Patent ID: 6113447
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: B63H

Abstract:
In combination, a watercraft and a frontface oar system mounted to said watercraft, said watercraft having an elongated hull defining a longitudinal axis linking a bow and a stem, and two side edge portions integrally flanking said hull, said frontface oar system comprising a pair of oars each having an oar paddle member defining a first end portion and a second opposite free paddle end portion, and an oar handle member defining a first end portion and a second opposite free handle end portion, said oar system further comprising a pair of oar mounting members each comprising:a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart socket members fixedly attached to a corresponding said watercraft side edge portion, each said socket member defining an opened spherical housing having an opening in facing register with the opening of the other socket member of said pair of socket members;an open casing having a pair of integral ball joint members each engaged in a respective socket housing through a corresponding said opening, for forming a ball and socket joint allowing swivelling displacement of said casing about an axis parallel to said watercraft longitudinal axis, with the first end portions of both said oar paddle member and said oar handle member being pivotally attached to said casing adjacent to each other for operative pivotal displacement of said oar members in a common pivotal plane;a reversing device, operatively interconnecting the respective first ends of said oar paddle member and of said oar handle member for allowing pivotal displacement of said oar paddle member and said oar handle member only in opposite directions in said common pivotal plane;wherein upon a said oar handle member being forcibly pivoted in a first direction, the corresponding said oar paddle member will be pivoted in an opposite direction in said common pivotal plane, and wherein said common pivotal plane can be angularly adjusted by forcibly swivelling said casings about said ball and socket joints, with said oar handle members acting as levers for swivelling said casings; and wherein said oar systems further comprises a pair of attachment rods each integrally linking a socket member of an oar mounting member with a corresponding socket member of the other oar mounting member from said pair of oar mounting members, with each said rod extending through and into said watercraft hull and transversely of said elongated hull.