GB871057A - Improvements in power-driven rafts for surf riding and other purposes - Google Patents

Abstract

871,057. Power driven rafts. HUGHES, P. N. July 30, 1958 [April 1, 1958], No. 10375/58. Classes 113 and 114. A power driven raft for surf-riding comprises a frame made up of two longitudinal members 1, adjustable in length, with cross-bars 2 and 3 at the fore and aft ends respectively. A rider supporting platform 13 is slung between the longitudinals 1 and a power propulsion unit 7 is mounted on the cross-bar 2, and supplementary crossbar 6, which carries a propeller 10 via the shaft enclosed in the tube 9. The raft is rendered steerable by an arrangement allowing the propellor shaft to be rotatable about its own axis. Connected at each end of the cross-bar 2 are floats 5, and another float 4 is mounted at the centre of the cross-bar 3, which maintain the raft at least partly submerged under the weight of a rider. The two floats 5 may be replaced by a single float spanning the width of the framework at the fore end. The propulsion unit 7 may be mounted at the rear end and remotely controlled from the fore end. The floats 4 and 5 may be replaced by wheels driven by the power unit 7. To minimise air or water drag behind the floats 4 and 5 they may be provided with a fin arrangement. On each side of the float 4 or 5 a fin lying in a general vertical position, but curved to the configuration of the float wall, is spaced away from the wall. This forms a longitudinal airway or waterway between the float and fin, and the latter may be provided with a line or lines of perforations, slits or the like extending longitudinally therealong.