Aft-facing transom seating for a boat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230355-B1
Application number	US-202117498812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 12, 2021
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A boat, having a transom, includes one or more aft-facing seats. Each aft-facing seat is positioned proximate to the transom and includes a seat bottom that is inclined at a downward angle in a direction extending from aft to fore, a seatback, a headrest, a seat support structure having at least one hidden compartment therein, and at least one pivot mechanism attached to the seatback and the headrest and configured to allow the seatback to move between a first position in which the seatback is capable of supporting the back of a person seated in the seat and a second position in which the seatback is pivoted upwardly to allow access to the compartment and the headrest to move between an upright position and a folded position. A plurality of handles may be provided for each aft-facing seat, with one at an outboard side and another at an inboard side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inboard watersports boat comprising:
a hull including a bow, a stern, a transom, and port and starboard gunwales;
a motor positioned in the stern of the boat, forward of the transom and along a centerline of the boat;
a propeller operatively connected to the motor, the propeller being located under the hull and forward of the transom;
a tower spanning the port and starboard gunwales, the tower including a tow point for towing a watersports performer;
a swim platform attached to the transom; and
a plurality of aft-facing seats positioned in the stern of the boat, aft of the tow point, the plurality of aft-facing seats including a port aft-facing seat positioned adjacent the motor on a port side of the centerline and a starboard aft-facing seat positioned adjacent the motor on the starboard side of the centerline, each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats being configured to be occupied by a person while the boat is moving through the water at speeds of at least 8 mph to 14 mph, and each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats including:
(i) a seat bottom that is inclined at a downward angle, the downward angle extending in a direction from aft to fore such that an aft portion of the seat bottom is higher than a forward portion of the seat bottom; and
(ii) a seatback that joins the seat bottom at an intersecting location forward of the transom and below the gunwales.

2. The inboard watersports boat of claim 1 , wherein each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats being configured to be occupied by a person while the boat is moving through the water at speeds from 8 mph to 14 mph.

3. The inboard watersports boat of claim 1 , wherein the intersecting location is 10 inches to 16 inches below the gunwales.

4. The inboard watersports boat of claim 1 , further comprising a floor, wherein the downward angle of the seat bottom of each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats is from 5 degrees to 20 degrees relative to the floor.

5. The inboard watersports boat of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats, an angle between a top surface of the seat bottom and an aft-facing surface of the seat back is 90 degrees or greater.

6. The inboard watersports boat of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats, an angle between a top surface of the seat bottom and an aft-facing surface of the seat back is from 95 degrees to 135 degrees.

7. The inboard watersports boat of claim 1 , further comprising a footrest associated with each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats.

8. The inboard watersports boat of claim 7 , wherein the footrest associated with each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats is movable between an extended position and a retracted position.

9. The inboard watersports boat of claim 1 , further comprising a seat support structure associated with each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats, the seat support structure having a compartment therein.

10. The inboard watersports boat of claim 9 , wherein the compartment is located below at least one of the port and starboard aft-facing seats.

11. The inboard watersports boat of claim 9 , wherein the compartment is located forward of at least one of the port and starboard aft-facing seats.

12. The inboard watersports boat of claim 9 , wherein the compartment is located below and forward of at least one of the port and starboard aft-facing seats.

13. The inboard watersports boat of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the port and starboard aft-facing seats is movable to allow access to the compartment.

14. The inboard watersports boat of claim 13 , wherein the compartment is accessible from the swim platform.

15. An inboard watersports boat comprising:
a hull including a bow, a stern, a transom, and port and starboard gunwales;
a motor positioned in the stern of the boat, forward of the transom and along a centerline of the boat;
a propeller operatively connected to the motor, the propeller being located under the hull and forward of the transom;
a tower spanning the port and starboard gunwales, the tower including a tow point for towing a watersports performer;
a swim platform attached to the transom;
a plurality of aft-facing seats positioned in the stern of the boat, aft of the tow point, the plurality of aft-facing seats including a port aft-facing seat positioned adjacent the motor on a port side of the centerline and a starboard aft-facing seat positioned adjacent the motor on the starboard side of the centerline, each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats including:
(i) a seat bottom that is inclined at a downward angle, the downward angle extending in a direction from aft to fore such that an aft portion of the seat bottom is higher than a forward portion of the seat bottom; and
(ii) a seatback that joins the seat bottom at an intersecting location forward of the transom and below the gunwales; and

a seat support structure associated with each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats, the seat support structure having a compartment therein.

16. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , wherein the intersecting location is 10 inches to 16 inches below the gunwales.

17. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , further comprising a floor, wherein the downward angle of the seat bottom of each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats is from 5 degrees to 20 degrees relative to the floor.

18. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , wherein, for each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats, an angle between a top surface of the seat bottom and an aft-facing surface of the seat back is 90 degrees or greater.

19. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , wherein, for each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats, an angle between a top surface of the seat bottom and an aft-facing surface of the seat back is from 95 degrees to 135 degrees.

20. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , further comprising a footrest associated with each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats.

21. The inboard watersports boat of claim 20 , wherein the footrest associated with each of the port and starboard aft-facing seats is movable between an extended position and a retracted position.

22. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , wherein the compartment is located below at least one of the port and starboard aft-facing seats.

23. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , wherein the compartment is located forward of at least one of the port and starboard aft-facing seats.

24. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , wherein the compartment is located below and forward of at least one of the port and starboard aft-facing seats.

25. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the port and starboard aft-facing seats is movable to allow access to the compartment.

26. The inboard watersports boat of claim 15 , wherein the compartment is accessible from the swim platform.

Assignees

• Mastercraft Boat Co Llc

Inventors

• Curts Chadrick E
• Vieira Daniel P
• Bennett Rosemary M
• Ekern David F

Classifications

• B63B32/70

  Accessories not specially adapted for a particular type of board, e.g. paddings or buoyancy elements · CPC title

• B63B3/46

  Stems · CPC title

• B63B3/54 Primary

  Hatch openings · CPC title

• B63B2029/043

  Seats; Arrangements thereof on vessels · CPC title

• B63B29/04 Primary

  Furniture peculiar to vessels (floatable furniture B63C9/30) · CPC title