GB2366770A

GB2366770A - Portable boat

Info

Publication number: GB2366770A
Application number: GB0118400A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Anthony Stanney
Original assignee: POLYGON LEISURE Ltd
Current assignee: POLYGON LEISURE Ltd
Priority date: 2000-09-13
Filing date: 2001-07-27
Publication date: 2002-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-27
Also published as: GB0022404D0; GB2366768A; GB2366770B; GB0118400D0

Abstract

A portable boat comprises four independent, buoyant compartments 10, each compartment being complete with a bottom and four sides. The buoyant compartments 10 are positioned at the four extreme corners of the boat. The two right-hand side watertight compartments are held in position relative to each other but separated from each other by a frame 14. The left-hand compartments are held in position similarly. The left-hand frame and buoyant compartments are separate and can move independently from the right-hand frame and buoyant compartments. The left-hand frame may be arranged to clamp onto the right-hand frame so that both frames and all buoyant compartments can form a single floating platform. A seat (20, Fig 3) may be arranged on top of, and between the rear buoyancy compartments and separate watertight compartments (18, Fig 2) may be provided for the occupant's feet.

Description

2366770

PORTABLE BOAT

5 This invention relates to a portable boat.

It is known that it is possible to design a boat in such a way that it can be taken apart in a number of sections and these sections may be nested together to reduce storage 10 space when it is not in use as a boat. These sections can even be used as storage space for other items or used as a roof rack for a car. When in use as a boat the buoyancy compartments are generally fixed to each other by clamps or are held together by a frame. The smaller devices which can 15 be carried in the boot of a car are very unstable as they are light and have a conventional dinghy or catamaran hull shape whereas the larger models are complicated folding devices and will not easily fit into a car boot.

20 The device described here is small and simple but also strong and stable when on the water. The rider sits on top of, rather than inside the buoyancy compartments.

In order to achieve maximum stability, four separate 25 buoyancy compartments are positioned at the four corners of the boat. The buoyancy compartments are separated from each other in the longitudinal and transverse directions. A solid frame connects the two right-hand buoyancy compartments together and maintains a spacing between them.

30 The two left-hand buoyancy compartments are similarly held together. The left-hand frame can be attached to the righthand frame by means of clips to provide a stable floating platform.

35 A seat is provided on top of the buoyancy compartments nearest the stern." In order to provide a comfortable seating position and allow the rider to stand, two footwells are provided between the front and rear buoyancy compartments.

According to the present invention there is provided a portable boat comprising four independent, buoyant compartments, each compartment being complete with a bottom and four sides, the buoyant compartments being positioned at 5 the four extreme corners of the boat, wherein two of said buoyant watertight compartments on a right-hand side are held in position relative to each other but separated from each other by a frame and the two remaining compartments on the left-hand side are held in position similarly, the left- 10 hand frame and buoyant compartments being separate from and can move independently from the right-hand frame and buoyant compartments so that the boat can be walked by the user before a state of buoyancy is reached in water.

15 Preferably, separate watertight compartments are provided for the occupant's feet, these compartments being located between the front and rear buoyant compartments, said watertight compartments being connected to the respective frames, so that said watertight compartments are themselves 20 used to provide the walking function of the boat.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a general arrangement of a portable boat with the buoyancy compartments removed from the frame, 30 Figure 2 shows a side view of the boat with the buoyant compartments removed showing an arrangement of the footwells, Figure 3 shows a plan of the assembled boat showing the 35 seating arrangement, and Figure 4 shows the boat disassembled and with the buoyant compartments stacked ready for transportation.

Referring to the drawings, the boat comprises four independent buoyant compartments 10 together with a left ftame 12 and right frame 14. Each buoyant compartment has a removable cover 16. The buoyant compartments are held in 5 position by the frame by for example sliding into groves in the retaining arms of the frame or by other suitable means (not shown). To provide a comfortable seating position, two watertight footwells 18 and a seat 20 are provided between the forward and aft compartments 10. This ensures that the 10 occupant is sitting or standing in the most stable part of the boat. In any case, by separating the forward and aft compartments 10, maximum stability of the boat in the forward and aft directions is achieved for a minimum level of total buoyancy. Moreover, the footwells 18 lower the 15 centre of gravity and provide a means of support for the occupant whilst standing.

When in use the left-hand frame and right-hand frame are held together by clips or clamps (not shown).

However, prior to reaching a buoyant position, e.g. in a lake, the user can "walk" the boat from land, into shallow water from the lake-side, with the feet placed in the footwells 18, by allowing the left-hand and the right-hand 25 compartments 10 to slide back and forth relatively to each other on their frames, when the left and right-hand frames are disconnected.

When the boat is disassembled then the buoyancy compartments 30 stack inside each other as shown in Figure 4 and the footweils and seat fit inside the innermost buoyancy compartment.

As intimated above, the left-hand frame 12 is separate from 35 the right-hand frame 14 but can be connected to it in the following manner:(a) It can be connected rigidly by two quick release devices, one forward and one aft. When connected in this manner, the two frames become a rigid floating platform.

(b) The two frames 12, 14 can be connected by a single rotating hinge (not shown). The hinge is located forward of the footwells 18 and allows the aft buoyant compartment 10 on one frame to be pushed 10 down relative to the aft buoyant compartment 10 of the other frame. Each frame will rotate about a horizontal transverse axis through the hinge.

Pushing down on first the right-hand footwell and then the left-hand footwell will cause the aft 15 buoyant compartment to rise and fall, thus imparting a forward motion to the boat.

It will be appreciated that one of the main distinctions of the boat is the ability to walk it into the water across mud 20 or sand without getting one's feet wet. When the boat is afloat the left and right-hand frames can then be easily locked together.

Claims

1.- A portable boat comprising four independent, buoyant compartments, each compartment being complete with a bottom 5 and four sides, the buoyant compartments being positioned at the four extreme corners of the boat, wherein two of said buoyant watertight compartments on a right-hand side are held in position relative to each other but separated from each other by a frame and the two remaining compartments on 10 the left-hand side are held in position similarly, the lefthand frame and buoyant compartments being separate from and can move independently from the right-hand frame and buoyant compartments so that the boat can be walked by the user before a state of buoyancy is reached in water.

2. A boat as claimed in claim 1, wherein separate watertight compartments are provided for the occupant's feet, these compartments being located between the front and rear buoyant compartments, said watertight compartments 20 being connected to the respective frames, so that said watertight compartments are themselves used to provide the walking function of the boat.

3. A boat as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the buoyant 25 compartments are provided with removable top covers.

4. A boat as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the lefthand frame is arranged to clamp onto the right-hand frame so that both frames and all the buoyant compartments can form a 30 single floating platform.

5. A boat as claimed in claim 4, wherein a rotatable hinge is provided to clamp the two frames together.

35

6. A boat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a seat is arranged on top of and between the rear buoyant compartments.

7. A portable boat, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.