Patent ID: 7712424
Filing Date: 2010-05-11
Classification: B63B

Abstract:
1. A multi-hulled vessel comprising two side hulls that are connected by struts to a center hull, wherein said side hulls are at least partially submerged while said vessel is underway, and further wherein each of said two side hulls comprises a ridge that is disposed on an upper surface thereof, wherein: (a) said side hulls extend a first distance forward of a leading edge of said struts; (b) said ridge extends for at least a portion of said first distance from a bow of said side hulls toward said leading edge of said struts; (c) when said vessel is underway in water having a surface layer of ice, a major portion of a length of said ridge is brought into contact with a bottom surface of said ice; and (d) said major portion of said ridge is sufficient to function as a force concentrator for concentrating a weight of said ice along said ridge in order to fracture said ice.