WO2012052741A4

WO2012052741A4 - Board-type watercraft

Info

Publication number: WO2012052741A4
Application number: PCT/GB2011/051953
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael William Titley; Peter Adam Bladd-Symms
Original assignee: Envisor Limited
Priority date: 2010-10-21
Filing date: 2011-10-11
Publication date: 2012-05-31
Also published as: GB201017833D0; GB2476532B; GB2476532A; WO2012052741A1

Abstract

A board- type watercraft, in particular a surfboard, particularly aimed at beginners and intermediates which is shorter, wider and thicker than conventional surfboards, with a high volume mid section, and whose rear section is provided on the underside with a plurality of longitudinally extending spines which define between them wide, longitudinally extending channels. The profile of the spines does not extend substantially beyond the plane of the underside of the board meaning that the underside of the mid and rear sections of the board conforms substantially to a flat surface making the board usable in shallow water. Two, three, four or more longitudinally extending spines (13,15) may be provided and a longitudinally extending ridge may also be provided at the centre underside of the nose section to assist longitudinal stability of the board. The shortness of the board combined with the large volume of the mid section makes the board easier to ride, it being easier to catch waves and more stable. The thickness of the rails in the rear section of the board is reduced compared to the mid section in order to provide the board with good turnability despite the additional volume. The longitudinally extending spines are triangular in cross section with a relatively wide base where they join the board, allowing them to be integral with the board and allowing the whole board to be manufactured by moulding, such as rotomoulding.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 17 April 2012 (17.04.2012)

1. A board-type watercraft having a front section, mid section and rear section, the front section extending from the nose to the mid section and the rear section extending from the mid section to the tail, the edges of the board defining rails,

the mid section having a generally flat or slightly concave underface, a thickness substantially equal to 80mm or more, a width at its maximum substantially equal to 580mm or more;

the rear section having protruding from its underside a plurality of elongate spines having their length in a longitudinal direction of the board and a depth from the underside, the depth being less then the length, the free edge of the spines being substantially continuous with the underside of the mid section;

the spines defining with the underside of the board one or more channels whose depth increases from front to rear of the board, the channels having a width greater than their depth;

the rail thickness decreasing from the mid to the rear section of the board.

2. A board-type watercraft according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the rear section of the board laterally outside the outermost of the elongate spines is less than the thickness of the mid section.

3. A board-type watercraft according to claim 1 wherein the maximum thickness of the rear section of the board laterally outside the outermost of the elongate spines is less than the maximum thickness of the mid section.

4. A board- type watercraft according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the mid section of the board has substantially no or low rocker.

5. A board-type watercraft according to claim 1 , 2, 3 or 4 wherein the mid section of the board is between a point 25% and a point 50% of the length of the board measured from front to rear.

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

6. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the thickness of the rails in the rear section of the board, measured 25mm in from the outer edge of the board is no more than 50mm.

7. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the thickness of the rails in the rear third of the board measured 50mm in from the outer edge of the board is no more than 80mm.

8. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the depth of the spines tapers towards the front of the rear section.

9. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the length of the middle one or ones of the elongate spines longitudinally of the board is at least five times their maximum depth.

10. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the length of the middle one or ones of the elongate spines longitudinally of the board is at least 30% of the length of the board.

11. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the spines have a triangular cross-section transversely of the board with a root section adjoining the underside of the board and being thicker than the free edge of the spines.

12. A board-type watercraft according to claim 14 wherein the root section is at least 20 mm wide.

13. A board-type watercraft according to claim 1 wherein the free edge of the spines and the underside of the mid section of the board substantially conform to a flat plane.

14. A board-type watercraft according to claim 13 wherein the free edge of the spines extends by no more than 40% of the maximum spine depth below the underside of the mid section of the board.

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

15. A board-type watercraft according to claim 13 or 14 wherein the free edge of the spines does not protrude substantially below the plane of the underside of the mid section of the board.

16. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the underside of the board in the channels is substantially flat.

17. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the channels have a width at least twice their maximum depth.

18. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the channels have a length at least twice their width.

19. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the channels are substantially straight.

20. A board-type watercraft according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the underside of the nose of the board is provided with a ridge extending

longitudinally of the board.

21. A board-type watercraft according to claim 20 wherein the ridge has a triangular transverse cross section.

22. A board-type watercraft according to claim 20 or 21 wherein the ridge is on the centreline of the board.

23. A kitesurf board having a front section, mid section and rear section, the front section extending from the nose to the mid section and the rear section extending from the mid section to the tail, the edges of the board defining rails, the board being no more than 150cm long,

the mid section having a generally flat or slightly concave underface, a thickness substantially equal to 60mm or more, a width at its maximum substantially equal to 500mm or more;

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

22 the rear section having protruding from its underside a plurality of elongate spines having their length in a longitudinal direction of the board and a depth from the underside, the depth being less then the length, the free edge of the spines being substantially continuous with the underside of the mid section;

the rail thickness decreasing from the mid to the rear section of the board.

AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)

23

Statement Under Article 19

In the Written Opinion attached to the International Search Report the Examiner indicated that the subject matter of dependent claim 13 was novel and inventive. This feature has therefore been added to the independent claims, thus rendering those claims, and all claims dependent from them, novel and inventive.

J A KEMP