US3748670A - Foldable boat - Google Patents

Abstract

A foldable boat comprises a frame and a flexible cover. The flexible cover is secured to the sides of the boat and around the nose thereof and across the ends of the sides; and it is also secured to a rigid keel which extends from fore to aft of the boat. A transom plate is rigidly secured to the keel, and the transom may be placed between the ends of the sides and lifted to be secured to the transom plate so that the bottom of the boat, which is formed by the flexible cover, is contoured. Thwarts are provided to extend across the width of the boat at various places along its length, and the dimensions of the thwarts govern the sideways spacing between the sides of the boat at those places. Floorboards are supported by the rigid keel and by supporting lugs at the lower edges of the side members, and serve to maintain the sideways spacing of the lower edges of the sides.

Description

United States Patent 1 Musson July 31, 1973 FOLDABLE BOAT [76] Inventor: William F. J. Musson, 391 Sentinel Rd., Apt. 118, Downsview, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: May 28, 1,971

[21] Appl. No.: 147,761

[52] US. Cl 9/2 C, 9/2 F [51] Int. Cl B63b 7/06 [58] Field of Search 9/2 R, 2 C, 2 F, 9/2 S, 7

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,071,785 l/l963 Holt 9/2 C 3,383,719 5/1968 l-leide..-. 9/2 C Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant E FQT 'WFTCQlA R l AttorneyDouglas S. Johnson [5 7] ABSTRACT A foldable boat comprises a frame and a flexible cover.

' The flexible cover is secured to the sides of the boat and around the nose thereof and across the ends of the sides; and it is also secured to a rigid keel which extends from fore to aft of the boat. A transom plate is rigidly secured to the keel, and the transom may be placed between the ends of the sides and lifted to be secured to the transom plate so that the bottom of the boat, which is formed by the flexible cover, is contoured. Thwarts are provided to extend across the width of the boat at various places along its length, and the dimensions of the thwarts govern the sideways spacing between the sides of the boat at those places. Floorboards are supported by the rigid keel and by supporting lugs at the lower edges. of the side members, and serve to maintain the sideways spacing of the lower edges of the sides.

4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTED 1 3. 748.670

SHEET 1 BF 3 INVENTOR. WILLIAM F. J MUS SON PATENTED M I915 3; 748.670

SHEET 3 0F 3 FOLDABLE BOAT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a foldable boat. In particular, this invention teaches a foldable boat whose width, when folded, is substantially less than its width when assembled. The foldable boat comprises a substantially rigid frame, except for the sides which are flexible, and a flexible, water-proof cover fitted over the frame and attached to it. The foldable boat of this invention is adapted to be disassembled and placed in a carrying case or binding so that it may be easily handled by one person.

In the past few years, the style of living for many persons has changed; in that many families now live in apartments and other lodgings where storage space for recreational equipment may be somewhat limited. Many persons and families take their recreation by going away from the urban or suburban residential areas in which they live to countryside areas where they may indulge in such activities as boating, fishing and camping. Such activities have greatly increased since most cottage, resort and recreational areas are now easily accessible from most urban centres.

Because of the nature of the style of living of many persons, the limited capital which may be available to most families, and the length of time available for holiday or recreational activities, it has become very desirable to many persons and families to have possession of a boat which can be taken out onto bodies of water such as lakes and rivers which may be accessible from cottage, resort or other recreational areas. Of course, the boat should be such that it may be easily carried from one place to another, and easily stored when not in use. The boat must also be easily assembled, lightweight, and relatively inexpensive.

There have, in the past, been different sorts of boats available for recreational use. One of the most popular sorts of boats has been the car-topper, which is a stamped, deep drawn or moulded aluminum boat. Such boats are not usually available in greater length that 12 or l4 feet, and even at those lengths an aluminum boat may be quite heavy, and fairly expensive. Other types of boats that have been available include canoes and kayaks, inflatable rafts and dinghies, and other small craft which may be either carried on a rack on top of a normal automobile, or towed behind an automobile on a trailer.

A disadvantage of many sorts of boats such as canoes and kayaks, despite their light-weight and relatively low cost, is that such boats are not normally adapted to carry more than one or two persons, nor are they adapted to be powered by a light-weight, portable outboard engine. Therefore, there have been few boats which have been commercially available and which satisfy all of the criteria that they be light-weight, relatively inexpensive, easily stored,.portable, and capable of being powered by an outboard engine.

Still further, many persons are desirous of obtaining small, light-weight boats which may be used as sail boats; and it is a featured alternative of the present invention that a foldable boat according to this invention can be easily adapted to be used as a sail boat.

Foldable or collapsible boats have been known in the past, but most of those boats have been such that a very complicated frame structure usually tubular metal has been provided, which, when assembled, must be then covered with a tight skin. The strength of the boat, when floating upright in water and loaded with passengers and/or freight, is derived from the frame of the boat, and the water tightness (buoyancy) of the boat has been derived from the skin. Still further, collapsible boats which have been known such as those in US.

Pat. No. 1,231,924 issued July 3, 1917 to L. L. McGee, or US Pat. No. 3,383,719 issued May 21, 1968 to Van der Heide, have not offered a rigid transom nor a rigid keel, so that the strength and rigidity of the boat must be derived from the frame and not from a combination of the frame acting with the skin or water-tight covering of the boat.

Very often in the past, recreational products which have been available on the market, including collapsible or foldable boats, simple vehicles, exercise equipment, etc., has required considerable time and/or special skill and/or special tools in order to be assembled properly. Thus, the varied advantages of light-weight and low cost which have been offered by certain recreational facilities including collapsible boats in the past have been offset by the difficulty in assembling them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a purpose of this invention to provide a foldable boat which is easily carried in its folded state, which may be easily assembled without special tools, and which is relatively light-weight and inexpensive.

A further object of this invention is to provide a foldable boat wherein the strength and buoyancy of vthe boat together are derived from the combination of the rigid, assembled frame of the boat and the flexible, water-tight cover therefor, each acting in co-operation with the other.

Yet a further object of this invention isto provide a foldable boat which may be powered by a light-weight portable, outboard engine; and which may be adapted to be powered by sail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features and objects of the invention are more clearly discussed hereafter in association with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled, foldable boat according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a disassembled, foldable boat according to this invention; and a carrying case therefor;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the nose of the foldable boat of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a step in the assembly of the foldable boat, at the nose thereof;

FIG. 5 is a. perspective view illustrating a further step in the assembly of the foldable boat, at the stern or transom thereof;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating a still further step in the assembly of the foldable boat;

FIG. 7 illustrates the manner in which toggles are used to secure various of the frame members;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-section of an assembled, foldable boat according to this invention, taken along the centre of the boat from fore to aft thereof;

FIG. 10 is a view of the underside of an assembled, foldable boat according to this invention, showing the cooperation of the frame and flexible cover therefor; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective, partially exploded view showing an alternative feature of the foldable boat according to this invention, whereby the boat may be adapted to be used as a sail boat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A foldable boat is shown generally at in the Figures. Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a boat having a pair of sides 12 and 14; a nose 16; front, centre and rear thwarts 18, 20 and 22 respectively; a keel 24; a transom plate 26 and a transom 28; a nose frame member 30; and a flexible skin or cover which is indicated generally at 32. The flexible cover 32 is attached to the sides 12 and 14 at the forward end of each and on the outer side of each so as to provide a substantially watertight nose 16 for the boat, as discussed hereafter. A moulding 34 may be secured to the sides 12 or 14 along the edge of the flexible cover 32, both for purposes of appearance and to provide a secure and abrasion proof edging for the flexible cover 32. As will be seen hereafter, the flexible cover 32 is attached along the length of each of the sides and between the aft end of each of the sides 12 and 14 so that it lies outside transom 28 when the transom is in place and secured to the transom plate 26. Floor boards indicated generally at 36 and 38 are placed along the bottom of the boat 10. A pair of oar locks 40 may be conveniently attached to the upper edges of the sides 12 and 14.

The foldable boat 10 is shown in FIG. 2 in its collapsed or unassembled condition. A carrying case 42 having handles 44 is shown in association with the unassembled boat 10 in FIG. 2. The carrying case 42 may be made of any convenient fabric such as canvas or plastic; or it may be made from netting, bindings, etc.

The foldable boat 10 of this invention including any alternative embodiments such as the sailing version discussed hereafter in association with FIG. 1 1 relies for its strength, when assembled, on the combination of the frame and the flexible cover. The principal component of the frame, on which the remainder of the frame is built up in one way or another as discussed hereafter, is the substantially rigid keel 24 which extends from fore to aft of the boat; i.e., the keel 24 extends from the .nose 16 of the transom 28, or at least to the transom plate 26 as discussed hereafter.

The keel 24 comprises a structural member usually made of wood which is substantially rigid and whose length is substantially the full length of the boat. The keel may, as required, be collapsible with such connecting means as pin means so that, when reassembled, it is substantially rigid. In any event, a nose frame member 30 extends upwardly from the keel at its forward end, and a transom plate 26 is rigidly secured or adapted to be rigidly secured to the rear or aft end of the keel 24. It will be seen that when the foldable boat is assembled the sides 12 and 14 are supported from the keel by pin means through the nose frame member 30 at their forward end and by the rear thwart 22 and supporting means therefor at their aft end; so that the transom 28 extends between the aft ends of the sides 12 and 14 above the bottom of the boat which is then defined by the flexible cover 32 on the outside of the keel 24, the sides 12 and 14 and the transom 28.

It has been remarked that the foldable boat of this invention is easily assembled without special tools, and the assembly of the boat is discussed hereafter in association with the drawings, particularly FIGS. 3 to 8.

The unassembled boat may have an appearance somewhat as shown in FIG. 2; and comprises several different and separable components, as follows. Each of the floor boards 36 and 38 is separate from the rest of the structure as are each of the thwarts 18, 20 and 22, and the transom 28. In the embodiment illustrated, the remaining frame members including the keel 24, the nose frame member 30 and the transom plate 26, the sides 12 and 14 and the flexible cover 32 are preassembled as one foldable and integral component of the entire boat structure. Thus, each of the separable components is removed from the packaged, unassembled boat, thereby leaving the sides/keel/cover combination as the starting point from which the foldable boat is assembled.

It will be noted from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 that the forward ends 46 and 48 of sides 12 and 14 respectively do not extend fully to the nose 16 of the boat, but rather they lie on either side of the upwardly extending nose frame member 30. The sides are secured to each other by pin means 50 which are passed through holes 52 in the nose frame member 30, and which have heads 54 at each end thereof. The head 54 at either end of a pin 50 can be a nut which is burred to the end of a bolt, or otherwise as may be convenient. In any event, it will be seen that the sides 12 and 14 are loosely held with respect to the nose frame member 30; except that their elevation with respect to the nose frame member 30 and therefore with respect to the keel 24 is fixed by the pins 50. It will be seen that as the sides 12 and 14 are flexed and spread as discussed hereafter the pin means 50 act to prevent the forward ends 46 and 48 of the sides from spreading, so that a pinching action of the front ends 46 and 48 of the sides against the nose frame member 30 begins to develop. The length of the pins 50 may be chosen to assure that the front ends 46 and 48 of the sides 12 and 14 are sufficiently well secured against the sides of the nose frame member 30 without undue stress in the side members or the nose frame member. It will be noted that the flexible cover 32 extends up the nose 16 of the boat 10, and around the front end of the nose frame member 30, past the heads 54 of the pins 50, and is then secured to the outside surfaces of the side members 12 and 14. The flexible cover, of course, extends beneath the boat and towards the rear thereof, so that a substantially watertight nose is provided for the boat. This is particularly illustrated in FIG. 3.

Turning to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the keel 24 may include kecl members 25 and 27 which are rigidly secured to the flexible cover 32. In any event, the flexible cover 32 is secured to the keel 24 so that it does not shift sideways or lengthwise with respect to the keel, and so that the bottom shapeof the boat when assembled can be defined by the co-operation of the boat frame, including the keel and sides together with the flexible cover.

, A reinforcing plate 56 may be secured to the inner surface of each of the sides 12 and 14. There is also secured to the inner surface of each of the sides 12 and 14 a series of supporting lugs and toggles for the thwarts and floorboards; and the purpose of each of the various supporting lugs and toggles is described hereafter as the assembly of a foldable boat according to this invention is explained.

A horizontal support lug 58, a vertical support lug 60 and a toggle 62 are installed on the inside of each of the sides 12 and 14 near the forward ends thereof. During the initial stages of the assembly of the foldable boat 10, the sides 12 and 14 are spread apart, and the folding front thwart 18 is placed with its lower, outer ends above the horizontal lugs 58. It will be noted that the thwart 18 comprises an upper (or first) plate 64 and a pair of lower (or second) plates 66 and 68 which are hinged at 70; and the lower plate 66 is rigidly secured to the underside of the upper plate 64 at one end thereof. With the ends of the plates 66 and 64 at the one side and the end of plate 68 at the other, as illustrated in FIG. 4, downward pressure at the end 72 of plate 64 such as by the hand 74 in the direction of arrow 76 has the effect of forcing the side members 12 and 14 apart. The material of the plates 66 and 68 usually wood is pute in compression, lengthwise, between the sides 12 and 14, thereby forcing the sides apart as at arrows 78 and 80. The length of the toggles 62 is such that, when they are placed in the upright position as shown in FIG. 1, the thickness of plate 64 overlying either of the plates 66 or 68 is accommodated between the lower end of the toggles 62 and the upper side of the horizontal lug 58; or, in other words, thwart 18 is secured between the lugs 58 and toggles 62. The vertical lug 60 acts as a stop so as to position the folding front thwart l8 lengthwise in the boat. Thus, the spread of the sides 12 and 14 due to the force exerted outwardly upon them by the folding thwart 18 can be predetermined by dimensioning the length of the plates 64, 66, and 68, shaping their outerends accordingly, and properly positioning the lugs 58 and 60.

The rear or aft ends of the sides 12 and 14 are properly spaced by the transom 28 which is adapted to fit down into slotted lugs 82, one of which is secured at the aft end of each of the side members 12 and 14. The length of transom 28, and the angle at which the outer ends of the transom 28 are cut, are chosen so as to define the rearmost profile viewed lengthwise of the assembled boat.

Thus, the transom 28 is pushed down into the slotted lugs 82 as indicated by arrows 84 and the aft ends of the sides 12 and 14 are forced apart as at arrows 86 and 88 respectively.

It should be remarked that the sequence in which the steps of placing the outer ends of the transom 28 in the slotted lugs 82, and placing the folding front thwart 18 in its position, may be varied.

It will be noted that, at this stage, the sideways spacing of side members 12 and 14 is more or less established, at least at the transom 28 and the front thwart 18, but that the lower edges of the sides 12 and 14 are substantially-in the same plane as the keel 24. Also, the transom plate 26, which is supported above the keel 24 by an upwardly extending aft support member 90, is elevated above the transom 28. The flexible fabric cover 32 lying across the bottom of the boat is loose and convoluted or folded. However, the transom 28 is adapted to be picked up together with the sides 12 and 14, and keyed onto the transom plate 26by keying lugs 92. A pin 94 is placed through the transom plate 26 and into the transom 28, so as to fix the transom in its upper position. At the same time, the sides 12 and 14 are secured upwardly as indicated at arrows 96 and 98 by placing the rear thwart 22 in the horizontal slot 100 of slotted lugs 102 which are secured to the inner surface of the side members 12 and 14 near the aft end of each. The thwart 22 is pushed backwards as at arrow 104 so that its outer ends enter the slots 100 of the lugs 102. The thwart 22 is supported from underneath by the aft support member 90 cooperating with a supporting section 106 beneath the thwart 22.

Referring briefly to FIG. 10, it can be seen that the keel 24 defines the lowermost part of the boat 10, that the sides 12 and 14 (14 not shown) and the transom 28 define the sides and rear of the boat (along with the nose 16 as discussed above); and the flexible cover 32 acting in cooperation with the sides and keel defines the bottom of the boat. It will be noted further that, due to the tensioning forces in the flexible cover, especially as it is acted upon by forces of reaction in the water developed across its surface as the boat sits or moves through the water, the bottom of the boat assumes a double curvature both downwardly and rearwardly.

Because the bottom of the boat is comprised of the flexible cover attached to the rigid keel and the lower edges of each of the sides, a set of floorboards is placed across the bottom and is supported by the keel along the lengthwise centre of the boat and by supporting lugs at the lower edges of the sides 12 and 14 at the outer edges of the boat. Therefore, a plurality of supporting lugs 108 and toggles 110 are placed along the lower edges of the sides 12 and 14 to support the floorboards in the usual fashion. The floorboards may be slatted, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, or they may be solid with sufficient allowance made therein for drainage of rain, splash, etc. The sideways thrust against the lower edges of the sides of the boat is therefore taken by the floorboards and transferred to the keel. Substantial rigidity of the boat is therefore assured.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a toggle and the manner in which it may be secured to one of the sides. Because various reference numerals have been used in the discussion above with respect to specific toggles, the toggle illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is referred to generally as toggle 112, which acts against framing member 114 which might be a thwart on a floorboard, and the toggle is shown secured to side 13. An insert 116 is placed in a suitable recess drilled in the outside surface of the sides 13, and the insert may conveniently be of such material as neoprene or brass. A bolt 118 is countersunk with its head 120 received by theinsert 116, and the bolt 118 extends through the side 13 and the toggle 112 to a nut 122. The nut is burred at the end of the bolt so that the toggle 1 12 can swing in a pivotting maninner surface of the side 13. Thus, the insert 116 acts as a bearing against theunderside of the head 120 of the bolt 118, and the pivoting action of the toggle is assured.

FIG. 9 is a sideways view of an assembled boat 10 in accordance with this invention, and havingspecific assembly details as discussed above. It should also be noted that the central thwart 20 is supported on a frame member 128 which extends upwardly from the keel 24; and it is held at its outer ends between vertical lugs 130 and horizontal lug 132 by toggle 134. Each of the other structural features of the frame of the foldable boat according to this invention, as discussed above, is found in FIG. 9; and it is clear from that Figure that the transom 28 does not extend downwards to the keel. Therefore, the structural strength of the foldable boat 10 is derived from the frame and the flexible cover 32 over the frame, including the transom 28 and the keel 24. However, it should also be noted that a rigid backbone for the boat 10 exists from the nose frame member 30 through the keel 24 and the aft support 90 to the transom plate 26. Therefore, the foldable boat 10 is adapted to support an outboard engine which would be mounted to the boat in the usual way, and secured to the transom plate 26. The rigidity of the boat when it might be subjected to a pitching motion.

FIG. 11 illustrates an additional feature whereby the foldable boat 10 as discussed above can be adapted to be used as a sailing boat. Thus the alternative sail boat embodiment of the foldable boat according to this invention comprises the same frame and flexible cover as discussed above, with the addition of a centreboard and casing therefor and a mounting for a mast. Therefore, a withdrawable centreboard 136 having an upper plate 138 across its top edge is adapted to be received into a centreboard casing 140. The casing extends forwardly from beneath the centre thwart 20, and has sufficient height that water will not be ducted into the boat when the centreboard 136 is withdrawn. The centreboard casing 140 is also slatted rearwardly to prevent water from entering it as the boat moves forward and the centreboard 136 is withdrawn. A socket 142 is secured to the upper side of the keel 24 so that the lower end of a mast 144 can pass through a suitable opening 146 provided in the front thwart l8, and be retained thereby. A sailing version of the boat 10 described above is therefore provided, having a movable centreboard which can be raised and lowered from above the keel, and a mast. Suitable rigging for the mast is provided, and a tiller is placed over the transom in the usual manner.

A foldable boat has been described which has a substantially rigid keel along its entire length, which keel supports the transom and the nose of the boat, and having means so that the sides of the boat are supported from their fore and aft ends. A flexible cover is placed over the nose, keel, transom, and sides, and cooperates therewith to form a boat having a contoured bottom. The framing members, including the keel, thwart, transom, nose, floorboards, etc., may conveniently be made from wood or other suitable material. The flexible cover may be made from a bonded fabric having a rubber or plastic coating over woven glass fibres, having sufficient strength to withstand the tension forces exerted in it as a loaded boat moves in the water. Suitably, the flexible cover is chosen so as to have sufficient abrasion resistance, tear strength, etc., as to be practical.

The thwarts 18, and 22 may each operate as a thrust means across the width of the boat between the sides thereof; and in particular, between the upper edges of the sides. Thus, each of the thwarts may act as a thrust means to maintain the spacing of the sides in the area of the thwart. In the sailing version of the foldable boat according to this invention, either or both of thwarts 20 and 18 may be replaced by other thrust means, specifically a bulkhead whose general construction and operation would be similar to those of thwart l8 discussed above, except that the bulkhead would have its major plane vertical rather than horizontal.

With suitable choice of materials, the dimensions of a foldable boat according to this invention may range from a toy several inches longto a boat in excess of 20 feet. As mentioned, the foldable boat of this invention can be powered by an outboard engine of conventional type, including outboard engines whose power is in excess of 7.5 HP. The foldable boat can be assembled in just a few minutes (usually less than 10 minutes) without any special or additional tools; and in its collapsed state, the foldable boat is light enough that it can be carried easily by one person.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A foldable boat comprising a frame and a flexible cover therefor;

said frame comprising a substantially rigid keel adapted to extend from fore to aft of said boat, a transom plate adapted to be rigidly secured to the aft end of said keel, an upwardly extending nose frame member adapted to be rigidly secured to the fore end of said keel, a pair of sides capable of being flexed and each loosely attached at its forward end to said nose frame member, a transom adapted to be securely and removably attached near its crosswise centre .to said transom plate, means to secure the aft end of each of saidsides to a respective outer end of said transom, at least one thwart means across the width of said boat between the upper edges of said pair of sides; and floorboard means adapted to be placed across the bottom of said boat when said pair of sides are flexed outwardly and secured in their flexed position by said transom and said at least one thwart means, said floorboard means being supported by said keel and by supporting lugs secured near the bottom edge of "each of said pair of sides; 1

said flexible cover being adapted to attach to said pair of sides at the forward end of each on the outer side thereof so as to provide a substantially watertight nose for said boat; said flexible cover being further attached to each of said sides along the length thereof, and between the aft end of said sides so that it lies outside said transom when said transom is secured to said transom plate and to the aft ends of said sides.

2. The foldable boat of claim 1, wherein:

said means to secure the aft end of each of said sides to a respective outer end of said transom comprises an upwardly extending support member rigidly secured to the upper side of said keel at the aft end thereof, thwart means adapted to be supported by said support members; and means to secure each of the outer ends of said thwart means to one of said sides, respectively, near its aft end; so that said support member supports said thwart, and the outer ends of said thwart support said aft ends of said sides. I

3. The foldable boat of claim 1 further including means adapted to receive a movable centreboard so that said centreboard may extend below said keel'and may be raised and lowered from above said keel.

4. The foldable boat of claim 1 wherein at least one thwart means comprises an upper plate and a pair of hinged lower plates, one of which is secured to said upper plate and whose combined length is substantially equal to the length of the upper plate.

t t k

Claims (4)

1. A foldable boat comprising a frame and a flexible cover therefor; said frame comprising a substantially rigid keel adapted to extend from fore to aft of said boat, a transom plate adapted to be rigidly secured to the aft end of said keel, an upwardly extending nose frame member adapted to be rigidly secured to the fore end of said keel, a pair of sides capable of being flexed and each loosely attached at its forward end to said nose frame member, a transom adapted to be securely and removably attached near its crosswise centre to said transom plate, means to secure the aft end of each of said sides to a respective outer end of said transom, at least one thwart means across the width of said boat between the upper edges of said pair of sides; and floorboard means adapted to be placed across the bottom of said boat when said pair of sides are flexed outwardly and secured in their flexed position by said transom and said at least one thwart means, said floorboard means being supported by said keel and by supporting lugs secured near the bottom edge of each of said pair of sides; said flexible cover being adapted to attach to said pair of sides at the forward end of each on the outer side thereof so as to provide a substantially water-tight nose for said boat; said flexible cover being further attached to each of said sides along the length thereof, and between the aft end of said sides so that it lies outside said transom when said transom is secured to said transom plate and to the aft ends of said sides.

2. The foldable boat of claim 1, wherein: said means to secure the aft end of each of said sides to a respectiVe outer end of said transom comprises an upwardly extending support member rigidly secured to the upper side of said keel at the aft end thereof, thwart means adapted to be supported by said support members; and means to secure each of the outer ends of said thwart means to one of said sides, respectively, near its aft end; so that said support member supports said thwart, and the outer ends of said thwart support said aft ends of said sides.

3. The foldable boat of claim 1 further including means adapted to receive a movable centreboard so that said centreboard may extend below said keel and may be raised and lowered from above said keel.

4. The foldable boat of claim 1 wherein at least one thwart means comprises an upper plate and a pair of hinged lower plates, one of which is secured to said upper plate and whose combined length is substantially equal to the length of the upper plate.

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