Watercraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9517824-B1
Application number	US-201113222554-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2011
Priority date	Aug 31, 2011
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

A watercraft kit includes a watercraft and a buoyant removable rear extension optionally connected to a rear of the watercraft. The watercraft includes a hull having a transom and a deck disposed above the hull. The deck is supported by the hull. A propulsion system is operatively connected to an engine for expelling a stream of water rearward of the transom to propel the watercraft. When the removable extension is connected to the rear of the watercraft, the removable rear extension is disposed at least in part rearwardly of the transom. The removable rear extension defines a longitudinal channel. When the removable extension is connected to the rear of the watercraft, the channel receives at least one of at least a portion of the propulsion system, and at least a portion of the stream of water flowing therethrough when the propulsion system is operating to propel the watercraft forwardly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A watercraft comprising:
a hull having a transom;
a deck disposed above the hull, the deck being supported by the hull, the hull and the deck defining an engine compartment therebetween, the deck comprising a pedestal;
an engine disposed in the engine compartment forward of the transom;
a propulsion system operatively connected to the engine for expelling a stream of water rearward of the transom to propel the watercraft, the propulsion system including a jet pump;
a straddle seat supported by the pedestal, the straddle seat being selected from a first straddle seat having a first length and a second straddle seat having a second length, the second length being greater than the first length; and
a buoyant removable rear extension optionally connected to a rear of the watercraft,
the first straddle seat being selected when the rear extension is removed from the rear of the watercraft, the second straddle seat being selected when the rear extension is connected to the rear of the watercraft,
when supported by the pedestal, the second straddle seat extending further rearward than the first straddle seat supported by the pedestal,
when connected to the rear of the watercraft, the removable rear extension being disposed at least in part rearwardly of the transom, at least a bottom surface of the removable rear extension forming a substantially continuous surface with the hull, the removable rear extension defining a longitudinal channel,
the channel receiving at least one of:
at least a portion of the propulsion system, and
at least a portion of the stream of water flowing through the propulsion system when the propulsion system is operating to propel the watercraft forwardly.

2. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the removable rear extension is optionally connected to at least one of a rear of the deck and a rear of the hull.

3. The watercraft of claim 2 , wherein the removable rear extension includes:
a deck portion optionally connected to the rear of the deck; and
a hull portion optionally connected to the rear of the hull,
the deck portion and the hull portion being connected to each other,
the deck portion receiving an edge of the rear of the deck, and
the hull portion receiving an edge of the rear of the hull.

4. The watercraft of claim 3 , wherein a bottom surface of a front of the hull portion is substantially vertically aligned with a bottom surface of the rear of the hull.

5. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the removable rear extension abuts the transom.

6. The watercraft of claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of a front face of the removable rear extension is shaped to be congruent with the transom.

7. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein portions of the removable rear extension disposed laterally outwardly of the channel form at least two compartments.

8. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the removable rear extension includes at least two foam inserts disposed inside the removable rear extension.

9. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein a rear face of the removable rear extension is tapered.

10. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the straddle seat extends rearwardly from the pedestal.

11. The watercraft of claim 1 ,
further comprising a pedestal extension optionally connected to the pedestal, the pedestal supporting the first straddle seat when the pedestal extension is not connected to the pedestal,
the pedestal and the pedestal extension supporting the second straddle seat when the pedestal extension is connected to the pedestal.

12. The watercraft of claim 1 , further comprising a steering assembly for steering the watercraft, the steering assembly angularly steering the stream of water expelled by the propulsion system between a maximum port steering position and a maximum starboard steering position; and
wherein the stream of water passes through the channel when the stream of water is steered at the maximum port and starboard steering positions.

13. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the propulsion system further includes a ride plate, and a width of the channel is substantially equal to a width of the ride plate.

14. The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein the channel is laterally aligned with a tunnel of the propulsion system.

15. A method of assembling a watercraft comprising:
providing a hull having a transom;
disposing a deck above the hull, the deck being supported by the hull,
the deck having:
a pedestal,
a left gunnel disposed on a left side of the pedestal,
a left footrest disposed laterally between the left gunnel and the pedestal,
a right gunnel disposed on a right side of the pedestal, and
a right footrest disposed laterally between the right gunnel and the pedestal,

the hull and the deck defining an engine compartment therebetween;
disposing one of a first seat and a second seat on the pedestal laterally between the left and right footrests, the first seat having a first length, the second seat having a second length greater than the first length;
disposing a helm assembly at least in part forward of the one of the first seat and the second seat;
disposing an engine in the engine compartment forward of the transom;
operatively connecting a propulsion system to the engine; and
removably connecting a pedestal extension to a rear of the pedestal for providing additional support to the second seat, the pedestal supporting the first seat without the pedestal extension when the first seat is disposed on the pedestal;
selectively disposing the first seat on the pedestal when the pedestal extension is removed from the pedestal; and
selectively replacing the first seat with the second seat and the pedestal extension, the pedestal extension being removably connected to the pedestal and extending rearwardly therefrom, the second seat being disposed on the pedestal and the pedestal extension,
when disposed on the pedestal and the pedestal extension, the second seat extending further rearward from the pedestal than the first seat disposed on the pedestal.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising removably connecting a buoyant removable rear extension to at least one of a rear of the hull and a rear of the deck when the second seat is disposed on the pedestal.

17. A method of assembling a watercraft,
the watercraft comprising:
a hull having a transom;
a deck disposed above the hull, the deck being supported by the hull, the hull and the deck defining an engine compartment therebetween, the deck having a pedestal;
an engine disposed in the engine compartment forward of the transom;
a propulsion system operatively connected to the engine; and
a helm assembly disposed on the deck forward of the pedestal,

the method comprising:
disposing one of a first seat and a second seat on the pedestal at least in part rearward of the helm assembly, the first seat having a first length, the second seat having a second length greater than the first length;
removably connecting a buoyant removable rear extension to at least one of a rear of the hull and a rear of the deck;
selectively disposing the first seat on the pedestal when the rear extension is removed from the at least one of the rear of the hull and the rear of the deck; and
selectively replacing the first seat with the second seat on the pedestal when the rear extension is removably connected to at least one of the rear of the hull and the rear of the deck,
when disposed on the pedestal, the second seat extending further rearward than the first seat disposed on the pedestal.

18. The method of

Assignees

• Rondeau Pierre
• Spade Sam
• Petit Philippe
• Rudwal Christopher
• Larose Benoit
• Erpelding Simon
• Lettre Andre
• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• Rondeau Pierre
• Spade Sam
• Petit Philippe
• Rudwal Christopher
• Larose Benoit
• Erpelding Simon
• Lettre Andre

Classifications

• B63H11/04

  by means of pumps · CPC title

• B63B34/10 Primary

  Power-driven personal watercraft, e.g. water scooters (water jet propulsion B63H11/00; jet steering B63H25/46); Accessories therefor · CPC title

• B63H11/01

  having means to prevent foreign material from clogging fluid passage way · CPC title

• B63H20/06 Primary

  on an intermediate support · CPC title