Multihull watercraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12103642-B2
Application number	US-202117537974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2021
Priority date	Nov 30, 2020
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

A multihull watercraft has at least three hulls extending longitudinally along the watercraft. The hulls at least partly define a port side tunnel and a starboard side tunnel therebetween. A port deflection device is configured to engage water in response to the watercraft leaning toward the port side when turning. The port deflection device is laterally aligned with the port side tunnel. A starboard deflection device is configured to engage water in response to the watercraft leaning toward the starboard side when turning. The starboard deflection device is laterally aligned with the starboard side tunnel. Each of the deflection devices includes an angled surface extending downwardly and rearwardly from an upper tunnel surface of a corresponding one of the tunnels. The angled surface is positioned to remain above a water line when the multihull watercraft is at rest on water.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multihull watercraft, comprising:
a deck;
at least three hulls connected to the deck and extending longitudinally along the multihull watercraft, each of the at least three hulls having two outer lateral surfaces opposite one another, the at least three hulls at least partly defining a plurality of tunnels therebetween including:
a port side tunnel disposed closest to a port side of the multihull watercraft; and
a starboard side tunnel disposed closest to a starboard side of the multihull watercraft,
each tunnel of the plurality of tunnels having a front end and a rear end, each tunnel of the plurality of tunnels being defined by:
respective ones of the outer lateral surfaces of two of the at least three hulls; and
an upper tunnel surface;

a port deflection device configured to engage water in response to the multihull watercraft leaning toward the port side when turning, the port deflection device being laterally aligned with the port side tunnel and being disposed at one of:
within the port side tunnel near the rear end thereof; and
rearwardly of or at the rear end of the port side tunnel;

and
a starboard deflection device configured to engage water in response to the multihull watercraft leaning toward the starboard side when turning, the starboard deflection device being laterally aligned with the starboard side tunnel and disposed at one of:
within the starboard side tunnel near the rear end thereof; and
rearwardly of or at the rear end of the starboard side tunnel,

each of the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device comprising:
an angled surface extending downwardly and rearwardly from the upper tunnel surface of a corresponding one of the tunnels, the angled surface being positioned to remain above a water line when the multihull watercraft is at rest on water.

2. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the multihull watercraft is a tri-hull watercraft;
the at least three hulls include a port side hull, a starboard side hull, and a central hull disposed laterally between the port side hull and the starboard side hull;
the port side tunnel is defined between the port side hull and the central hull; and
the starboard side tunnel is defined between the starboard side hull and the central hull.

3. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein, when the multihull watercraft is not turning, at least one of the at least three hulls extends vertically lower than other ones of the at least three hulls.

4. The multihull watercraft of claim 2 , wherein, when the multihull watercraft is not turning, the central hull has a keel that extends vertically lower than a lower end of each of the port side hull and the starboard side hull.

5. The multihull watercraft of claim 2 , wherein the central hull has a greater volume than each of the port side hull and the starboard side hull.

6. The multihull watercraft of claim 2 , wherein the central hull is more buoyant than each of the port side hull and the starboard side hull.

7. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device:
the angled surface extends at an inclination angle with respect to an adjacent portion of the upper tunnel surface defining the tunnel with which the deflection device is laterally aligned; and
the inclination angle is greater than zero and less than 30°.

8. The multihull watercraft of claim 7 , wherein, for each of the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device, the inclination angle is approximately 15°.

9. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein:
for each of the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device, the angled surface extends at an inclination angle with respect to an adjacent portion of the upper tunnel surface defining the tunnel with which the deflection device is laterally aligned; and
the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device are adjustable to selectively set the inclination angle of the angled surface thereof.

10. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein each of the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device is pivotally connected to at least one of:
the deck; and
at least one of the at least three hulls.

11. The multihull watercraft of claim 9 , further comprising:
at least one actuator operatively connected to the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device, the at least one actuator being configured to move the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device to set the inclination angle of the angled surface thereof; and
a user input device in communication with the at least one actuator to control actuation thereof and thereby cause movement of the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device.

12. The multihull watercraft of claim 11 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises a first actuator operatively connected to the port deflection device and a second actuator operatively connected to the starboard deflection device.

13. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the multihull watercraft is a tritoon; and
the at least three hulls include a port side tube, a starboard side tube, and a central tube disposed laterally between the port side tube and the starboard side tube.

14. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein each of the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device comprises a wedge-shaped body comprising the angled surface.

15. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the angled surface is substantially planar.

16. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device form in part a stern of the multihull watercraft.

17. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the multihull watercraft has a bow and a stern, a length of the multihull watercraft measured between the bow and the stern measuring between 8 feet and 35 feet inclusively.

18. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , further comprising at least one jet pump propulsion system for propelling the multihull watercraft, the jet pump propulsion system being supported by at least one of the at least three hulls.

19. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of trim tabs for providing hydrodynamic lift to the multihull watercraft when underway, the trim tabs being positioned vertically lower than the port and starboard deflection devices when the multihull watercraft is at rest.

20. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein engagement of one of the port deflection device and the starboard deflection device with water when the watercraft leans to a corresponding one of the port side and the starboard side during turning causes the multihull watercraft to pitch forward and reduce a turning radius thereof toward the corresponding one of the port side and the starboard side.

21. The multihull watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the upper tunnel surface is part of at least one of:
the deck; and
at least one of the at least three hulls.

22. A multihull watercraft comprising:
a deck;
a port side hull connected to the deck;
a starboard side hull connected to the deck; and
a central hull disposed connected to the deck and being disposed between the port side hull and the starboard side hull,
the port side hull and the central hull defining a port side tunnel therebetween,
the starboard side hull and the central hull defining a starboard si

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Jaziri Chadley
• Adamczyk Rick
• Umstattd Bryan

Classifications

• B63B3/48

  Decks (planking B63B5/06) · CPC title

• B63H11/00

  Marine propulsion by water jets · CPC title

• B63B1/18

  of hydroplane type · CPC title

• B63B3/38

  Keels (movable keels B63B41/00) · CPC title

• B63B39/061

  by using trimflaps, i.e. flaps mounted on the rear of a boat, e.g. speed boat · CPC title