AU617940B2 - Improvements in aqautic boards - Google Patents

Description

79 4 0 Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 'aft ft C ft SC a a a a a ft a a u ass a ft It q f 'aft tat.

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a ta a, a' at I tIt it a a at t ft Applicant:. BA.ETT CURTIS McPHERSON-SMITH Address :73/30 Moore Road, Harbord, New South Wales, Australia Address for Service: Chrysiliou Moore Chrysiliou Box 373 Collaroy Beach2 NSW 2097 Complete Specification for an invention entitled: "IMPROVEMENTS IN AQUATIC BOARDS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the bezt method of performing it known to me: i c I This invention relates to watercraft. More particularly, this invention concerns improvements in watercraft, especially surfboards.

A number of recreational water activities involve the use of an elongated board to support a participant while on the water. Such activities include surf board riding, sailboarding and water skiing, for example. In this specification and the claims, the term "aquatic board" will be used to refer to this type of board and includes within 10 its ambit surf boards, surf skis, wave skis, sailboards, kneeboards, water skis and the like.

For ease of description, the invention will be described with reference to surf boards. However, it is to be understood that the invention is also applicable to other 4994 types of aquatic boards.

4 While modern surf boards are shorter than their predecessors, it is desirable to maintain a practical length 4 in order to ensure adequate board stability and flotation.

A longer board is also capable of more power. However, a shorter board is more manoeuvrable and can turn more sharply than a longer board; this feature has become an important one, especially in competitions hence the present popularity of shorter boards.

However, the shorter boards have drawbacks. Apart from lacking the power, stability and flotation properties of longer boards, shorter boards have less area in which the rider can move to distribute his weight. It is found that the length of a board plays an important part in commencing a turn, in that a longer board has the advantage, although once the turn has commenced a shorter board qn complete the turn more sharply.

It would be desirable to combine the features of power, stability and flotation inherent in longer boards with the ready manoeuvrability of shorter boards, but prior to the o o< present invention, no effective solution to this problem had 09 0o 10 been found.

o a oo A study of surf boards in action indicates that, once a turn has commenced, the part of the board near the nose loses contact with the water and the board is set on the edge or 0 *o rail nearer the turn. In many cases, the part of the rail o which contacts the water during a turn is that part which commences behind the nose and which extends to the tail. In extreme cases, it is only the the back half, or the rail which extends from the mid-point of the board to the tail, 0 which contacts the water. In effect, the board "pivots" on 0 0 20 that rail until the turn is completed or aborted.

From this study arose the idea which forms the basis of the present invention. namely, to change the shape of the board so that the area of the rails on which the board turns more closely resembles that of a short board, while the board in fact retains the advantages of a longer board.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an aquatic board -4having a pair of opposing longitudinal edges bound by a nose at one end and a tail at the other, wherein between the nose and the tail at a position nearer the nose than the tail there is a convergence followed by a divergence of the edges.

Most boards have edges which are curved towards each other, with the widest part of the board occurring about halfway between the nose and the tail. Preferably, the point of 0: convergence and divergence of the board of this 10 invention occurs at a position which is distant from the o a* tail by approximately three quarters of the total length of the board. However, this invention also contemplates the situation where the point of convergence and divergence occurs closer to the mid-point of the board.

4 The convergence and divergence may be angular but is preferably effected in curves, so that the board has a *o04 "waisted" appearance.

The board of the invention may be constructed in any manner and from any suitable material, including the conventional foam core coated in fibreglass. The board of the invention may include any desired number of tail fins current boards usually have three fins mounted near the tail in any appropriate configuration. The board may also have provision for fittings such as a leg-rope in the case of a surf board, or foot rubbers in the case of water skis, for example.

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Ti^ i I- The invention will now be described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which: Figure 1 represents a plan view (from beneath) of a surf board according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the board of Figure 1.

4• Referring to both Figures 1 and 2, surfboard 10 is "oo manufactured in the normal way from a foam blank core coated Swith fibreglass and has a pair of opposing edges or rails 12 44 4* S" 10 and 14 which form a gentle curve between nose 16 and tail 18. Fins 20, 22 and 24 are fixed to board 10 in the usual way.

The mid-point of board 10 is indicated by the transverse dashed line 26.

At a suitable position between nose 16 and mid-point 26, 4*4, edges 12 and 14 converge and diverge, to form a "waist" 28.

Visually an effectively, board 10 combines the features of "i two boards: a long, relatively narrow boaru extending from nose 16 to tail 18, and a short, relatively wide board extending from waist 28 to tail 18.

When board 10 is in motion in the surf and a turn is commenced, nose 16 is released from contact with the water and moves in the desired direction as would be the case of a prior art board of the same overall length. However, board is then set on rail 12 or 14 (depending on the direction of the turn) between waist 28 and tail 18 and board 10 turns as easily as would be the case with a prior art board having a length from approximately waist 28 to tail 18.

It will be seen from the above description and a consideration of the Drawings that the effect of the convergence and divergence in the rails is to shorten the length of the board which contacts the water during a turn, o.0: thus allowing the board of the invention the manoeuvrability S000 o of shorter boards. However, at the same time the board o:"o 10 retains the advantages of a longer board power, stability 0 So" and flotation.

Other forms of the board of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art anJ the invention is not to be limited by the specific examples referred to herein. In particular, minor changes may be necessary in applying the invention to aquatic boards other than surf boards. It will *94* be appreciated that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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Claims (7)

1. An aquatic board having a pair of opposing longitudinal edges bound by a nose at one end and a tail at the other, wherein between the nose and the tail at a position nearer the nose than the tail there is a convergence followed by a divergence of the edges.

2. An aquatic board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the board o 9 ;is a surf board. 9

3. An aquatic board as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the convergence and divergence occurs at a position which is distant from the tail by approximately three quarters of the total length of the board. t

4. An aquatic board as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, '0 wherein the convergence and divergence is effected in a curves.

An aquatic board as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the board includes one or more fins.

6. An aquatic board as claimed in claim 5, wherein the board has three fins mounted near the tail. I IAV 'i -8-

7. An aquatic board as claimed in claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 11th day of September, 1991 BRETT CURTIS McPHERSON-SMITH GAO*, By his Patent Attorney KERRY MOORE CHRYSIIOU of CHRYSIIIIOU MOORE CHRYSILIOU *tit