoon boats
by integrating the seat base faces, inner helm station, and inner
side railings into the fiberglass deck above the floor level, and
integrating the seat backs, interior modules, and side railings
into the fiberglass hull. By dividing the seat bases and interior
components into an inner molded section, and an outer molded seat
back and side railing, the invention will solve many issues of
interior space utilization, and construction efficiency that has
prevented fiberglass pontoon boats from being fully molded in
Fiberglass.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0029] Fiberglass construction for use in watercraft is known in
the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,177 discloses a pontoon
type boat including a fiberglass deck and a fiberglass modified
tunnel hull. The deck includes a storage compartment partially
formed in the deck of the craft. The storage compartment has a
cover portion capable of being positioned flush with the deck of
the boat when closed in order to conceal the interior of the
storage compartment. However, U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,177 shows a deck
that is consistent with typical aluminum pontoon construction, in
that it forms a flat floor base upon which aluminum side rails, and
rotationally molded seat bases are added to complete the deck
assembly. Fiberglass has simply replaced the plywood floor, and
been incorporated into the hull. Additionally, the cover portion of
the storage compartment extends down from its upper surface with
four vertical surfaces, identically to traditional aluminum pontoon
boat construction. A traditional aluminum side fence is placed on
the outside of the fiberglass console to conceal the console from
the outside of the boat.
[0030] It is the intention of this invention, to create a new
method of integrating the outer portions of the seating modules,
head modules, helm modules, and other assemblies into the molded
hull, in order to allow greater interior space, while integrating
several interior components to increase manufacturing
efficiency.
[0031] U.S. Pat. No 7,987,803 discloses a pontoon boat with claim
1, wherein the pair of pontoons is composed of at least one of
aluminum, polystyrene, fiberglass, metal, and concrete. Cochran
teaches that the pontoons are slidingly, or removably affixed. This
differs from the subject invention, wherein the pontoon hulls are
intentionally integrated to add efficiencies in the building
process, and to utilize the depth inside the pontoon for interior
accommodations.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0032] It is an object of the present invention to construct a
pontoon-style boat out of fiberglass, having raised and integrated
fiberglass side rails. Embodiments of the subject invention have a
flat floor, from bow to stern and side to side, and a side entry
gate that features an entrance level with the flat floor. Preferred
embodiments have integrated seat bases molded in fiberglass in both
the hull and deck. The subject invention also provides a method of
joining the hull and deck together by flexing the hull in order to
compensate for the opposing draft angles of the hull and deck at
the side entry door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a grid that forms the foundation of a
traditional pontoon boat.
[0034] FIG. 2 is an exploded view that illustrates various fixtures
that can be arranged and secured in place on a traditional pontoon
boat.
[0035] FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D show a comparison between the
construction of a hull of the subject invention (FIGS. 3A and 3B)
and a standard pontoon hull construction (FIGS. 3C and 3D). FIGS.
3A and 3C are cross-sectional, front end views and FIGS. 3B and 3D
are exterior side views.
[0036] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E show a comparison between a
traditional pontoon boat with a flat floor and separate furniture
modules and side rails (FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C) and a partial view of
a pontoon boat of the subject invention with an extended hull
integrated with the back side of a seat module (FIG. 4D). FIG. 4E
is a cross-sectional front end view showing how a standard seat
module (dotted lines) requires more floor space than the seats
integrated with a deck of the subject invention.
[0037] FIG. 5 shows an example of the width (W) required by
traditional style, separate seat modules used on standard pontoon
boats. Typical molding techniques often dictate that the style of
seat modules have a sufficient draft angle (19). Also illustrated
are a typical gel coat spray gun and glass roller used in the
manufacture of fiber glass components.
[0038] FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional, front end views that
show a comparison between a traditional pontoon boat helm station
and seat module molded as separate components and mounted to the
floor inside the side rails (FIG. 6A) and a helm station and seat
of the subject invention that are molded as part of the side rails
(FIG. 6B).
[0039] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate embodiments of an improved method
for manufacturing the integrated side rails of a fiberglass hull of
the subject invention at the side entry step to be level with the
floor.
[0040] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of hull and deck joint
details. Specifically shown is an embodiment of a "shoebox fit,"
wherein the hull trim flange on the hull is positioned underneath a
deck trim flange so as to fit into a knuckle molded into the upper
deck.
[0041] FIG. 9 illustrates a method of the subject invention for
manufacturing an integrated side rail of a fiberglass hull where
the side entry step is located so that it is level with the floor
of the deck.
[0042] FIG. 10 is a cross-section front end view that illustrates
an embodiment of an enclosed step-down head compartment, according
to the subject invention.
[0043] FIG. 11 illustrates a head/quarter pan embodiment of the
subject invention and shows how it can be used to provide a quarter
berth by extending a forward lower enclosure wall within a
pontoon.
[0044] FIG. 12 shows a stern.-end perspective view of an embodiment
of a pontoon boat of the subject invention.
[0045] FIG. 13 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a
pontoon boat of the subject invention.
[0046] FIG. 14 shows a port side bow-end perspective view of a
pontoon boat embodiment of the subject invention.
[0047] FIG. 15 shows a port side stern-end perspective view of a
pontoon boat embodiment of the subject invention.
[0048] FIG. 16 shows a bottom bow-end perspective view of a hull
embodiment of the subject invention.
[0049] FIG. 17 shows a top port side perspective view of a deck of
the subject invention.
[0050] FIG. 18 show a starboard side top perspective view of a deck
of the subject invention.
[0051] FIG. 19 shows a cut-away view of a deck to illustrate a helm
station embodiment of the subject invention.
[0052] FIG. 20 is a starboard side bow-end perspective view of a
deck embodiment of the subject invention.
[0053] FIG. 21 is a starboard side stern-end perspective view of a
deck embodiment of the subject invention.
[0054] FIG. 22 shows a port side stern-end perspective view of a
deck embodiment of the subject invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0055] Constructing a pontoon boat almost entirely out of
fiberglass requires new techniques and methods to correctly mold
the associated fiberglass parts so that they fit together when
assembled. Since pontoon boats that are built of aluminum typically
utilize furniture components, helm stations components, and side
railings that are placed or arranged onto a flat floor, their
construction techniques are fairly simple and straightforward.
Pontoon boats with fiberglass molded hulls and flat floor
fiberglass decks can also be straightforward to build according to
the subject invention, since they too rely on furniture and all
similar components placed and arranged on top of the flat floor. In
fact, most interior components such as furniture, components, side
railings, and helm stations are interchangeable between the two
types of boats, and can be utilized for traditional pontoon boats
constructed of aluminum, or molded fiberglass flat floor pontoon
boats as well.
[0056] Embodiments of the subject invention incorporate the side
rails and backs sides of the seating components, modules, and helm
consoles that are normally bolted or secured to the deck of a
traditional pontoon boat, into the hull of the boat. In particular
embodiments of the subject invention, these side rails will also
serve the main function of being integrated as the structural back
or side of any of a variety of interior components (45), such as,
for example, seats, and helm modules, and therefore allow these
interior components (45) to be built as part of the two larger
pieces, each fitted together. The two pieces, formed as unitary
structures, can be considered as inner and outer portions, with the
outer portions being integrally molded into the hull as one large
molding, and the inner portion can be integrally molded as one
large piece with the deck, including the flat floor, as well as,
other interior components (45) like seats, furniture, consoles, and
most other related interior components.
[0057] Referring to the figures, it can be seen that FIGS. 3A-D
shows a comparison between a standard pontoon construction method
of joining the flat deck (02) with a flat floor (01) to the hull
(03) (FIGS. 3C and 3D), and the construction method of this
invention, which incorporates the side rails (05) as integrally
molded into the hull (06), which extends upwards on both sides. The
side rails extend down to the floor (07) level near the bow of the
boat, and near the stern, in order to allow the flat floor entrance
at either end, as shown in FIG. 3B. The floor (07) of the improved
hull and deck of the subject invention retains a flat profile from
bow to stern, and only extends upward to integrate the furniture
and fittings, which are usually located in between the forward and
aft boarding platforms.
[0058] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E are cross-sectional views that
illustrate a comparison between a traditional pontoon boat with a
flat floor (01) and separate furniture modules (09), for example,
rotationally or "roto" casted and/or fiberglass molded seats, and
side rails (08) (FIG. 4A), and the embodiments of the subject
invention, which utilize an extended hull (06) that integrates the
back side of the seat module (46) and side rail (05) (FIG. 4D). The
comparison seen in FIGS. 4A-D shows a traditional pontoon boat with
both a conventional aluminum side rail (08) and a rotationally
molded seat module (09), and a separately molded fiberglass seat
module (10) (FIG. 4A). In the case of the aluminum side rail (08)
and rotationally molded seat module (09), it can be seen that the
construction method of the rotationally molded seatback keeps the
seat back section narrow, as seen in FIG. 4B. The addition of the
side rail (08) to hide the rough nature of the seatback (13) from
the outside of the boat requires a measurable amount of floor space
that has to be subtracted from the overall interior width (W) of
the boat, as seen in FIGS. 4A and 4E. The shape necessitated by
separate fiberglass seat modules (10) utilizes even more floor
space than the rotationally molded seat base (09), as illustrated
in FIG. 4C.
[0059] FIG. 4E also illustrates how the pontoons of the subject
invention are incorporated and formed as part of the hull design.
It can be seen that the pontoons are essentially hollow spaces
formed within the hull and the side rails extend from the outer
most sides of the port and starboard pontoons. When the deck (20)
and the hull (06) are assembled, a space (60) or hollow area is
formed between the deck and the hull, such that the pontoons are
substantially open to the underside of the deck. As will be
discussed below, this void (60) can be useful as a storage or
access area. In FIG. 5 that the necessary width of the traditional
style separate fiberglass seat module (10) is dictated by
construction techniques. Two factors contribute to the overall
width of a fiberglass part: draft and access. The first factor,
draft, simply refers to the necessary angles (19) of a part that is
constructed in a mold, so that it can be extracted or is able to
"pull out" of the mold. Generally speaking, 3' per surface is
acceptable in molding techniques, so that given the nature of the
part to shrink in the mold, it will not lock it into the mold, and
3' should allow the part to "pull out" without dragging too much of
the mold release agents from the surface of the mold. In the case
of a tall part, or a deep mold, other factors, such as, for
example, heat buildup, can contribute to the necessary amount of
draft angle (19) required in order to pull parts successfully from
the mold. For parts that are taller, a 3' draft multiplied over the
height of the part can create a very wide part. In the case of a
seat back, it can result in a large distance (14) from the back of
the seat to the forward side, which can be undesirable, as it
encroaches into usable interior width.
[0060] The second contributing factor in the required distance (14)
from the back of the seat to the forward side is access
requirements. The nature of fiberglass construction requires an
operator or machine to apply "Gelcoat" to the mold surface. Gelcoat
is the exterior "paint like" colored surface of a fiberglass part
that is visible to the eye. Gelcoat is typically sprayed through a
spray gun (17), such as shown by way of example in FIG. 5, or is
brushed on in limited cases. This gelcoat is most often sprayed
onto a mold in a manner and consistency that allows it to flow
freely (16), however, it cannot be applied unevenly, or too thick,
or else it will later crack or become distorted. Fiberglass molds
must also be designed correctly, in order to allow adequate airflow
(16) for the gelcoat application process, as well as facilitate
other manufacturing factors. Once gelcoat is applied, a barrier
coat of fiberglass mat or chop, is either sprayed from a gun
similar to the gelcoat gun (17)--also requiring airflow management
as well (16), or it can be laid into a mold by hand, which requires
an access large enough for workers to carefully place the glass
fibers into the shape. Fiber glass, whether hand laid, or sprayed
in by a chopper gun also needs to be manually rolled out with a
glass roller (15), also shown, by way of example, in FIG. 5, in
order to force any air between the layers out from the back side.
After this process is complete, structural fiberglass, most often
employed in the form of woven sheets, is then manually manipulated
into place and is also rolled out with a glass roller (15). Since
the use of spray guns (17), requiements for airflow allowances
(16), and the need for manual manipulation of materials by hand
with a glass roller (15) requires considerable maneuvering room,
production friendly fiberglass parts are usually designed with
large access cavities. These large access cavities are
disadvantageous for seat bases, since seat bases will, ideally, be
as narrow as possible in order to allow the maximum usable interior
width. Consequently, fiberglass is rarely used in pontoon boats for
separately molded seating base modules.
[0061] Looking a FIGS. 6A and 6B, there is illustrated a comparison
between a traditional pontoon boat utilizing a fiberglass helm
station (11) (FIG. 6A), and a pontoon boat according to the subject
invention that integrally molds the outer surface of the helm
station (27), or helm station receiver, into the extended side
rails (05) (FIG. 6B). Since the traditional helm station (11) is
generally a large wide structure, it is usually acceptable, and is
most often molded out of fiberglass. A helm station is mounted
inside the side railings (08) in order to improve the look of the
traditional pontoon boat. However, due to manufacturing
constraints, the outside surface of the helm console (11) often has
a measureable amount of draft (19) in order to facilitate removal
from the fiberglass mold, so there is often a measureable amount of
space lost or wasted in the construction of the traditional pontoon
boat.
[0062] The embodiments of the subject invention utilize a helm
station (18) comprised of two pieces, with the inner portion being
molded integrally into the deck (20), and the outer portion being
integrally molded into the extended side rails (05) of the hull
(06). This allows the usable space of the helm (18) to be at least
equal to that of a traditional pontoon boat helm (11), while
allowing it to be mounted further to the side of the boat, which
can maximize interior width.
[0063] In FIGS. 7A and 7B there is illustrated an improved method
for building the integrated side rails (05) of the fiberglass hull
(06) at the side entry step that is level with the floor (07). A
side entry (30) is generally a passage way within the port and/or
starboard side of the boat that allows passengers or objects to be
easily passed into and out of the boat without having to go over
the side rails. FIG. 15 provides an example of a side entry (30)
formed within a side rail and hull of the subject invention.
[0064] As previously discussed, both the hull (06) and deck (20)
will have the required draft angles in order to allow them to be
"pulled out" of their respective molds. Advantageously, the
respective draft angles for these components do not cause
interference anywhere in the construction of the boat, except for
the side entry area (30). The side entry (30) of the boat has
conflicting draft areas, because the side entry extends upward from
the flat floor level (07) of the deck (20) to the top of the deck,
which is noted as style line (21). This height is over 24'' tall,
however, greater or lesser heights can encounter the same draft
issues. The deck (20) terminates at its lowest molded point, where
excess fiberglass flanges are trimmed off. This cut line at the
bottom of the deck is called the deck trim flange (23). The hull
(06) incorporates the integral side rails (05) which extend upward
and terminate at a similar trim flange called the hull trim flange
(28) (seen on FIG. 8). When assembled, the hull trim flange (28) of
the hull (06) operatively engages with the deck trim flange (23),
by slipping underneath the deck trim flange (23), so that the hull
trim flange (28) sits inside a knuckle (22) molded into the deck.
This is a commonly used practice, and is often referred to as a
"shoebox fit", as seen, for example in FIG. 8). This is the typical
method of joining a fiberglass hull to a fiberglass deck.
[0065] Embodiments of the subject invention further incorporate the
integrally molded side rails (05) and side entry (30) with a flat
floor (07), which creates construction issues usually not found in
other construction applications. Because the hull (06) gets wider,
or bows outward, closer to the top, or near the hull trim flange
(28) due to the required draft angle, and the deck (20) also gets
wider closer to the bottom of the boat, or towards the deck trim
flange, also due to its required draft angle, the conflicting draft
angles require a new method of building a boat with integrated
fiberglass side rails. As seen in FIG. 7B, when the hull (06) is
joined with the deck, the conflicting angles necessitate that the
hull trim flange area be manipulated by being bent or pushed, as
indicated by the arrows in FIG. 7B, so that it can fit under and be
operably engaged with the deck trim flange (23).
[0066] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates one
embodiment of an improved method for creating an enclosed step-down
combined head compartment and quarter berth. The subject invention
allows penetration of the floor (07), because the integrated side
rails (05) in the hull (06) extend up to the deck (20) at the trim
flange (23). As seen in FIGS. 8 and 10 and in FIG. 11, a side view,
the deck (20) integrates an enclosure (37) from the top style line
(21) inboard, in a manner to form the enclosure (37) which is
accessed from an opening (36) that can be covered with a door. The
enclosure (37) utilizes the space created by integrally molding the
pontoon (40) into the hull (06) to create a sufficiently large
compartment that can accommodate, for example, both a toilet
facility, and a quarter berth (38) that extends underneath the flat
floor (07) on either side of the integral enclosure (37) after it
terminates back down to the floor (07) or other integrally molded
components in the deck (20). The interior of this enclosure can be
finished with an additional molded head/quarter berth pan (35) that
can protect the pontoon. Alternatively, the interior of the hull
(06) can be finished with traditional vinyl and carpeting or other
components.
[0067] FIG. 11 provides a side view that illustrates how the
head/quarter berth pan (35) can create the quarter berth (38) by
extending the forward lower enclosure wall (39) past the enclosure
wall (37) where it intersects the flat floor (07) or other
integrally molded seating modules, or components, inside the space
created by the integrally molded pontoon (40) in the hull (06).
Conversely, the quarter berth (38) may also extend aft under the
flat floor (07), or other integrally molded seating modules or
components, by utilizing the available space inside the molded
pontoon (40).
[0068] Since the deck (20) can be molded with any of a variety of
details, corners, and style lines, it will ideally be a very rigid
part, and will ideally resist flexing and bending. Consequently, it
can be difficult to change the molded shape of the deck once it is
pulled from the mold. Embodiments of the subject invention provide
a new method of building a hull (06) that will allow it to be
sufficiently stiff underneath and at the running surface, but is
also designed to flex at a given hinge point (25), extending
generally horizontally along the side rail (05), as shown, for
example, in FIGS. 9, 12, 13, and 16, in order to allow the
integrated side rails (05) to flex inward to fit under and be
attached to the deck trim flange (23). Since the deck (20) is very
rigid, its trim flange (23) will also be very rigid and stiff, and
will usually not give way or flex considerably when physically
joining with the hull (06).
[0069] Core structures are commonly used in boat construction to
lend rigidity and stability to large areas of fiber glass or other
materials. Core structures (50) can also be used during the
construction of a hull (06) of the subject invention to strengthen
the side rails (05). In one embodiment, core structure (50) is
placed between layers of fiberglass or other material used in the
manufacture of the hull, an example of which is shown in FIG. 9. In
a further embodiment, the core structure is interrupted at the
hinge point (25) so that the core structure does not cross the
hinge point, which would inhibit the ability fo the hinge point to
flex. Thus, there can be a break in the core structure where it
approaches the hinge point, such as seen, by way of example in
FIGS. 4E, 7B, and 14. This allows the core structure to support the
material, but does not prevent the side rails (05) from being
flexed inward during assembly of the deck (20) and hull (06).
[0070] In a specific embodiment, the trim flange (23) on the port
and starboard sides extends downward to the lowest part of the flat
floor (07). This vertical surface (24) of the trim flange will get
slightly wider at the bottom of the door opening (30). The vertical
trim surface (24) and flat floor (07) will ultimately contact a
point on the hull, where the hull is formed as a cut-out (12), at a
location specified as (A 06) on FIGS. 7 and 9. This point in the
hull (A 06) will be narrower than the hull trim flange (28), since
the draft of the hull (06) dictates that it be wider towards the
top. Embodiments of the subject invention provide a design for a
hull (06) with a specific flex point (25) that is located in a
manner that it will intersect with the vertical trim flange (24) of
the deck (20) at the height of the flat floor (07). In this manner,
the rigid deck (20) will join with the hull (06) at a specifically
designed rigid point (25). In a further embodiment, the hull (06)
is designed so that statically, it will not fit the deck (20) due
to its increasing draft from the (A 06) point of the hull (06).
However, flexing of the integrated raised side rails (05) from the
hinge point (A 06) will allow them to bend in and the hull trim
flange (28) will fit under the deck trim flange (23) and correctly
sit inside the deck knuckle (22). An example of this is shown in
FIG. 7B, where the arrows indicate the bend direction of the
hull.
[0071] The subject invention provides a new method of fiberglass,
or similar, construction that will allow a hull (06) with
integrally molded side rails (05) to be successfully mated to a
unitary deck (20) component that incorporates a side entry door
(30) to permit access to a flat floor (07) similar to popular
aluminum pontoon boats.
* * * * *