Boat Hull

Abstract

A straight-line boat hull structure of delta shape which is constructed of planar panels set at angles of attack to the water to engage the water as inclined plane lifting ramps to raise the hull in conjunction with forward movement. The panels are set at compound angles to one another creating a truss structure of inherent mechanical strength. Side panels and a transom panel define the delta shape. The side panels intersect at the prow. Bottom fore panels, a bottom aft panel, and bottom aft bilge panels form a bottom structure between the side panels and transom panel in conjunction with a hydroplane step cross panel midway in the hull.

Description

This invention relates to boats and in particular to a delta-shaped boat hull having planar panels or angular slopes engaging the water on straight line inclined planes to lift the hull in conjunction with foreward motion.

An object of the invention is to provide a boat hull of planar panels to provide inclined plane water engagement on a straight line to lift the hull, to reduce friction, to obtain optimum mechanical advantage, and to obtain substantially equal distribution of the force of water engagement over the area of each panel in contact with water to eliminate concentration points of water resistance.

An object of the invention is to provide paired opposed side panels on a compound vertical angular inclination forewardly and sidewardly to disperse the wash sidewardly outwardly substantially equally along the length of the side panel to eliminate concentrations of water resistance and wash and to provide lifting force distributed over the length of the panels.

An object of the invention is to provide planar bottom fore panels on a compound horizontal angular inclination to engage the water on a straight line substantially equally over its area, to disperse wash sidewardly, and to lift upwardly with substantially equal distribution of forces.

An object of the invention is to provide a hydroplane step behind the fore panels to break water friction and to provide a rolling air pocket for the next panel.

An object of the invention is to provide a bottom planar aft panel behind the step which engages the water on a horizontal inclined plane to provide upward lift.

An object of the invention is to provide planar bottom aft bilge panels between the aft panel and the side panels on a inclination intermediate vertical and horizontal to engage the water on an inclined plane to disperse wash sidewardly and to lift upwardly with forces and resistance well distributed.

An object of the invention is to provide a planar panelled hull to utilize straight line joints and to eliminate curved line joints.

An object of the invention is to provide a planar parallel hull wherein each panel constitutes an inclined plane lifting ramp relative to the water in conjunction with forward motion.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description of a planar panelled boat hull embodying the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a planar panelled hull embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the hull seen in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the hull seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the hull taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 2 showing the step panel.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the hull taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 2 showing the interior of the prow; and

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the transom taken on the line 6--6 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the planar panelled boat hull shown therein to illustrate the invention comprises a delta-shaped hull 10 having a transom panel 11 and paired opposite side panels 14 and 15 having spaced stern ends at and connected to the transom panel 11. The side panels 14 and 15 having intersecting foreward ends joined together at a prow 16. The side panels 14 and 15 and the transom panel thus define a delta shape in plan. The side panels 14-15 also are inclined outwardly-upwardly and the transom panel 11 has like inclined side edges engaging the side panels 14 and 15. A cross panel 17 spans the side panels 14-15 intermediate their length and has a depending spread-delta triangular shape below the plane of the side panels 14-15. The cross panel 17 has paired upwardly-outwardly sloping edges leading from a central low point or apex.

Paired opposed bottom fore panels 18 and 19 are substantially right triangular in shape. Each fore panel 18 and 19 has a base side at one of the sloping edges of the cross panel 17, a hypotenuse side at one of the side panels 14 and 15 respectively, and an adjacent side at the adjacent side of the other fore panel 18-19 culminating in a keel ridge leading from the prow 16 to the cross panel 17 low point or apex. The bottom fore panels 18 and 19 form a vee-bottom foreward in the hull 10.

A bottom aft panel 20 is substantially rectangular in plan and has a front end at the cross panel 17 and a read end at the transom panel 11. The transom panel 11 has a central portion 21 depending below the bottom plane of the side panels 14-15 in the location of the rear end of aft panel 20. The aft panel 20 has opposite side edges leading rearwardly from a point on the cross panel 17 at the side panels 14-15 respectively. The side panels 14 and 15 respectively angle away rearwardly from the side edges of the aft panel 20 in increasing spaced relationship. The side panels 14 and 15 respectively, the side edges respectively of the aft panel 20, and the transom panel 11 thus define a relatively right triangular space on either side of the aft panel 20 lying on an upward-outward angle. In this regard the transom panel has upwardly outwardly sloping intermediate edges 22 and 23 extending between its bottom portion 21 and its edges at the side panels 14 and 15.

Paired substantially right triangular shaped bilge panels 24 and 25 each have a base side at the transom edges 22 and 23 respectively, a side at the side edges of the aft panel 20, and a side at the bottom edges of the side panels 14 and 15 respectively.

The hull structure is suitable for all sizes and types of boats such as outboards, inboard-outboards, inboards, utility and luxury, such as from small do-it-yourself kit-boats to very large cabin cruisers.

The panels are sealably joined together with fasteners 26, FIG. 2, and reinforcing strips and framing members, as desired (not shown) are used throughout the hull to interconnect the panels and to aid in sealing the joints therebetween. It will be understood in a small boat of the novel hull structure that there is minimal need for reinforcement, such as in a 10 or 12 foot boat, since the panels themselves and the truss-strengthening relationship between them is very strong in view of the short span of the panels. Conversely a large boat, 50 feet or more of the hull construction herein, may need joint connector strips, reinforcements, and hull framing to support the hull due to the long span of the panels and also to support super-structure as in a cabin cruiser and to provide mounts for motors.

The panels may be made of any suitable material such as plywood, wood planks, synthetic resins such as fiberglass reinforced polyesters, aluminum, steel, etc., as desired and to suit the size of the boat and intended use. The structure is easily adapted to any type fabrication such as nailing, cementing, riveting, welding, etc.

Upon foreward movement of the boat in water, the water is engaged by all the panels as lifting ramps on an inclined plane to raise the hull. The side panels, fore panels, aft panel, and bilge panels all ride up the water and the hull is thereby lifted. The side panels disperse wash sidewardly as do the fore and bilge panels.

Upon achieving crusing speed, the side panels usually are lifted above the water level, and while still dispelling wash, they do not frictionally engage the water as lifting ramps as the fore panels, bilge panels, and aft panel provide sufficient buoyancy in conjunction with foreward movement. The angulation of the panels may be as shown or increased or decreased as desired.

Due to the straight line lifting engagement of the water by all areas of all panels in water contact, no water contact portion of any panel is required to engage a concentrated mass of water nor are other water contact areas of any of the panels making less water lifting engagement. Thus the force of water engagement is substantially equally distributed over the water contact area of all panels and no water contact area of any panel is overloaded or underloaded as each panel is disposed on an angle of attack relative to the water to make substantially equal lifting engagement with the water over its surface in contact with the water.

The hull straight line structure of the invention provides a simpler, stronger, easier made, less expensive, and more efficient boat hull than curvilinear structures.

The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A substantially delta-shaped boat hull, comprising

a bottom structure,

a transom panel on said bottom structure having opposite side edges angling upwardly outwardly to the vertical;

paired linear side panels each having a stern end abutting said angling side edges of said transom panel locating each said side panel on an upward-outward angle to the vertical;

said transom panel spacing said stern ends of said side panels apart;

each side panels having bow ends;

said side panels angling horizontally toward one another from said stern ends to said bow ends with said side panels intersecting one another at said bow ends in a prow; and

connecting means joining said panels to one another and to said bottom structure;

said side panels in conjunction with foreward motion of said hull relative to water engaging the water to lift said hull.

2. In a boat hull as set forth in claim 1, said bottom structure including a transverse depending spread delta shaped cross panel spanning said side panels at a point between said prow and said transom panel;

said cross panel having a central low apex;

said cross panel having paired bottom edges angling outwardly and upwardly from said low apex to said side panels;

paired substantially right-triangular bottom fore panels, each having a base side at one said angling edge of said cross panel, a hypotenuse side at said side panels, and an adjacent side at the adjacent side of said other fore panel;

said fore panels at their adjacent sides leading in a straight line from said prow to said cross panel low apex defining an upwardly forewardly inclining keel ridge;

each said fore panel inclining upwardly-forewardly to said prow from said cross panel and sidewardly upwardly to said side panels from said keel ridge;

said foreward panels in conjunction with foreward motion of said hull relative to water engaging the water to lift said hull.

3. In a boat hull as set forth in claim 1, said transom panel having a central horizontal bottom portion lying below the horizontal plane of said side panels and said bottom structure including,

a cross-panel spanning said side panels intermediate their bow and stern ends at the bottom plane of said side panels,

a substantially rectangular bottom aft panel having a fore end spanning said side panels at said cross panel, a stern end at said transom panel bottom portion, and opposite side edges leading rearwardly from said side panels at said cross panel to said transom panel at increasing spaced distance from said side panels thereby defining a substantially right triangular space with said side panels and said transom panel;

said transom panel having paired oppositely inclined bilge edges between its said bottom portion and its said inclined side edges; and

paired opposed aft bilge panels substantially right triangular in shape each having a base at one of said transom panel bilge edges, a side at one said aft panel side edge, and a side at one said side panel;

said aft panel lying in a plane inclined upwardly forewardly to said cross panel from said transom panel providing a lifting surface on an inclined plane against the water in conjunction with foreward motion of said hull;

said bilge panels in conjunction with foreward motion of said hull relative to water engaging the water to lift said hull.

4. In a boat hull as set forth in claim 1, said bottom structure including a transverse depending spread delta shaped cross panel spanning said side panels at a point between said prow and said transom panel;

said cross panel having a central low apex;

said cross panel having paired bottom edges angling outwardly and upwardly from said low apex to said side panels;

paired substantially right-triangular bottom fore panels, each having a base side at one said angling edge of said cross panel, a hypotenuse side at said side panels, and an adjacent side at the adjacent side of said other fore panel;

said fore panels at their adjacent sides leading in a straight line from said prow to said cross panel low apex defining a keel ridge;

said fore panels in conjunction with foreward motion of said hull relative to water engaging the water to lift said hull;

said transom panel having a central horizontal bottom panel lying below the plane of said side panels;

a substantially rectangular bottom aft panel having a fore end spanning said side panels at said cross panel, a stern end at said transom panel bottom portion, and opposite side edges leading rearwardly from said side panels at said cross panel to said transom panel at increasing spaced distance from said side panels thereby defining a substantially right triangular shape with said side panels and said transom panel;

said transom panel having paired horizontally oppositely inclined bilge edges between its said bottom portion and its said inclined side edges; and

paired opposed aft bilge panels substantially right triangular in shape each having a base at one of said transom panel bilge edges, a side at one said aft panel side edge, and a side at one said side panel;

said aft panel from said transom panel providing a lifting surface on an inclined plane against the water in conjunction with foreward motion of said hull;

said bilge panels in conjunction with foreward motion of said hull relative to water engaging the water to lift said hull.