MY107994A - Multiple hull air ride boat - Google Patents

Abstract

AN IMPROVED PERFORMANCE MARINE SURFACE VESSEL THAT INCLUDES PRESSURIZED SUPPORTING GAS CUSHIONS IN MULTIPLE HULLS, NORMALLY CATAMARAN - LIKE SIDEHULLS ( 95, 96), WHERE SUCH PRESSURIZED SUPPORTING GAS CUSHIONS SUPPORT A MAJORITY OF BOAT WEIGHT IN OPERATION . THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION UTILIZES LONG FINE POITED BOW (38) CATAMARAN - LIKE SIDEHULLS (95, 96) THAT ARE IN MECHANICAL COMMUNICATION WITH A CONNECTING HULL STRUCTURE (99). THE LONG FINE SIDEHULLS OFFER PERFORMANCE ADVANTAGES OVER A SINGLE LARGE SUPPORTING GAS CUSHION. SIDEHULL GAS CUSHION OUTER SIDEWALLS (111, 113) ARE PREFERABLY WIDER AND DEEPER THAN INNER SIDEWALLS (110, 112) WHICH INSURES MINIMUM RESISTANCE COUPLED WITH MAXIMUM TRANSVERSE STABILITY IN ROLL. FURTHER, SIDEHULL GAS CUSHION SIDEWALLS OPTIONALLY HAVE ANGLED TO HORIZONTAL FLATTER SURFACES (88) FORWARD AND THEN TRANSITION TO MORE ROUNDED SHAPES AFT WHICH PROVIDES FOR GOOD PITCH STABILITY AND MINIMUM HYDRODYNAMIC RESISTANCE. THE INVENTION MAY ALSO INCLUDE A CENTER BOW (38) DISPOSED BETWEEN THE SIDEHULLS (95, 96) THAT ADDS TO STABILITY IN ROUGH SEAS AND GIVES A RACY YACHT - LIKE APPERANCE. RECESSES (58, 59, 60) IN THE SIDEHULLS (95, 96) MAY INCLUDE, AT LEAST IN PART, FIXED AND/OR MOVABLE SEALS (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 88, 89). FIXED SEALS (88, 89) MAY INCLUDE INSET (93) VENTED STEPS TO REDUCE WETTED SURFACE AREA. THE RECESS GAS PRESSURIZATION SYSTEM MAY INCLUDE A CONTROLLER (79) TO CONTROL PRESSURE IN INDIVIDUAL RECESSES WHICH ALLOWS AT LEAST SOME CONTROL OF BOAT MOTIONS IN ROUGH SEAS. A FURTHER FEATURE IS THE USE OF VERTICALLY ORIENTED VENTED STEPS (47) IN THE SIDES OF THE SIDEHULLS (95,96) TO REDUCE WETTED AREA DRAG WHEN OPERATING IN ROUGH SEAS. ONE OTHER FEATURE IS THE USE OF AIR FLOW TURBULENCE GENERATORS (39) ON THE UNDERSIDE, OR WETDECK (41), OF THE CONNECTING HULL STRUCTURE (99) TO THEREBY INCREASE STATIC PRESSURE LIFTING FORCES ACTING ON THE CONNECTING HULL STRUCTURE (99). (FIGURE 1)