Patent ID: 6022252
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: B63B,B63H,F01M,F02B,F02M

Abstract:
A personal watercraft of a type that may become capsized in use, said watercraft having a hull defining an engine compartment in which a four cycle, internal combustion engine is positioned, said engine having a body defining at least one combustion chamber and having an output shaft journalled in a crankcase and arranged to drive said water propulsion device, said engine including a head cover positioned vertically above said crankcase and defining a chamber in communication with said crankcase for transfer of blowby gasses therebetween and an intake system through which air is supplied to said combustion chamber, said intake system including an air intake pipe extending from said body of said engine to an air box having a top surface and a bottom surface and an air inlet leading into an interior air space, said engine further including a breather unit including a passage leading from said engine body to an opening in fluid communication with said intake system, said opening communicating with said interior air space at a position other than at said top or bottom surface of said air box so that water that may accumulate in said air box can not flow to said engine body through said breather unit if said watercraft is either upright or inverted.