EP0696981B1 - Ski nautique motorise a hautes performances - Google Patents

Ski nautique motorise a hautes performances Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0696981B1
EP0696981B1 EP95912015A EP95912015A EP0696981B1 EP 0696981 B1 EP0696981 B1 EP 0696981B1 EP 95912015 A EP95912015 A EP 95912015A EP 95912015 A EP95912015 A EP 95912015A EP 0696981 B1 EP0696981 B1 EP 0696981B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
rider
water
craft
hull
high speed
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EP95912015A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0696981A1 (fr
EP0696981A4 (fr
Inventor
Robert E. Montgomery
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Individual
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Individual
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Priority claimed from US08/393,171 external-priority patent/US5582529A/en
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Publication of EP0696981A4 publication Critical patent/EP0696981A4/fr
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02B—INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL
    • F02B61/00—Adaptations of engines for driving vehicles or for driving propellers; Combinations of engines with gearing
    • F02B61/04—Adaptations of engines for driving vehicles or for driving propellers; Combinations of engines with gearing for driving propellers
    • F02B61/045—Adaptations of engines for driving vehicles or for driving propellers; Combinations of engines with gearing for driving propellers for marine engines
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B34/00—Vessels specially adapted for water sports or leisure; Body-supporting devices specially adapted for water sports or leisure
    • B63B34/10—Power-driven personal watercraft, e.g. water scooters; Accessories therefor
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02B—INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL
    • F02B1/00—Engines characterised by fuel-air mixture compression
    • F02B1/02—Engines characterised by fuel-air mixture compression with positive ignition
    • F02B1/04—Engines characterised by fuel-air mixture compression with positive ignition with fuel-air mixture admission into cylinder

Definitions

  • the present invention introduces a new category of motorized personal water craft: a high speed, high thrust, high performance craft with no steering mechanism for turning.
  • the present invention is a stable, maneuverable, high speed motorized water ski suitable for use by a single rider standing on a rear deck. The rider may turn the water craft according to the present invention solely through his body position, stance and weight distribution. Exceptional speed, maneuverability and rider/craft stability are achieved by a unique and precisely calculated combination of several design parameters including, thrust, speed, weight, engine power, buoyancy, placement of mechanical components to provide a precisely located center of gravity, bottom hull/rail configuration and hull structure.
  • Prior art motorized personal water craft include: (a) high powered, high speed craft with swivel jet steering mechanisms (devices) for turning; (b) low speed, low performance craft with rudders and other steering mechanisms for turning; and (c) low speed, low performance craft with no steering mechanism for turning.
  • the inertia of the rider's body causes the rider to tend to travel in a straight line.
  • the rider feels it move laterally under him as he continues to tend to move in a straight line. Therefore, in executing turns with such personal water craft, the standing rider's body moves from side to side relative to the craft. Sudden turns can cause the rider to lose his sense of balance.
  • a movable pump nozzle is used to turn one type of prior art jet-driven standup water craft that is commonly referred to as a Jet Ski.
  • the nozzle is directed away from the longitudinal axis in a plane generally parallel to the water.
  • the nozzle then causes a torque or moment about a vertical axis through the net center of gravity of the craft and rider.
  • the stern of the craft rotates to starboard while the bow turns to port. This movement of the bow and stern is due to the fact that the craft will pivot about its net center of gravity, which is located far forward of the rider.
  • a personal water craft is expected to attain speeds of between 30 and 55 miles per hour (approximately 50 to 88 km/hr).
  • a desirable feature of high performance personal water craft is the capability of turning and maneuvering the craft solely by movement of the rider's body.
  • Currently available high speed personal motorized water craft do not provide the capability of being controlled by rider stance and weight distribution. Rather, the body movement associated with the rider of the present day water craft is only in reaction to the directional thrust of a water jet or other turning mechanism in order to maintain stability to prevent the rear mounted rider from being thrown from the craft during maneuvers.
  • United States Patent 3,548,778 to Von Smagala-Romanov discloses a self-propelled surfboard having a propeller that is driven by an internal combustion engine.
  • the propeller is located in a recess in the bottom of the board.
  • the propeller blade is housed within a shield to prevent the blade from contacting a swimmer or the rider if he should fall off the board.
  • the internal combustion engine is mounted within a cavity located centrally of the front and rear ends of the board.
  • the driving propeller is mounted closely behind the engine so as to be generally under the deck portion where a rider would stand.
  • Von Smagala-Romanov discloses a low power, low speed craft that cannot be made to turn without the use of a rudder, movable jet or other mechanical steering apparatus.
  • Von Smagala-Romanov discloses that his device could be made steerable by incorporating an optional mechanized fin using appropriate cables controlled by rider. By indicating that the craft can be made steerable by using a rudder, movable jet, mechanized fin or other mechanical steering apparatus, Von Smagala-Romanov shows that he did not consider the location of the center of gravity as being a factor in turning.
  • Von Smagala-Romanov It is evident from the disclosure of Von Smagala-Romanov that the location of the net center of gravity of the craft and rider has nothing to do with the steering or maneuvering of the Von Smagala-Romanov craft. Furthermore, careful study of the Von Smagala-Romanov device indicates that it is a low buoyancy craft that would support only a light-weight rider.
  • Von Smagala-Romanov is necessarily a low power, low speed craft incapable of a speed anywhere near 30 miles per hour. Careful study of the Von Smagala-Romanov device further indicates that it would accommodate only a small engine that would provide insufficient thrust to produce short radius turns.
  • the hull structure of Von Smagala-Romanov is suitable only for low speeds of less than about 8 miles per hour. Any greater speed would raise a safety issue.
  • the drive mechanism (propeller) in the Von Smagala-Romanov craft is located under the rider, exterior to the hull and forward of the stabilizing fin. This underwater location of the drive mechanism would not be efficient or suitable for placement of a high-thrust jet flow pump.
  • Von Smagala-Romanov does not take into account the critical placement of mechanical components in relationship to the position of its rider in order to achieve acceptable performance even at low speed. In the position of the rider relative to the position of the lower weight mechanical components shown, the rider's weight would dominate. The bow would be raised significantly out of the water, thus producing unacceptable resistance to forward motion. This type of resistance to forward motion is sometimes referred to as the "ploughing effect.” If the rider were to move forward to level the craft, assuming there enough flotation for such movement, he would be inconveniently standing where the vent tube and hand control are located.
  • Trotet uses a low center of gravity that is below the water line to stabilize the board against overturning.
  • the location of the center of gravity in Trotet has absolutely nothing to do with the turning or maneuvering of the craft.
  • Trotet like Von Smagala-Romanov, teaches the steering and maneuvering of the craft using a moveable rudder or steering mechanism. In the Trotet craft the net center of gravity is forward of the rider so that during a turn, the stem slides to the left or right, depending on the direction of the turn, which thereby destabilizes the standing rider.
  • Trotet with an 80 cc engine capable of no more than 5 to 8 miles per hour and 50 pounds of thrust, teaches a low speed leisure craft rather than a high speed performance craft.
  • the rider of the low speed board of Trotet would be unstable during takeoff while standing on the rear deck.
  • the Trotet board has insufficient thrust for safely making short radius turns even at low speeds because of its forward pivot point and large vertical profile keel, which causes increased water resistance during turns.
  • Replacing the small engine of Trotet with a larger engine, even if the hull were redesigned to accommodate it, would not enable the Trotet craft to have high speed performance features.
  • United States Patent 3,608,512 to Thompson discloses a boat hull that is provided with its own propulsion unit and that accommodates a standing rider.
  • Thompson discloses a substantially flat-bottomed hull filled with buoyant material and having an upwardly open, longitudinally extending compartment that is open rearwardly at the stern of the hull for accommodating an operator in a standing position.
  • a pair of elongate, longitudinally extending singly formed, narrow fins extend laterally of the compartment.
  • the flat bottom surface merges arcuately into the inner faces of the fins and is preferably provided with elongate, longitudinally extending grooves intermediate the fins.
  • a shrouded propeller, jet orifice, or other suitable arrangement is positioned at the stern directly below the open rear end of the compartment and between the fins.
  • a well in the hull near the bow in front of the compartment serves to receive an internal combustion engine.
  • the large bow mounted engine places the net craft plus rear mounted standing rider such that the pivot point on turns would be far in front of the rider, which destabilizes him as described previously. Therefore, this relatively bulky craft would not be capable of executing responsive, stable high speed turns or safe, short radius low speed turns and maneuvers.
  • United States Patent 3,406,653 to Mela discloses a four foot long, nine pound powered float board which cannot accommodate a standing rider.
  • the engine is relatively openly exposed to water and has no bilge pump.
  • the Mela device is capable speeds of only a few miles per hour. Having no sealed engine housing and no bilge pump renders the disclosed device unsuitable for high performance use.
  • the float board has no rails that would permit it to make high-speed turns.
  • the Surf Jet motorized water craft has a top speed of about 22 miles per hour.
  • the Surf Jet has a rear-mounted engine in a compartment that extends a considerable distance above the water line.
  • the heavy, stern mounted engine causes the stem of this craft to sit very low in the water unless the rider stands a considerable distance in front of the engine.
  • the center of gravity of this craft is located within about 20% of the total craft length measured from the stern. The rider is forced to stand at or forward of the craft midlength in order to balance the heavy stern mounted engine and centrifugal pump and to avoid the large vertical protrusion of the engine housing.
  • the Surf Jet utilizes a maximum 17 HP vertically mounted engine, vertical drive shaft and an inefficient (relative to an axial flow pump) centrifugal jet pump that produces a maximum thrust of about 130 pounds. It is obvious that the center of gravity was not considered in balancing this craft. Increasing the size of the engine and pump to achieve more thrust and performance would be impractical because this would further deteriorate the balance and stability of the craft.
  • the Surf Jet design is essentially a low performance craft because the engine must be small in order to keep the rider from having to stand near the bow of the craft to balance it and keep the bow from being too high above the water line. If the net center of gravity is too close to the stern, then at moderate speeds, the bow begins to lift, which causes instability and the ploughing effect.
  • a motorised surf board that has some but not all of the characteristics of the motorised water ski of the present invention is disclosed in US-A-3 262 413, over which the present invention is characterised.
  • a motorized water ski according to the present invention has stability and maneuverability for a standing rider at both low and high speeds.
  • the motorized water ski according to the present invention comprises a hull having a bow, a stem, a deck sized to accommodate the standing rider.
  • the hull further includes a hydroplane surface formed on a bottom hull surface and a longitudinal axis extending from the bow to the stern.
  • the motorized water ski also further includes a jet pump fixedly mounted in the stern for discharging a propelling stream of water outwardly from the stern in a direction fixed to be generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the motorized water ski.
  • a motor is disposed within the hull for driving the jet pump. The motor is mounted in the hull forward of the deck where the rider stands.
  • the motor and jet pump are mounted within the hull such that the motorised water ski has a riderless center of gravity that is within an envelope located beneath the deck and aft of the motor.
  • the location of the riderless motorised water ski centre of gravity causes the location of the net center of gravity of the motorised water ski and rider standing on the deck to be within the region of the envelope of the body of the rider
  • the location of the net center of gravity of the motorised water ski and rider located on the deck enable the rider to maneuver and turn the high speed motorised water ski by adjusting his position and weight distribution on the deck to move the net center of gravity.
  • the motorised water ski further comprises a pair of curved side rails formed on opposite sides of the hull; a hull bottom (58) having a first "V"-shaped portion (194A, 194B) forward of the widest beam portion (182A, 182B) of the hull (16), the first "V" shape (194A, 194B) transitioning aft along the hull bottom (58) to a flat keel (17) and then to a second "V” shaped portion (195A 195B) between the hydroplane surface (180) and the curved side rails (190A, 190B), the second "V” shaped portion (195A and 195B), the curved side rails (190A, 190B) cooperating with the riders movement of the net center of gravity (120) to enable smooth transition from startup to high speed planing and easy initiation and execution of high and low speed turns;
  • FIGS. 1a-1c there is shown a high speed motorized water ski 10 according to the present invention as it may be used by a rear mounted standing rider 12.
  • FIG. 1a is a perspective view of the motorized water ski 10 as it is manipulated through a controlled high speed, high g-force turn at speeds of 30 miles per hour (approximately 50 km/hr) or more.
  • FIG. 1b is a perspective view of the motorized water ski 10 as it is manipulated through a lower speed, short radius, high thrust turn.
  • FIG. 1c is a perspective view of the motorized water ski 10 as it is manipulated through a vertical spin turn maneuver. This turning of the high speed motorized water ski 10 as shown in FIGS.
  • the motorized water ski 10 generally includes a hull 16 that has a bow 18, a stem 20 and a rear deck portion 22.
  • the rear deck portion 22 is sized for accommodating a standing rider as shown in FIGS. 1a-1c and 14.
  • the deck portion 22 has also been designed to accommodate a prone rider 12, shown in Figure 1D, who is able to easily mount the ski in deep water from the stern.
  • the capability of the rider 12 to mount the motorized water ski 10 from the stern 20 is a significant advantage over the Surf Jet. Mounting the motorized water ski 10 from the rear decreases the likelihood that it will turn over during the mounting process.
  • a chest cavity depression 23, shown in FIG. 16, is preferably molded in the deck 22, to improve the comfort of the rider 10 as he operates the craft in a prone position.
  • FIGS. 1a-1c and 13-16 Also shown in FIGS. 1a-1c and 13-16 is a flexible arm pole 26, described hereinafter in greater detail, along with an engine compartment hood 28, hood latches 30, a fire extinguisher compartment cover 34, a master power switch 36, a bilge pump outlet 38, access covers 42A and 42B and fins 44A, 44B, 46A and 46B.
  • the fins 44A, 44B, 46A and 46B may be either fixed or retractable upon impact and may vary in horizontal and vertical dimension.
  • the hull 16 is preferably made from molds (not shown) suitable for fiberglass molding using appropriate resins. Such molds and techniques for fiberglass molding are well-known and are therefore not described herein.
  • the hull 16 includes a bottom shell 50, a top shell 52 and a top deck 54.
  • the bottom shell 50, the top shell 52 and the top deck 54 are all bonded to one another with a suitable bonding agent to form a monolithic structure when the hull 16 is fully assembled.
  • the mold assembly (not shown) includes a bottom mold, an interior mold and a top deck mold.
  • the bottom mold produces a jet pump housing compartment 60 and the entire bottom hull shape 58 from bow 18 to stem 20 and half way up the entire contoured side rails 190A, 190B at a parting line.
  • the interior mold produces the entire engine compartment and compartments for other mechanical components described herein.
  • the contoured compartments 64, 66, 68 are outlined with a continuous vertical contoured overflowing wall that rises up and over onto the outside complex curved side rails 190A and 190B, shown in FIG. 6, that meet half way down the rail to the bottom mold.
  • the unique design precisely locates the mechanical components to obtain the desired location of the craft center of gravity.
  • the hull design also forms the interior and bottom walls to produce the longitudinal stiffness and strength of the entire hollow hull 16.
  • the bottom shell 50 and the interior shell 52 while in their respective molds are injected or poured with close cell foam and sandwiched or clamped together until cured with the interior flange mold.
  • the top deck mold produces the entire contoured deck 54 and half of the rails 190A and 190B, minus the engine compartment hood 28.
  • the top deck shell 54 in the mold is adhesively bonded together with a suitable resin or other adhesive of choice with the bottom mold.
  • the molds are opened after curing the part.
  • the top deck shell 54, the interior shell 52 and bottom shell 50 match at the same parting line and become one part. This produces a finished very high strength, high stiffness monolithic structure integrally reinforced in both the longitudinal and transverse directions that is not disclosed or suggested in the prior art.
  • the combination of the bonded contoured composite shaped top deck, shell 50 interior shell 52 and bottom shell 54 seals the entire water craft from any water intake into the hull foam and gives the hull 16 excellent flotation and strength superior to all previous motorized personal water craft.
  • This sophisticated light composite shaped product and mold design allows the craft 10 to be assembled faster on an assembly line than other motorized high performance personal water craft such as Jet Skis and sit-down craft. The only assembly steps are drilling holes, tapping threads and inserting screw-in parts.
  • Typical assembly of prior art watercraft includes gluing top deck, bottom hull and bulk head compartment walls and adding and gluing the foam in most of their assembly lines in fiberglass manufacturing.
  • the bottom shell 50 includes a pair of nose rail rockers 55A and 55B and a pair of curved cross-section side rails 57A and 57B.
  • rocker refers to a vertical upwardly curved structure as viewed from the side of the craft.
  • the bottom shell 50 Near the stem 20, the bottom shell 50 has a pair of tail rail rockers 59A and 59B.
  • the front rail rockers 55A and 55B, the side rails 57A and 57B and the rear rail rockers 59A and 59B facilitate making various types of turns and maneuvers as explained subsequently.
  • the strength and stiffness of the foam sandwich composite hull structure 16 is superior to any prior art personal water craft such as the current swivel jet stand-up (Jet Ski) and sit-down craft, Surf Jet motorized surfboard, or other lower speed craft such as those taught by Von Smagala-Romanov and Trotet.
  • the weaker prior art composite structures typically feature only single composite vertical walls such as in commercial motorized personal watercraft or only reinforcement localized under the rider such as proposed by Sajic for a non-motorized paddle board.
  • the structure of the hull 16 is critical for supporting the rider 12 and internal components in the craft 10 as it is exposed to the combined stresses from high normal and torsional loads due to high speed, high g-force turns; impact loads from the hull interacting with choppy seas at high speeds; high deck loads from aerial jumps, and vibration loads from the engine 108.
  • the hull 16 and the side rails 190A and 190B are constructed from low density closed cell foam core encapsulated by continuous fiber reinforced composite materials from bow 18 to stem 20. This unique monolithic curved shell hull assembly 16 is very efficient in reacting the high internal bending moments, shear and torsion loads of the craft created by the previously described maneuvers with minimum deflection and cyclic fatigue damage.
  • the lower shell 50 includes a hull bottom 58 and a jet pump compartment 60 (best shown in FIG. 5).
  • the jet pump drive shaft compartment 61 as shown in FIG. 5 has an access opening 62 therein as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9.
  • the top shell 52 includes generally vertical interior walls 64, 66 and 68, which provide longitudinal strength and stiffness to the high speed motorized water ski 10.
  • the interior walls 64, 66, 68 enclose a bilge pump compartment 71, a fire extinguisher compartment 72, an engine compartment 74, a rear gas tank compartment 76, a rear engine exhaust compartment 77, and engine pod mounts 80 and 82.
  • the fire extinguisher compartment cover 34 and the access covers 42A and 42B may be secured to the top deck 54 in any conventional manner. Sealing rings 73 and 75 are preferably included to provide a water-tight closure.
  • the forward vertical walls 64 join and are continuous with the walls 66.
  • the walls 66 are continuous with the rear interior walls 68 to provide structural strength and stiffness to the water ski 10.
  • the drive shaft compartment 61 is surrounded by a box structure whose top surface bonds in a uniquely strong sandwich with the deck 22.
  • the deck 22 supports the 1000 to 1500 lb. dynamic (approximately 4450 to 6675 N) load of a rider in high g-force turns.
  • the core of the sandwich is an advanced continuous fiber "egg-crate" composite material.
  • a further feature of the structure is the reinforcement of the top deck engine compartment 74 access, utilizing a novel flanged composite lip 79, along with multiple ply composite reinforcement on the deck all around the access opening to the rails 190A and 190B and for a distance of about 6 inches from the bow 18 and stem 20.
  • a mount 84 for a drive shaft coupler 86 formed in the top shell 52 is a mount 84 for a drive shaft coupler 86.
  • a forward mount 90 shown in FIG. 5 may be provided for supporting a battery 92 in a conventional manner by a top plate 94 and bolts 96, best shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.
  • an axial flow jet pump 100 which may be of any suitable commercial design capable of providing thrust preferably above 240 lb. (approximately 1068 Newtons), is secured within the pump compartment 60 by mounting bolts 102.
  • the axial flow jet pump is connected by a drive shaft 104 to the drive shaft coupler 86.
  • An engine drive shaft 106 is also connected to the drive shaft coupler 86.
  • An internal combustion engine 108 is mounted to an engine pod 110 that is secured to the engine pod mounts 80 and 82 by bolts 114.
  • the engine 108 has an output of about 15 to 55 horsepower (approximately 11 to 41 KW) to provide the necessary thrust.
  • the water ski 10 preferably has a dry weight in the range of about 85 pounds to about 155 pounds (approximately 378 to 690 Newtons).
  • the engine 108 is capable of propelling the water ski 10 at speeds up to about 35 miles per hour (approximately 56 km/hr) or more.
  • the engine pod 110 provides means for mounting the engine 108 below the level of the deck 22.
  • the engine 108 is located a short distance in front of the deck 22 where the rider stands.
  • the engine 108, the jet pump 100 and gas tank 115 with recessed gas cap 117 and exhaust system 136 are positioned in the hull to define a net center of gravity 120, shown in FIG. 14, beneath the deck portion 22 and rider 12.
  • This location of the net center of gravity enables the rider 12, standing on the rear deck 22 within the length A, to turn the motorized water ski 10 solely by a shift in his stance or weight distribution on the deck portion 22. Careful selection of the location of the craft center of gravity will be hereinafter discussed in relation to the water ski length.
  • the mid-section, or beam, 182 of the motorized water ski 10 is approximately 27 inches (approximately 69 cm.) wide; and the stern 20 is approximately 15 inches (approximately 38 cm.) wide.
  • the engine 108 may have a maximum height, when mounted, of less than about 10 inches (approximately 25 cm.).
  • the engine 108 may include a conventional pull-start mechanism 124 having a handle 126.
  • the engine may also include an electric starter 127 and a carburetor 128 having a throttle linkage 130, best shown in FIG. 11.
  • the engine 108 After the engine 108 is started, it may be controlled via controls disposed within a hand grip 132, best shown in FIG. 13.
  • the engine 108 may be controlled through the flexible arm pole 26 by way of an electrical relay system.
  • the engine 108 may alternatively have controls that are directly connected to the hand grip 132 by a mechanical cable, not shown.
  • An exhaust system 136 is connected to the engine 108 for providing an acceptable sound level at a small exhaust pipe 140 that extends through an exhaust port hole 19 (FIG. 8).
  • a rubber hose 141 connects the exhaust system 136 to the exhaust pipe 140.
  • the engine 108 and exhaust system 136 are cooled by pumping water from the axial flow jet pump 100.
  • a Venturi intake fitting 101 is connected to a small intake hose 103 and then to another fitting 105 that connects through the rear compartment 76 and then to another fitting 107 on the engine water intake hose 109.
  • the water circulates through the engine to the exhaust cooling line utilizing fitting 111.
  • the pump 100 is fixedly mounted in the stern 20 for discharging a propelling stream of water, as indicated by the dashed lines 142.
  • the propelling stream of water is discharged outwardly from the stern 20 in a single unchangeable direction.
  • the direction of the propelling stream of water is directed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 144 of the motorized water ski 10.
  • Water intake for the pump is provided by an intake grate 148 disposed in the hull bottom 58 as shown in FIG. 15.
  • a central fin 149 may also be mounted along the longitudinal axis 144.
  • the motorized water ski 10 preferably includes a bilge pump 154 connected to the bilge pump outlet 38 by a conventional tube 152, as also shown in FIG. 13.
  • an engine pod cover 150 may be provided for further sound attenuation and additional water sealing of the engine 108 beneath the engine pod hood 28.
  • the engine 108 is sealed within the pod 110 and pod cover 150 to prevent water entrance.
  • the pod 110 and cover 150 and the engine components contained therein are redundantly sealed within the water ski 10 by the engine compartment hood 28 and latches 30, with an appropriate elastomer or inflatable water seal 29 being used at the hood-deck interface.
  • Air intake to the engine 108 is provided by an air intake opening 158, which communicates with the forward compartment 72.
  • One way check valves (not shown) may be used for draining water from the internal cavity without permitting water ingress.
  • any suitable construction materials may be utilized in the fabrication of the motorized water ski 10, with appropriate methods and materials for joining components as necessary.
  • fiberglass, graphite fiber, polyester or epoxy resin and polyurethane or polystyrene foam are suitable materials of construction.
  • FIG. 9 there may be a pair of small openings 41A and 41B in the deck 22. These openings may be sealed by a corresponding pair of O-ring sealed deck plates 42A and 42B that may be removed for providing access to mechanical components under the deck 22.
  • the size of the deck plates 42A and 42B should be only large enough to accommodate a person's hand or hands and tools for clamping these components properly.
  • the design allows a rider to stand and jump on the entire rear deck area 22 at dynamic forces of up to 1500 lb. (approximately 6675 N) during turning or jumping without damaging the deck plates.
  • the small size of these hand access deck plates coupled with the structural design of the inside walls of exhaust 77, drive shaft 60, and gas tank 76 water tight compartments allows convenient, water tight, high strength access for maintenance and installation never before achieved in the personal water craft art.
  • an arm pole air intake 160 communicating with the forward compartment 72 through a tube 162 and fitting 164 provides means for introducing air to the engine 108.
  • the arm pole air intake 160 disposed in the arm pole 26 at a point elevated from the bow, for example, up to 12 inches or more to prevent the entry of water during use.
  • the motorized water ski 10 may be completely submerged during operation up to the arm pole air intake 160 without the introduction of water into the forward compartment 72 or the engine compartment 74.
  • Further protection for the engine is, of course, provided by the sealed arrangement between the pod 110 and pod cover 150 and redundantly by the sealed engine hood 28. Any water entering the forward engine compartment 72 is removed by the bilge pump 154 before it reaches the air intake 158 of the engine pod cover 150.
  • the arm pole air intake 160 is rearwardly facing to reduce water entry during operation of the water ski 10. Manual one-way drain valves 21A and 21B may also be provided.
  • a replaceable safety nose piece 165 preferably formed from rubber or silicone.
  • the nose piece 165 is fitted to the bow 18 by a tongue-in-groove fitting 166 which may be secured by screws or the like (not shown). This a unique feature that is not shown in the prior art.
  • the arm pole 26 terminates in the universal left or right hand grip 132 which includes finger controls 170, preferably a thumb-actuated throttle 170A, a starter 170B and a stop switch 170C connected to the engine 108 either mechanically or electrically for controlling engine speed.
  • the hand grip is configured to be suitable for operation by one hand of the rider 12.
  • the thumb-actuated throttle 170A is a unique safety feature that prevents the rider 12 from inadvertently depressing the throttle if he loses his balance while gripping the hand grip 132 with his other four fingers.
  • the one handed universal left or right hand grip 132 differs from the grips used in the prior art personal watercraft where two-handed handles are required for control and balance. In water skiing a two handed grip is required so that the rider can maintain stability throughout a sharp turn. In the present invention the free hand can be used for balance and leverage while making turns as shown in FIGS. 1a-1c.
  • a dead man switch 172 is attached by a cord 174 to the rider's wrist 176 to cause the engine 108 to turn off should the rider 12 fall from the water ski 10.
  • the details of the dead man switch are not shown here because this is a well-known conventional feature mandated by law in most jurisdictions.
  • the craft center of gravity 121 of the empty, riderless motorized water ski 10 in accordance with the present invention is disposed behind the beam 182A, 182B.
  • the beam is defined as the widest portion of the motorized water ski 10 when it is seen in a plan view.
  • the shape and weight distribution of the hull 16 and the locations of the jet pump 100, the engine 108, gas tank 115, exhaust system 136 and other components of the motorized water ski 10 are selected and formed so that the craft center of gravity 121 is located on a vertical plane lying on the craft longitudinal axis 144, shown in FIG. 11, within the length Z of FIG. 15.
  • the craft center of gravity 121 (FIG. 15) is determined by the structure of the hull 16 and placement of internal components.
  • the structure of the motorized water ski 10 is designed so that its center of gravity 121 falls within an envelope or range located above the flat keel 17 portion (FIG. 4) of the hull 16. Therefore, at high speeds of up 30 miles per hour (approximately 50 km/hr) or more, directional control of the motorized water ski 10 is accomplished by a change in the rider's stance or weight distribution while he is positioned in a preferred location that is approximately over the net center of gravity 120 of the rider 12 and motorized water ski 10.
  • the net center of gravity 120 of the motorized water ski 10 and rider 12 is rearward of the craft center of gravity 121 (shown in FIG. 15) of the riderless motorized water ski 10. It is assumed that the average rider will weigh between about 80 pounds and 250 pounds (approximately 356 to 1112 Newtons).
  • the range, or envelope, of the position of the net center of gravity 120, depending on the rider's weight and position, is shown by the double headed arrow A in FIG. 14.
  • the arrow A represents a range of locations of about 70% to 100% of the length of the motorized water ski 10 measured from the bow 18 and bounded laterally by the side rails 190A and 190B.
  • the riderless center of gravity 121 preferably is disposed more than 50 percent of the length of the water ski 10 from the bow 18 approximately on the longitudinal center line 144. Placement of the craft center of gravity 121 should be in the range or envelope indicated by the double headed arrow Z shown in FIG. 15 which lies behind the bow 18 at least a distance Y.
  • the total length of the water ski is represented by the length of the lines Y + X.
  • the ratio of Y/(Y + X) is preferably between 0.50 and 0.75. Therefore, when the rider of average weight stands on the deck 22, the net center of gravity will lie in the general region of the rider and above the hydroplane surface 180.
  • the structure of the motorized water ski 10 that allows the longitudinal and transverse coordinates of the net center of gravity to lie below the rider is an important feature that permits a change in position and weight distribution of the rear mounted standing rider 12 to be effective in initiating and maintaining a turn of a desired radius in water without the use of a mechanical turning device. This is described in detail subsequently.
  • Another feature of the present motorized water ski 10 is a low profile. Particularly, the profile of the top deck at the stern 20 and deck portion 22 enables a rider to board the motorized water ski while it is in water as shown in FIG. 10.
  • the side rails 190A and 190B run the entire length of the craft and bound the hull bottom 58 on both port and starboard as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and provide the rider stability and precise control during turns as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
  • the rails have complex curve cross-sections 57A and 57B, that assist the rider 12 in achieving the desired sharpness of turns and setting the angle of thrust during turns as explained subsequently.
  • the rails 190A and 190B also have vertical upward curvatures or front rail rockers 55A and 55B at the bow 18 and rear rail rockers 59A and 59B near the stem 20, as shown best in FIG. 6.
  • the front rail rockers 55A and 55B act to decrease drag at low speeds prior to hydroplaning and assist in controlling the sharpness of high speed turns.
  • the rear rail rockers 59A and 59B assist in the control of the sharpness of lower speed, small radius thrust assisted turns.
  • the hull bottom 58 features forward soft low angle "V" surfaces 194A and 194B extending from the bow 18 to the beam 182 and 182 B, which reduce straightway cruising drag at lower speeds prior to hydroplaning.
  • the rear "V' surfaces 195A and 195B extend aft from the beam 182 at an increasingly higher angle to the stern, where they connect the side rails 190A and 190B with the hydrostep 183A and 183B which bound the flat hydroplane surface 180.
  • the forward end of the rear "V' surfaces located between the beam 182 and the beginning of the sharply defined hydrostep 183A and 183B facilitates executing partial sharp zig-zag maneuvers, while the sharp rear portions of the 'V" surfaces 195A and 195B provides leverage for the rider 12 to move from the hydroplane surface 180 to the selected rail 190A or 190B to initiate turns.
  • the hydroplane surface 180 located directly under the deck 22 is bounded by a blended radius with the rear "V" 195A and 195B surfaces forward of the pump water inlet 148 in order to minimize aeration, with the abrupt hydrostep 183A and 183 B beginning aft of the inlet 148 to achieve rapid release of water during transition of the craft 10 to high speed hydroplaning.
  • the hydroplane surface 180 provides stability and low drag efficient operation as soon as the pump 100 provides sufficient thrust to achieve hydroplaning speeds above about 10 miles per hour.
  • the position of the net center of gravity, 120 under the rider 12 as shown in FIG.
  • the flat center keel 17, shown in FIG. 4, extends from forward of the beam 182, then aft to merge with the flat hydrostep 182 which begins at a point forward of the pump inlet grate 148 and proceeds aft in a "mini surfboard" shape as shown best in FIG. 6.
  • the flat center keel 17 helps prevent porpoising of the ski 10 in the water.
  • the unique design of the hull 58, combined with the side rails 190A and 190B and the low net center of gravity 12 positioned underneath the rider 12 provides unique stability for a rear mounted beginning rider. For example if an inexperienced rider leans, by accident, left or right while planing, there is no unstable abrupt tipping from side to side or unstable sliding left or right of the stem 20 which would cause loss of balance and perhaps throwing of the rider off the ski.
  • the craft smoothly transitions from the hydroplane surface 180, through the side "V" surfaces 195A or 195B to the rails 190A or 190B and a gradual sliding turn of the ski is negotiated under control of the rider 12.
  • the fins 44A, 44B, 46A, 46B and 149 which minimize lateral sliding of the water ski 10 in turns.
  • the fins 44A, 44B, 46A, 46B and 149 are disposed in slots 204A, 204B 206A, 206B and 208, respectively, and may be pivotally mounted or spring mounted, not shown, for enabling the fins 44A, 44B, 46A, 46B and 149 to retract into the rear compartments 76 as a safety feature and to enable ramp jumping with the motorized water ski 10.
  • the high performance operation of the craft 10 is directly related to the application of a unique combination of structural features. These feature include thrust, engine power, buoyancy, precisely located craft center of gravity, bottom hull design and side rail design.
  • the axial flow water jet pump 100 in the current invention must deliver sufficient thrust to rapidly accelerate the craft 10 and maintain its speed, which is preferably from 30 miles per hour (approximately 50 km/h) to in excess of 40 miles per hour (approximately 64 km/h).
  • the required thrust for achieving this range of speeds was calculated to be in the range from 130 pounds (approximately 580 Newtons) to about 330 pounds (approximately 1468.5 Newtons).
  • a craft speed of 32 to 35 miles per hour was measured on flat water at a measured pump thrust of about 240 to 265 pounds (approximately 1068 to 1179 Newtons).
  • the engine 108 must have sufficient power to propel the craft 10 and rider at the desired range of speeds stated above.
  • the required engine power depends on the energy consumed per second to move the mass of the rider plus craft 10 through the water at the desired speed. This power is a function of the kinetic energy of the craft 10 and rider plus the work done in overcoming drag forces from the air and water and the efficiency of the jet drive pump system.
  • engine powers For the desired range of speeds and applicable range of rider plus craft 10 weights of from about 250 pounds (approximately 1112 Newtons) minimum to about 400 pounds (approximately 1780 Newtons) maximum, engine powers of from 14 HP (approximately 10.4 KW) to about 55 HP (approximately 41 KW) are required.
  • the relatively high weight of the required highly powered engine 108 ranges from 30% to 50% of the total weight of the craft 10, which requires careful placement of the engine 108 within the hull to allow a rear mounted rider to pivot the craft 10 and perform stable turns without the use of a steering mechanism.
  • the buoyancy of the craft 10 is designed to neutrally support a rider of up to about 250 pounds (approximately 1112 Newtons) while simultaneously supporting an additional 90 to 150 pounds (approximately 400 to 667.5 Newtons) of weight from the craft 10 structure and mechanical components, without submerging the top of the engine compartment hood 28. This is achieved by a precisely calculated craft 10 volume, weight and center of buoyancy relative to the location of the center of gravity 121 of the craft 10. Once hydroplaning is achieved, the natural (static) buoyancy becomes less important, being dominated by the vertical hydrodynamic components of force on the rear of the craft 10, controlled by the thrust and speed.
  • the center of gravity 121 of the craft 10 is critical to performance, stability and the ability of a rear mounted rider to initiate and negotiate controlled low speed and high speed turns (FIGS. 1a and 1b) without the use of a turning mechanism.
  • This control by a rider mounted on the rear deck is achieved by positioning, the center of gravity 121 of the craft 10 on the craft 10 longitudinal center line 144 in front of the rider and at a horizontal distance in the range of about 50% to 75% from the bow.
  • the weight of a typical rider is in the range of 1.0 to 1.75 times that of the craft 10.
  • the net center of gravity 120 of the rider plus craft 10 moves to a preferred position on the longitudinal center plane of the craft 10.
  • the longitudinal and transverse coordinates of the net center of gravity 120 typically are located in the region beneath the rider and between the position of his front and back feet.
  • the net center of gravity 120 is referred to as an "intelligent CG" because the rider is able to easily move the net center of gravity 120 forward, aft, left or right to control the craft 10 by only slight body movement or weight shift.
  • the rider leans forward in a standing position or lies on the craft 10 with his chest just behind the engine 108 to move the net center of gravity 120 forward toward the location of the mechanical center of gravity 121 and applies thrust, thus facilitating rapid transitioning of the craft 10 to a hydroplaning condition. Then the rider leans back if standing (or stands up if lying down) to move the net center of gravity 120 in a projected area near his feet for stable high speed straight line operation.
  • the rider turns the craft 10 by slightly adjusting his weight distribution or position of his rear foot generally forward and in a transverse direction to the craft's longitudinal axis 144 in the direction of the desired turn.
  • the rider can adjust the angle of the turn by the degree to which he shifts his body weight rearward and to the left or right of the longitudinal centerline 144.
  • the rider 12 can negotiate both high speed, high g-force turns and low speed turns as described later.
  • the total weights of the mechanical components including engine 108 assembly, jet pump assembly 100 and fuel tank 114 are generally equal to or greater than the weight of the craft 10 structure. This is shown below for a range of intended models and one specific preferred embodiment.
  • the high power engine 108 dominates the weight of the mechanical components and its placement in front of the rider dominates the calculation of the center of gravity 121 of the craft 10, determined by calculating, for each of three mutually orthogonal directions, the summation of the product of the individual masses times the distances from a reference datum divided by the sum of the masses.
  • Table I gives representative values of the weights of various components of the craft 10 along with values for a specific preferred embodiment.
  • Component Weight Range Pref. Embodiment (lb.) Empty Hull 35-60 55 Engine & Pod 30-80 59 Battery & Housing 5-15 13.5 Jet Pump Assembly 7-20 12 Fuel Tank 2-5 4 Exhaust System 3-8 4.5 Arm Pole Assembly 6-12 11
  • the approximately 59 pound (approximately 263 Newton), 25 HP (approximately 18.6 KW) engine assembly and the mechanical components are positioned in the craft 10 such that the center of gravity 121 of the craft 10 is positioned at a distance of 62.5% of the total length from the bow, about 1.5 ft. (approximately 0.45 m) in front of the net center of gravity 120 when a rear mounted rider of average adult body weight is in a typical position for straightway high speed planing.
  • the center of gravity 121 of the craft 10 must be located in the range of 50% to 75% of the total craft 10 length measured from the bow on the longitudinal axis of the craft 10 and about midway between the top shell 52 and bottom shell 50 on the vertical axis.
  • the coordinated design of the hull bottom 58 and side rails 190A and 190B in the present invention is critical to achieving both high speed, controlled high g-force turns and low speed turns without the use of any turning mechanism or variable-direction jet.
  • the hull 16 features a unique combination of the flat hydroplane surface 180 near the stem 20 that transitions laterally through "V" shaped surfaces 195A and 195B to the outer curved cross section rails 190A and 190B.
  • This hull-rail design operates in conjunction with the net center of gravity 120 of the craft 10 and rider to enable a stable transition from low speed startup to high speed straight planing and easy initiation and execution of smooth and controllable high and low speed turns.
  • bottom hull 58 and rail 190A, 190B design features offers the rider optimum choices for operation in a variety of modes.
  • the abrupt hydrostep 183A, 183B bordering the hydroplane surface 180 facilitates release from the water on application of thrust, which results in the rapid transition to stable high speed hydroplaning where both the wetted hull surface and resultant drag forces are minimized.
  • the hydrosteps 183A, 183B vary from negligible height at the forward initiation point of the hydroplane surface 180 to a maximum height at the stem 20 of 1 to 4 inches (approximately 2.5 cm to 10.0 cm) high, depending on desired responsiveness during turns or maneuvers.
  • the hydroplane surface 180 is generally shaped like a miniature surfboard.
  • the hydroplane surface 180 begins well in front of the pump intake 148 and mates with the center of keel 17 which proceeds aft without any rocker (or vertical curve) and acts to resist vertical porpoising of the craft 10 while lowering drag and stabilizing the craft 10 during high speed operation.
  • the "V" surfaces 195A and 195B to the side of the hydroplane surface 180 connect the base of the hydroplane surface 180 with the outer rails.
  • the interface lines of the "V"- shaped surfaces 195A and 195B and the hydroplane surface 180 are blended smoothly forward of the jet pump intake 148 to minimize aeration into the pump 100.
  • Sharp edges 183A and 183B in the hydrostep begins at the forward edge of the jet pump intake 148 and proceeds aft, thus promoting hydrodynamic release of the water off the sharp edges thereby reducing drag.
  • the full "V" shaped hull portions 194A and 194B forward of the hydroplane surface 180 assists the rider in initiating rapid zig-zag turn maneuvers with minimum effort.
  • the craft 10 rolls from the flat hydroplane surface 180, to the adjacent "V" surfaces 195A and 195B, which increase in angle towards the bow 18 and provides the rider 12 with leverage to submerge the curved rails 190A and 190B by means of his weight shift on the deck 22, thus initiating a turn.
  • the rider 12 then glides on the selected rail 190A or 190B, proceeding from the stern portion to the mid portion of the rail for high speed turns and remaining on the stern rocker portion of the rail 59A, 59B in lower speed turns where thrust is used to change the direction of the craft 10.
  • the side rail rockers 59A, 59B that curve vertically upwards near the stern 20 enable the rider 12 to use his weight shift to control the speed of response of the craft 10 during turns.
  • the complex curved cross section rail surfaces 57A and 57B acts like a motorcycle tire in setting the final angle and direction of the turn.
  • the fins 44A, 44B, 46A, 46B and 149 act to prevent over-rotation of the hull and prevent sliding during both low speed and high speed turns.
  • One to five fins suitably placed fins may be used, depending on the required performance characteristics.
  • low profile retractable "Bonsai" type fins can be used.
  • 1C can also be achieved in which a major portion of the craft is lifted out of the water by the rider 12 shifting his weight and net center of gravity 120 even further aft toward the stern 20 by leaning backwards and by applying maximum thrust of greater than 200 lb. (approximately 890 Newtons). This results in a significant component of thrust in the vertical direction that lifts much of the craft 10 out of the water while pivoting the craft 10 and rider 12.
  • the high centripetal force allows the rider 12 to negotiate high speed turns at approximate angles of his body axis to the water surface of 15 to 20 degrees, as he is stabilized by both the upward vertical component of the reaction force and the friction force of his feet on the deck 22 acting against the vertically downward force of his weight.
  • a 200 pound rider 12 would experience the following forces acting against the vertically downward 200 pound force of his weight, thus preventing him from falling or slipping off the craft 10 as he negotiates a high speed turn.
  • Table III gives forces on the rider 12 for two different angles between the rider's body and the water during a turn of the watercraft according to the present invention.

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Claims (12)

  1. L'embarcation à moteur rapide (10) englobant une coque (16) comportant une proue (18), une poupe (20), un pont (22), dimensionné de sorte à recevoir un skieur debout (12); une surface hydroglissante (180) formée sur la coque (16) et un axe longitudinal (144), s'étendant de la proue (18) vers la poupe (20); une pompe à jet (100) pour décharger un courant d'eau propulseur vers l'extérieur de la poupe (20) dans une direction fixe généralement parallèle à l'axe longitudinal (144) de l'embarcation à moteur rapide (10): un moteur (108) agencé dans la coque (16) pour entraíner la pompe (100), la pompe à moteur (100) étant montée dans la coque (16), de sorte que l'embarcation à moteur rapide (10) a un centre de gravité, n'englobant pas le skieur (121), situé dans une enveloppe agencée au-dessous du pont (22) et à l'arrière du moteur (108), permettant au skieur (12) se tenant sur le pont (22) d'occuper une position essentiellement neutre par rapport au centre de gravité net (120) de l'embarcation à moteur rapide (10) et du skieur (12), permettant ainsi au skieur (12) de manoeuvrer et de faire tourner l'embarcation à moteur rapide (10) sans utiliser un mécanisme de rotation mécanique, par un déplacement de la position de son corps ou une distribution du poids sur le pont (22), déplaçant le centre de gravité net (12) de l'embarcation à moteur rapide (10) autour d'un axe de rotation à peu près vertical, coïncidant à peu près avec l'emplacement du skieur (12) pour faciliter le maintien de l'équilibre et de la stabilité du skieur (12) manoeuvrant l'embarcation à moteur rapide (10) et la faisant tourner autour d'un axe à peu prés vertical, caractérisé en ce que l'embarcation est un ski nautique, la pompe à jet étant montée de manière fixe dans la poupe (20), le moteur (108) étant monté dans la coque (16) à l'avant du pont (22), permettant ainsi un montage facile du ski nautique motorisé rapide (10) dans l'eau profonde par le skieur (12) à partir de la poupe (20), le centre de gravité n'englobant pas le skieur étant situé derrière le moteur (108), et en ce que l'embarcation comprend en outre une paire de rails latéraux courbés (190A et 190B) formés sur les côtés opposés de la coque (16); un fond de coque (58) comportant une première partie en V (194A, 194B) à l'avant de la partie de barrot la plus large (182A, 182B) de la coque (16), la première partie en V (194A, 194B) s'étendant à l'arrière le long du fond de la coque (58) vers une quille plate (17) et ensuite vers une deuxième partie en V (195A, 195B) entre la surface hydroglissante (18) et les rails latéraux courbés (190A, 190B), la deuxième partie en V (195A et 195B) et les rails latéraux courbés (190A, 190B) coopérant avec le mouvement du skieur du centre de gravité net (120) pour permettre une transition en douceur du démarrage vers le planage rapide et une initiation et une exécution faciles de virages à faible vitesse et à vitesse élevée;
    une grille d'entrée (148) formée dans le fond de la coque (58);
    une section de fond de coque à l'avant de la grille d'entrée (148), convergeant en douceur dans la deuxième partie en V (195A, 195B) et connectée aux rails (190A, 190B) pour réduire au minimum l'aération de l'eau entrant dans la pompe (100); et
    une paire de gradins hydrauliques (183A, 183B) à l'arrière de la grille d'entrée (148) facilitant le dégagement efficace de l'eau lors de la transition de la coque (16) au mode hydroglisseur, assurant ainsi la stabilité de la coque (16) et une résistance réduite à l'eau de celle-ci, l'embarcation à moteur rapide étant ainsi stable et pouvant être manoeuvré par un skieur monté à l'arrière (12) en présence de vitesses réduites et élevées.
  2. Ski nautique motorisé rapide (10) selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre: une perche (26), fixée à la coque (16) près de la proue (18); et une poignée (132) connectée à la perche flexible (26), la perche (26) et la poignée (132) étant configurées de sorte que le skieur (12) peut se tenir sur la partie de pont (22) et saisir la poignée (132) avec une main et se servir de la poignée (132) et de la perche (26) pour assurer une stabilité additionnelle et pour manoeuvrer le ski nautique motorisé rapide (10).
  3. Ski nautique motorisé rapide selon la revendication 2, dans lequel la poignée est une poignée universelle à actionnement par une seule main, par la main droite/la main gauche (132), configurée pour une commande à une seule main.
  4. Ski nautique motorisé (10) selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le centre de gravité n'englobant pas le skieur (121) du ski nautique motorisé (10) se situe sur plus de 50% de la longueur de la coque (16) à partir de la proue (18).
  5. Ski nautique motorisé (10) selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le centre de gravité n'englobant pas le skieur (121) du ski nautique motorisé (10) se situe sur plus de 25% de la longueur de la coque (16) à partir de la poupe (20).
  6. Ski nautique motorisé (10) selon la revendication 2, enlobant en outre une admission d'air (160) formée dans la perche (26), pour introduire l'air d'admission dans le moteur (108), l'admission d'air (160) étant agencée dans la perche (26) au niveau d'un point espacé et surélevé par rapport à la proue (18).
  7. Ski nautique motorisé rapide (10) selon la revendication 2, comprenant en outre un papillon des gaz à actionnement par le pouce (170A), un démarreur (170B) et un interrupteur d'arrêt (170C) dans la poignée (132), le papillon des gaz à actionnement par le pouce (170A), le démarreur (170B) et l'interrupteur d'arrêt (170C) étant agencés de sorte que le skieur (12) peut contrôler aisément et de manière sûre le démarrage du moteur (108) et la vitesse du moteur (108) en actionnant le papillon des gaz à actionnement par le pouce (170A), le démarreur (170B) et l'interrupteur d'arrêt (170C) avec son seul pouce, de sorte que l'accélération du ski nautique motorisé rapide (10) n'ouvre pas davantage le papillon des gaz lorsque le skieur saisit la poignée (132).
  8. Ski nautique motorisé (10) selon la revendication 1, englobant en outre un creux pour le thorax (23) formé dans le pont (22) près de la poupe (20) pour recevoir le thorax du skieur (12) montant le ski nautique motorisé (10) de l'eau au-dessus de la poupe (20).
  9. Ski nautique motorisé (10) selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les rails latéraux (190A, 190B) s'étendent sur l'ensemble de la longueur de la coque (16) et comportent des parties à section transversale à courbure complexe (57A, 57B) et des parties courbées verticalement vers le haut (55A, 55B) près de la proue (18) ainsi que des parties courbées verticalement vers le haut (57A, 57B) près de la poupe (20), permettant au skieur monté sur l'arrière (12) de faire tourner le ski nautique motorisé (10) à des vitesses réduites ou élevées en fonction de l'angle et du serrage de l'angle du virage préféré par le skieur.
  10. Ski nautique motorisé (10) selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les surfaces en V (195A, 195B) de chaque côté des gradins hydrauliques (183A, 183B) fournissant au skieur (12) un bras de levier pour faciliter la transition du croisement en ligne droite vers des modes de prise de virages du ski nautique motorisé rapide (10).
  11. Ski nautique motorisé (10) selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la coque (16) est formée de sorte que le centre de gravité net (120) du ski nautique motorisé rapide (10) et du skieur (12) se situe entre les rails latéraux (190A, 190B) pendant que le skieur manoeuvre le ski nautique motorisé rapide (10) à travers un virage incliné.
  12. Ski nautique motorisé (10) selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre;
    une carène du moteur (110) établissant une plate-forme de moteur stable, une trajectoire de charge structurale du moteur vers la coque, et maintenant l'alignement du moteur (108) avec un arbre de commande (104) et la pompe à jet (100); et
    un couvercle de la carène du moteur (150) coopérant avec la carène du moteur (110) pour former une enceinte étanche à l'eau du moteur (108).
EP95912015A 1994-03-03 1995-03-02 Ski nautique motorise a hautes performances Expired - Lifetime EP0696981B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US20527794A 1994-03-03 1994-03-03
US205277 1994-03-03
US08/393,171 US5582529A (en) 1994-03-03 1995-03-01 High performance motorized water ski
US393171 1995-03-01
PCT/US1995/002553 WO1995023731A1 (fr) 1994-03-03 1995-03-02 Ski nautique motorise a hautes performances

Publications (3)

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EP0696981A1 EP0696981A1 (fr) 1996-02-21
EP0696981A4 EP0696981A4 (fr) 1996-06-26
EP0696981B1 true EP0696981B1 (fr) 2000-06-28

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EP (1) EP0696981B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP3176632B2 (fr)
AU (1) AU691264B2 (fr)
BR (1) BR9505651A (fr)
CA (1) CA2161670C (fr)
DE (1) DE69517635T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2151050T3 (fr)
GR (1) GR3034452T3 (fr)
NZ (1) NZ282300A (fr)
WO (1) WO1995023731A1 (fr)

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AUPO391596A0 (en) * 1996-11-29 1997-01-02 Wombarra Innovations Pty Ltd Radio controlled toy surfboard
FR2766154B1 (fr) 1997-07-18 1999-09-17 Francois Verel Surf nautique a moteur
KR100581591B1 (ko) 2004-12-15 2006-05-22 최상구 레저용 파워보드
JP6464505B2 (ja) * 2014-10-15 2019-02-06 秋雄 大坪 帆走／漕走兼用ボード
KR101758290B1 (ko) * 2015-10-22 2017-07-14 이중건 워트제트에 의해 추진되는 모듈타입의 서퍼 보드

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US4274357A (en) * 1979-11-26 1981-06-23 Surf-Jet Corporation Power operated surfboard
FR2617793A1 (fr) * 1987-07-09 1989-01-13 Trotet Jean Francois Planche a moteur
US5385494A (en) * 1993-03-12 1995-01-31 Wilhelmi; Gene Foot brace and leveraged turning apparatus for surfboards

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69517635D1 (de) 2000-08-03
ES2151050T3 (es) 2000-12-16
GR3034452T3 (en) 2000-12-29
CA2161670C (fr) 2005-05-17
BR9505651A (pt) 1996-04-09
AU1937095A (en) 1995-09-18
AU691264B2 (en) 1998-05-14
EP0696981A1 (fr) 1996-02-21
NZ282300A (en) 1997-07-27
JP3176632B2 (ja) 2001-06-18
CA2161670A1 (fr) 1995-09-08
DE69517635T2 (de) 2001-09-13
WO1995023731A1 (fr) 1995-09-08
EP0696981A4 (fr) 1996-06-26
JPH08510425A (ja) 1996-11-05

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