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-2018201342-A1
Application number	US-201815918022-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 12, 2018
Priority date	Jan 22, 2015
Publication date	Jul 19, 2018
Grant date	—

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

1 - 40 . (canceled)

41 . 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, 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, each of the at least three trim devices being movable between a deployed position and a non-deployed position, the deployed position being a position in which the respective trim device is configured to create an upward force on the boat as the boat moves through the water; 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:
actuate the plurality drive mechanisms to move each of the at least three trim devices to the deployed position;
receive the speed of the boat from the speed sensing device;
determine when 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 the speed of the boat exceeds the first predetermined threshold;
determine when 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 the speed of the boat exceeds the second predetermined threshold;
determine when 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 the speed of the boat exceeds the third predetermined threshold,
wherein the third predetermined threshold is greater than the first and second predetermined thresholds.

42 . The boat of claim 41 , wherein the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold are the same.

43 . The boat of claim 41 , wherein the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold are between about 14 miles per hour and about 22 miles per hour.

44 . The boat of claim 41 , wherein the first predetermined threshold the second predetermined threshold are between about 14 miles per hour and about 18 miles per hour.

45 . The boat of claim 41 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is between about 14 miles per hour and about 22 miles per hour.

46 . The boat of claim 41 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is between about 18 miles per hour and about 22 miles per hour.

47 . The boat of claim 41 , wherein the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device are trim tabs.

48 . The boat of claim 47 , wherein, in the deployed position each of the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device extends at a downward angle in the deployed position.

49 . The boat of claim 41 , wherein the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device are interceptors.

50 . The boat of claim 49 , wherein each of the interceptors includes a blade that extends a distance below the hull in the deployed in the deployed position.

51 . 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, 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, each of the at least three trim devices being moveable between a deployed position and a non-deployed position, the deployed position being a position in which the respective trim device is configured to create an upward force on the boat as the boat moves through the water; 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:
actuate the plurality drive mechanisms to move each of the at least three trim devices to the deployed position;
receive the speed of the boat from the speed sensing device;
determine when 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 the speed of the boat exceeds the first predetermined threshold;
determine when 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 the speed of the boat exceeds the second predetermined threshold;
determine when 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 the speed of the boat exceeds the third predetermined threshold,
wherein the third predetermined threshold is less than the first and second predetermined thresholds.

52 . The boat of claim 51 , wherein the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold are the same.

53 . The boat of claim 51 , wherein the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold are between about 14 miles per hour and about 22 miles per hour.

54 . The boat of claim 51 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is between about 14 miles per hour and about 22 miles per hour.

55 . The boat of claim 51 , wherein the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device are trim tabs.

56 . The boat of claim 55 , wherein, in the deployed position each of the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device extends at a downward angle in the deployed position.

57 . The boat of claim 51 , wherein the port-side trim device and the starboard-side trim device are interceptors.

58 . The boat of claim 57 , wherein each of the interceptors includes a blade that extends a distance below the hull in the deployed in the deployed position.

59 . A method of operating a boat, the method comprising:
moving each of at least three trim devices to a 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 deployed position being a position in which the respective trim device creates an upward force on the

Assignees

• Mastercraft Boat Co Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B63B34/75

  Arrangements of wake plates · CPC title

• B63B34/70

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

• B63B1/32

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

• B63B1/22 Primary

  with adjustable planing surfaces · CPC title

• B63B39/061

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