AU710429B2 - A rowing skiff - Google Patents

Description

Ud JHN '96 14:18 BALDWIN SON CRREY64-9- 37 32 1 23- P.4 la BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to rowing skiffs.

To the present time various proposals have been put forward in order to improve the performance of rowing skiffs where at the level of international competition a difference of even just one second can be that between gold and silver medals.

The term "rowing skiff" is used for the purposes of the present specification by way of simplicity to refer to any craft intended for rowing and for the use of one or more rowers. Typically rowing skiffs can involve one, two, four or eight rowers.

In all skiffs there is a need for the characteristics of stiffness and rigidity longitudinally laterally and torsionally as deformation on any axis will result in a loss of performance.

In achieving such stiffness and rigidity it is not acceptable to increase the weight of the structure as skiff hull weights must be kept to a minimum in order to maximise performance.

08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 08 JAN '96 14:19 BALDWIN SON CAREY64-9-3732123- 2 Existing skills use wood or a composite sandwich construction. Inherent problems with these construction methods include lack of impact strength, insufficient fleural rigidity and poor ergonomics due to internal structural members. One possibility for overcoming these is to use solid laminate composites.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is thus an object of the present invention to "provide a rowing skiff and/or a method of constructing same which will overcome or at least obviate problems in such skiffs and their manufacture to the present time or which at least will provide the public with a useful choice.

Further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a rowing skiff comprising a hull having therewithin one or more compartments to accommodate a rower, a rigger provided for each rower 08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 3 compartment and connected therewith, a unitary deck assembly extending about an upper perimeter of the or each compartment and adapted to accommodate longitudinal, lateral and torsional loads.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a rowing skiff as above defined has said unitary deck assembly provided as a box section.

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According to a further aspect of the present invention a method of constructing a rowing skiff comprises: *r ooeo i. providing a hull with one or more rower compartments; •ii. forming a unitary deck assembly so as to "extend about an upper perimeter of the or each rower compartment; iii. providing a rigger for an oar of each rower compartment and connecting same with said deck assembly; iv. whereby said deck assembly is adapted to accommodate longitudinal, lateral and torsional forces present in said skiff.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a 08 JRN '96 14:20 BRLDWIN SON CRREY64-9-3732123-

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4 skiff and/or a skiff substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Further aspects of this invention which should be considered in all its novel aspects will become apparent from the following description given by way of example of possible embodiments thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein: c o*o oooe oo oo o *r Figure 1: Figure 2: shows diagrammatically a rower compartment of a standard construction of a rowing skiff.

shows diagrammatically a rower compartment of a rowing skiff according to one possible embodiment in the invention.

shows diagrammatically a cross-sectional view through a rowing skiff according to one possible embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3: 08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 08 JRN '96 14:20 BALDWIN SON CAREY64-9-3732123- 5 Figure 4: Figure 5: shows a perspective part cross-sectional view of a skiff according to one possible embodiment in the invention.

shows diagrammatically a perspective crosssectional view along the longitudinal axis of a skiff according to one possible embodiment in the invention.

shows a part cross-sectional view in the direction of arrows AA of figure shows a perspective view of a rower compartment according to a further embodiment of the invention.

shows a plan view of compartment shown in figure 7.

Figure 7: Figure 8: Referring to accompanying drawings, figure 1 shows a standard construction provided for a single compartment or "seat" of a typical rowing skiff with a hull 1, outriggers 2, oar placement 3 and seat 4 on track 5. The track 5 is provided on a deck 6 with upper bracing members 7 and a lower bulk head 8 connected with the hull 1. Constructions of the type of figure 1 are 08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 08 JRN '96 14:21 BRLDIN SON CRREY64-g-3732123- P.9 6 not user friendly in that in achieving a required longitudinal and lateral rigidity within a prescribed weight results in inhibited freedom of movement for the rower with a consequential detriment to the rower's performance.

Such constructions are typically of a composite foam laminate and have also tended to be easily damaged.

Referring to figure 2, a rowing skiff according to one possible embodiment in the invention is referenced *generally by arrow 10 and is shown provided with a hull 11 having an upper deck or platform 12 to which one or more outriggers 13 are connected, a pair of riggers 13 and 13A being shown in figure 2. The second rigger 13A may be omitted if appropriate. An oar gate 14 is shown provided at the free end of the one or more riggers 13.

A channel or track 15 provides a longitudinal guide for the movement of a seat 16. A bulk head 17 is shown provided and secured between the deck 12 and the bottom portion of the hull 11. The connection between the end portion 18 of the outrigger 13 and the deck 12 may preferably be adjustable by means of bolts-or the like 19 securable at alternative positions along a track the like provided for the deck 12.

08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 08 JFN '96 14:21 BRLDWIN SON CAREY64-9-373 2 12 3- P.1 7 It is seen that the rigger 13 provides a triangulation with the rower positioned on the seat 16 such that the forces generated along the rigger 13 during a rowing action are developed at or adjacent the foot area of the rower which efficiently transfers the resultant forces.

The deck or platform 12 provides an integral or unitary construction about each rower compartment which enables the omission of the transverse structural members such as 30 which are shown in figure 1, and are present in existing rower compartments, inhibiting the freedom of movement of the rower.

The deck or platform 12 is able to accommodate the longitudinal lateral and torsional forces generated during rowing including those forces developed along the rigger(s) 13 which are directly transmitted to the deck 12.

In accommodating these forces, the unitary or integral construction of the deck 12 will be apparent from the figures 3 onwards. As shown in figure 3, in the cross-sectional view through the compartment of figure 2, the deck 12 is shown formed of a substantially box shaped section. Suitably the deck 12 may consist of 08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 08 JAN '96 14:22 BRLDWIN SON CAREY64-9-3732123- P.11 8 a pair of transverse box sections 20 connected together with a pair of elongate longitudinal box sections 21 on either side thereof so as to form the composite deck 12.

As shown particularly in figures 4 and 6, radiused corners 22 can be provided at the inter-connection of the longitudinal and lateral box sections.

While box sections 20, 21 are shown for the deck 12, any alternative cross-sectional members, having the prerequisite load bearing characteristics, could be provided, as well be apparent to those skilled in the engineering arts.

Suitably the deck 12 and the hull 11 may be formed from any lightweight but strong material and by any suitable technique. However, carbon fibre is a preferred material utilising vacuum lay-up technology, in conjunction with an autoclave system, which through a combination of high pressure and temperature is able to force a much greater proportion of resin out of the product. This can result in a hull 11 which is high in fibre and low in resin, ie.-is both light and strong.

While a bulk head 17, is shown connected to the hull 11 along the elongate structural members 27, 28, it 08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 08 JAN '96 14:22 BALDWIN SON CRREY64-9-3732123- P.12 9 is envisaged that the bulk head 17 could be omitted, due to the sufficient structural characteristics provided by the deck 12 and hull 11.

In the alternative embodiment shown in figure 7 and 8, it can be seen that the same general deck construction has been retained with the hull 11, deck 12 and cross members 17 all being provided as per the previous embodiments. However, in this embodiment, the rigger 13 is provided to project from a position behind the rower's seat and project forward towards the oar .gate 14. The previous embodiment as shown in figure 2 relied on a vertical pin to hold the oar gate 14 onto the top of the riggers 13 and 13A. In some circumstances bending of the pin retaining the oar gate 14 onto the riggers could cause a variation in the blade entry angle through the normal rowing action and may be detrimental as a result. In the revised arrangement, the oar gate 14 is supported directly from the end of "the cantilevered rigger 13. This may allow the forces generated through the rowing action to bear more directly onto the rigger 13 and reduce the movement of the oar gate 14 throughout the stroke.

The seat 16 is shown to slide on a track dependent from the deck 12. In a further alternative 08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 08 JRN '96 14:23 DRLDWIN SON CRREY64-9-3732123- P. 13 10 embodiment, the seat 16 could be supported on a track adjacent and/or connected to support members 27 which run longitudinally within the hull 11 on either side.

This may lower the position of the seat 16 within the compartment and allow for a better distribution of the rower's weight on the hull 11.

Thus it can be seen that the invention provides a rowing skiff having a unitary deck assembly which provides structural integrity to the hull as a whole and yet seeks to minimise restrictions on the movement of the rower. The choice of materials and manufacturing method as well as the design allow a relatively light and strong skiff to be provided.

Incorporation of the deck assembly adjacent an upper edge of the hull allows the riggers and the load from the riggers during use to be supported, in this instance across both sides of the hull and through the box sections running longitudinally adjacent the upper edges. This dispersion of the load from the riggers minimises torsion in the hull itself as a result of this load.

It will be appreciated that, in use, significant loads are transferred from the oar gate through the 08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 08 JAW '96 14:23 BALDWIN SON CRREY64-9-3732123- P.14 11 rigger onto the hull. In some embodiments it may not be necessary to provide cross members 20 across the hull structure as the rigger 13 and the loads carried thereby may be transferred through the longitudinal box sections 12 adjacent the upper edges of the hull and extra support may be provided by the additional support members 17. In this preferred form, the additional box sections 20 allow transmission of the load from each of the riggers across the hull and spreads the load more evenly across the entire structure.

Although the preferred embodiment generally refers to box sections 12 and 20, other structural members could be provided.

Aside from the extra movement available to a rower in this preferred form, the support of the hull adjacent this upper edge at or adjacent which the rigger 13 is connected reduces deformation of the hull in use and, in the embodiment shown in figures 7 and 8, allows for a 4 4 cantilevered rigger 13 as opposed to the arrangement shown on figure 2 in which two riggers 13 and 13A are provided for each rower.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to specific components or integers of the 08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 08 JRN '96 14:24 BRLDNIN SON CAREY64-9-3732123- 12 invention having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434] 13 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS 1. A rowing skiff comprising a hull having therewithin one or more compartments to accommodate a rower, a rigger provided for each rower compartment and connected therewith, a unitary deck assembly extending about an upper perimeter of the or each compartment and adapted to accommodate longitudinal, lateral and torsional loads.

2. A rowing skiff as claimed in claim 1 wherein said unitary deck assembly is provided to extend from or adjacent an upper edge of said hull.

3. A rowing skiff as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said unitary deck assembly at least

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partially comprises a box section.

a a S 4. A rowing skiff as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said hull and unitary deck assembly are formed from carbon fibre material.

A method of constructing a rowing skiff comprises: i. providing a hull with one or more rower compartments;

Claims (2)

1. 6. A method of constructing a rowing skiff as claimed in claim 5 wherein said deck assembly is formed to extend from or adjacent an upper edge of said hull.
2. 9.9. 9 7. A method of constructing a rowing skiff as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein said unitary deck assembly is at least partially formed from a box section. 8. A method of constructing a rowing skiff as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein said hull and deck assembly are formed from carbon fibre materials. ~1~1_ I 15 9. A method of constructing a rowing skiff substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing figures 2 to 8. A rowing skiff substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing figures 2 to 8. DATED this 14th day of July 1999 INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH LIMITED and MARTEN MARINE INDUSTRIES LIMITED By their Attorneys CULLEN CO 0 08 JAN '96 14:26 BRLDNIN SON CAREY64-9-3732123- ABSTRACT This invention provides a rowing skiff and a method of constructing such a skiff which provides a deck assembly or similar structural members adjacent the upper edge of the hull. The provision of the deck assembly at this point allows loads from the riggers to be supported by the deck assembly to provide improved stiffness and rigidity through the hull as a whole. In addition, a deck of this type allows a greater degree of freedom to the rower by limiting the intrusion of the deck about each rowing compartment. *oo o I 08/01 '96 MON 11:18 [TX/RX NO 5434]