Boat having an improved ability to get on plane and improved method of getting a boat on plane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12157540-B2
Application number	US-202318349478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2023
Priority date	Jan 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

A boat includes at least three trim devices positioned aft of the boat's transom. To improve the boat's ability to get on place, each trim device is initially positioned to a deployed position. The speed of the boat is then determined as the boat gains speed. When the speed of the boat exceeds a first predetermined threshold, the first trim device is moved from the deployed position to a non-deployed position. When the speed of the boat exceeds a second predetermined threshold, the second trim device is moved from the deployed position to a non-deployed position. When the speed of the boat exceeds a third predetermined threshold, the third trim device is moved from the deployed position to a non-deployed position. At least one of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds is different from the other two of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A boat comprising:
a hull including a bow, a transom, and port and starboard sides;
at least three trim devices positioned aft of the transom, each of the at least three trim devices being movable between a deployed position and a non-deployed position, a first one of the trim devices being a port-side trim device provided on a port side of the boat's centerline, a second one of the trim devices being a starboard-side trim device provided on a starboard side of the boat's centerline, and a third one of the trim devices being an intermediate trim device provided between the port-side and the starboard-side trim devices, the intermediate trim device being one of (i) a trim tab that, in the deployed position, extends at a downward angle such that at least a portion of the trim tab extends below a bottom edge of the transom or (ii) an interceptor including a blade that extends a distance below a bottom edge of the transom in the deployed position;
a plurality of drive mechanisms, each drive mechanism configured to move a corresponding trim device between the deployed position and the non-deployed position;
a speed sensing device configured to determine the speed of the boat; and
a controller configured to:
receive the speed of the boat from the speed sensing device;
determine whether the speed of the boat exceeds a first predetermined threshold;
actuate the drive mechanism corresponding to the port-side trim device to move the port-side trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds the first predetermined threshold and if the port-side trim device is in the deployed position;
determine whether the speed of the boat exceeds a second predetermined threshold;
actuate the drive mechanism corresponding to the starboard-side trim device to move the starboard-side trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds the second predetermined threshold and if the starboard-side trim device is in the deployed position;
determine whether the speed of the boat exceeds a third predetermined threshold; and
actuate the drive mechanism corresponding to the intermediate trim device to move the intermediate trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds the third predetermined threshold and if the intermediate trim device is in the deployed position,

wherein at least one of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds is different from at least one of the others of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds.

2. The boat of claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold are the same.

3. The boat of claim 1 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is greater than the first and second predetermined thresholds.

4. The boat of claim 1 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is less than the first and second predetermined thresholds.

5. The boat of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate trim device is the trim tab.

6. The boat of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate trim device is the interceptor.

7. The boat of claim 1 , wherein the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device are trim tabs.

8. The boat of claim 7 , wherein each of the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device extends at a downward angle in the deployed position such that at least a portion of the trim tab extends below a bottom edge of the transom.

9. The boat of claim 8 , wherein the downward angle of at least one of the port-side trim device, the starboard-side trim device, and the intermediate trim device in the deployed position is different from the downward angle of at least one of the others of the port-side trim device, the starboard-side trim device, and the intermediate trim device in the deployed position.

10. The boat of claim 1 , wherein the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device are interceptors.

11. The boat of claim 10 , wherein each of the interceptors includes a blade that extends a distance below a bottom edge of the transom in the deployed position.

12. A method of operating a boat having at least three trim devices, each of the at least three trim devices being movable between a deployed position and a non-deployed position, a first one of the trim devices being a port-side trim device provided on a port side of the boat's centerline, a second one of the trim devices being a starboard-side trim device provided on a starboard side of the boat's centerline, and a third one of the trim devices being an intermediate trim device provided between the port-side and the starboard-side trim devices, the intermediate trim device being one of (i) a trim tab that, in the deployed position, extends at a downward angle such that at least a portion of the trim tab extends below a bottom edge of the transom or (ii) an interceptor including a blade that extends a distance below a bottom edge of the transom in the deployed position, the method comprising:
determining the speed of the boat;
moving the port-side trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds a first predetermined threshold and if the port-side trim device is in the deployed position;
moving the starboard-side trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds a second predetermined threshold and if the starboard-side trim device is in the deployed position; and
moving the intermediate trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds a third predetermined threshold and if the intermediate trim device is in the deployed position,
wherein at least one of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds is different from at least one of the others of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold are the same.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is greater than the first and second predetermined thresholds.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is less than the first and second predetermined thresholds.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the intermediate trim device is the trim tab.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the intermediate trim device is the interceptor.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device are trim tabs, and
wherein each of the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device extends at a downward angle in the deployed position.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device are interceptors, and
wherein each of the interceptors includes a blade and, in the deployed position, the blade of each trim device extends a distance below a bottom edge of the transom.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon sequences of instruction for executing the method of claim 12 .

Assignees

• Mastercraft Boat Co Llc

Inventors

• Huyge Matthew J
• Myers Michael D
• Sheedy Darren S
• Ekern David F

Classifications

• B63B79/10

  using sensors, e.g. pressure sensors, strain gauges or accelerometers · CPC title

• B63B34/70

  Arrangements on vessels specially adapted for generating waves for surfing, wakeboarding or the like, e.g. ballast tanks · CPC title

• B63B39/061

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

• B63B1/32

  Other means for varying the inherent hydrodynamic characteristics of hulls · CPC title

• B63B1/286

  using flaps · CPC title