NZ191262A - Twin or multi-hulled racing and rescue surf craft - Google Patents

Description

N Parens Form No. 5 NEW ZEALAND m262 (a) Insert title of Invention.

PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (To be furnished in Duplicate) Where priority as provided by subsection (2) or (3) of section 11 of the Patents Act 1953 is desired in respect of one or more provisional specifications, quote number or numbers and date or dates 191262 No..

Date /8/79 revised 1/2/84 (a) Twin or Multihulled Racing and Rescue Surf Craft. b) State (in full) name address and nationality of applicant or applicants as in application form Smaill, ^nn v Kjh ^T>apei c) Here begin full description of invention. The continuation of the specification should be upon paper of the same size as this form, on one side only with the lines well spaced nd with a margin of 2.5cm the left hand side of the iaper. The completion of the description should be followed by the words "What I (or we) claim is" after which should be written the claim or claims numbered consecutively (see note below). The specification and the dup licate thereof must be signed at the end. !i6_£liffs Road JSt Glair, Dunedin,.

JM-ZEALAHIL- Jflew Z e al ancLCi _t_iaen.

HEREBY declare the invention, for which I/we pray that a patent may be granted to me/us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:— (c) NOTE. The claims must relate to a single invention, must be clear and succinct, and must be fairly based on the matter disclosed in the specification. They should form in brief a clear statement of that which constitutes the invention. Applicants should be careful that their claims include neither more nor less than they desire to protect by their patent. Any unnecessary multiplicity of claims or prolixity of language should be avoided.

Claims should not be made for the efficiencv nr advantage nf th<» ;nv<.ntmn I 91262 This invention deals with an improved design for canoes built either for surf rescue or surf racing craft.

Prior art has evolved a canoe that has been accepted by the 5 the Surf Life Saving Association of New Zealand.

Experience in handling this approved canoe has shown they are not sufficiently stable under certain conditions of rescue.

With a crew of four difficulties can arise in controlling the canoe in rough water or in a cross wind when two members are 10 endeavouring to get a person into the canoe over the gunw&Jie*.

The present specifications call for a canoe having bouyancy tanks at each end "capable of supporting the crew of four (4)" when the canoe Vis full of water". In the proposed craft the 15 bouyancy will exceed this margin whereby the vessel I will be capable of upholding the crew and the rescued.

The invention has further aims to offset disadvantages inherent in the present design which incommode the crew and cause 20 distraction when every faculty is required in the control of the vessel. With the craft at present in use the crew, all facing forward, are frequently blinded by spray as the canoe pitches into a rising sea; likewise on the run home the coxswain is frequently deluged by heavy showers of spray with the 25 breaking of a wave behind the canoe stern. This most frequently occurs when the craft is close iiisftore and is running fast under the impetus of the water and the efforts of the crew. AAt this 1 91262 time the coxswain cannot afford a seconds distraction and the water douching his back can take him by surprise, even a slight touch of the rudder control or too deep an immersion of his paddle could have unpleasant consequences.

M. <Sk\^A- The specifications of the S.L.S.A. (N.Z.) allow the use of a "stern steeringgear protrusion" or rudder. This has now become "common useage" with the result that many coxswains have been denied that practice so necessary to control the craft entirely by paddle.

TheP.present type rudders are at risk each time a launching is made. If the craft fails to pull away immediately and O^CJUoHE. woromo the inrunning swell it can be swept back stern first 15 upon the shore with the possibility of the rudder being damaged. This may well occur without the coxswain's knowledge it only becoming apparent when an attempt to use it proves abortive.

In consequence the rudder, or rudders, according to this invention will have means whereby no damage can occur in like circumstances.

The canoe according to this invention is ideally built in glass fibre reinforced plastics material (GRP) and 25 incorporates a dual or multiple submerged hull structure comprising two or more parallel longitudinal chambers which by transverse bulk-heads are divided into three or more water-tight compartments. These chambers are divided, the 191262 one from the other by a gap spanned along its entrie length by what, in section, would be called an arch. This together with the side walls of the two or more hull-like chambers which give the craft its flotation, support the decking while giving tremendous strength to the vessel. Forwardly of the first crew member the submerged hull members or chambers rise with a gentle sweep upwards above the main deck level. The deck level also rises to the sweep of the hull terminating in a foredeck above water level and normal to the sea. Superimposed upon this foredeck is what can be best described as an "inverted clippers bow", rising to a suitable height above the level of the decking of the craft, according to its desired capacity.

Apart from giving additional bouyancy by its very shape it sheds off water or spray in all directions while in a strong wind spray is deflected upwards and over the heads of the crew.

The stern is very similar to that of the bow approximating however more to the inverted counter of a clipper. This has the same effect in deflecting spray. However at the stern the submerged compartments are not curved upwardly but remain horizontal.

This gives^a flatter curvature above the deck line and being fitted with handgrips gives assistance to those being rescued to climb inboard. Knotted ropes secured to eyes upon the deck can be cast overboard whereby those being rescued can pull themselves to the rescue-craft while the crew can keep the vessel pointing into the wind or the running sea. This stern is in itself a bouyancy tank and ensures the vessel cannot be pooped by a following sea. Inwardly upon an additional transverse platform a motor and fuel tank can be installed as, or if, 1 0 1 9 f O I / i ilO/1 considered necessary, or as shown, a reinforced vertical mounting plate can be incorporated whereto an outboard motor can be affixed if required.

Bulwarks link the raised prow to the raised stern and these are fitted with self-emptying scuppers and on its free-board are mounted additional hand-holes whereby a number of people may find support should that number exceed the carrying capacity of the craft.

As already stated the design gives tremendous longitudinal strength while the raised prow and stern together with the decking and seating transverse strains are more than catered for.

It is proposed that the craft be built in GRP with GRP seating, a wooden capping topping the bulwarks. The hull filled with a non-absorbent foam ensures no intake of water if the skin of the hull is fractured in any way.

A canoe of this nature can be produced within the specifications of the S.L.S.A. of (N.Z.) for a crew of four as laid down by their rules. However larger or even smaller craft can be produced along the same general principles incorporated in 25 the invention.

An embodiment of which is now described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings of a double-hulled vessel according to this invention. 191262 In the Drawings: Sheet 1 Figure 1 shows a plan view of the deck.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the underside of the craft. Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the same.

Sheet 2 Figure 4 shows a section of the craft along its centre-line.

Figure 5 shows a transverse section on the line A-A on Figure 1.

Figure 6 shows a simlar section on the line B-B Figure 7 shows a section on the line C-C 10 Figure 8 shows a section on the line D-D Figure 9 shows an end view of a proposed double hulled embodiment of this invention.

Figure 10 shows details of retractable-rudder sleeves.

Figure 11 shows detail of retractable rudder, As shown by Figure 1 the proposed embodiment of this invention is a double hulled vessel 1 consisting of two identical but opposing hulls 2 and 3 linked by a common deck 4 with a central crew-compartment 5 where-in provision is made for the seating of four crew-members by means of seats 6 recessed into the deck 20 4 each having two foot-rests 7. Bulwarks 8, protect the crew in rough weather giving a ready means of steadying a member in rough weather. Between these seats iB a raised platform 9 whereon the rescued may lie or if needs be strapped down by strapping, not shown.

The raised platform 9 runs fore and aft between as best seen in Figure 3, the forward spray deflector 13 and the rear raised protective shield 14 as best seen in Figure 2 the two parallel longitudinal float chambers of the hull 2 and 3 respectively 19!262 are divided by an inverted U shaped channel 17. Each float chamber has a retractable-rudder sleeve;10 and 11 rising upwardly from the underside of the same towards the stern, set at a predetermined angle to the fore and aft line of 5 the keel.

As best shown in Figure 3 the craft has a raised forward flotation chamber 12 terminating at the peak in spray-deflector 13 and a rear flotation chamber divided by the crew-compartment 10 5 whilst the bulwarks 8 are fitted with self-emptying scuppers 15. A convenient number of flush-handled recesssed hand-grips 16 are built into the sides of the hull.

Figure 3 also shows the keels of both members of the hull have 15 a pronounced rise forwardly of the central crew compartment rising to the decking of the prow, whilst there is a less pronounced rise towards the stern.

As best shown by Figures 4 and 7 the upper surfaces of the 20 channel 17 seperating the two hull-members 2 and 3 follow the above mentioned curvature of the two hull: members only at a more pronounced degree, widening out forwardly to the width of the prow. Towards the stern however the channel ends at the rear of the bulkhead 18.

This bulkhead 18 can be reinforced to form a mounting plate for an outboard engine, or internally of the chamber a platform, not shown, can mount an engine and provision made for a propellor shaft to pass through the rear of bulkhead 18.

I91262 The seperation of the twin hulls aft of this bulkhead 18 ensures the craft is not lifted excessively by a following sea which would cause the bow to submerge impeding the forward movement of the craft. The uprising sheer of the channel 17 however ensures an upward lift at the bow when 5 running into a rising sea.

Reference has already been made to the rectractable rudder sleeves 10 and 11 as best seen on Figure 2, whilst Figures 10 and 11 give further details of the same with the inclusion of 10 the rudders 19. These two rudder assemblies one to each hull member, are set in the hulls at a predetermined angle, the rudders being pivotted on a pivot 20 and are operated by suitable means which in this embodiment are tiller lines 21 being operated by the port and starboard rear crew members, 15 each operating his respective rudder.

As best shown in Figure 11 the face of the rudders 19 have each an aerofoil shaped surface. In action the rudder is lowered into the water until the desired turning effort is 20 realised and after this has been achieved the blade is withdrawn from the water. If both the opposing blades are dropped a powerful braking effort is obtained.

The tiller lines are locked into any position by a clamping 25 device acting on the tiller line, not shown.

A decided advantage of this type of rudder is that, being withdrawn andlocked into its detracted position it cannot be damaged when beaching the craft. 191262 The entire hull and the spaces between the deck and seperating channel together with the forward and rear spray deflector compartments can be filled with non-absorbent foam ensuring that the craft is unsinkable.

The vessel, may have a mast, not shown, immediately behind the raised forward spray-deflector 13 as best shown in Figure 3, rigged with a dropping 1uff-mainsail. This rig employs a sail spread on an 4nclino yard which is readily lowered while the 10 peak of the sail is secured to forward decking. Having no boom it only needs for the sheet to be slackened off when the yard may be dropped and the sail quickly furled. Seldom seen today this rig has the advantage of easy handling under all conditions. 191 WHAT I CLAIM IS:

Claims (1)

1. CLAIM 1 An unsinkable multi-hulled racing and surfrrescue craft wherein a common deck has a crew compartment wherein a central raised portion serves for the 5 transportation of rescued personsand provides means of securing same. CLAIM 2 A vessel as claimed in the preceeding Claim wherein a forward flotation chamber rises upwardly from the common deck to form a spray deflector for the crew. 10 CLAIM 3 A vessel as claimed in Either of the preceeding claims where a channel or channels seperating the hulls widens forwardly and rises towards the bow above the submerged level amidships. CLAIM 4 A vessel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 where 15 the keels of each hull rise forwardly from their maximum depth of immersion amidships to the common deck at the prow. CLAIM 5 A vessel as claimed in claim 4 where aft of the amidships the keels of the hulls rise upwardly towards 20 the stern. CLAIM 6 A vessel as claimed in any preceeding claim where self emptying scuppers empty a well-deck between the forward and an after flotation chamber. CLAIM 7 A vessel as claimed in claim 6 wherein recessed hand-25 grips are fitted to the outer sides of the outer hulls for rescuing purposes. CLAIM 8 A vessel as claimed in any preceeding claim where provision^ is made for the mounting of an auxilary means of propulsion. 62 - 10 - 191262 10 ^4- CLAIM 9 A vessel as claimed in any one of the preceeding claims wherein steering is effected by retractable rudders set to operate at a predetermined angle of incidence to the keel or keels of the craft whereby the controlled depth of immersion of the rudder-blade determines the effective turning or correction of the vessel against currents or the effects of wind. CLAIM 10 An unsinkable multi-hulled racing and surf-rescue craft substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings and specification, but not necessarily bound to tho dotailo ao laid out whiich accord only to tho proforrod ambodimonfr doGoribod thoroin. - 11 -