Patent ID: 6199496
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B63B,Y02T

Abstract:
In an improved marine vehicle including a propulsion system and with multiple hulls where said multiple hulls are in mechanical communication, the improvement comprising:said marine vehicle including at least two hulls each having a recess built into its underside, said recesses supplied with pressurized gas by primary gas pressurization means thereby forming load supporting gas cushions upon water surfaces at any marine vehicle speed when the marine vehicle is waterborne, said recesses in gaseous communication to thereby maintain a substantially common gas pressure in the load supporting gas cushions, and gas sealing mechanisms disposed between the primary gas pressurization means and the load supporting gas cushions whereby when one of said primary gas pressurization means is at a substantially lower gas pressure than its gas cushion, the gas sealing mechanism disposed between that primary gas pressurization means and its pressurized gas cushion can restrict the flow of pressurized gas from the gas cushion out through its primary gas pressurization means.