Patent ID: 6827031
Filing Date: 2004-12-07
Classification: B63H

Abstract:
A watercraft comprising a hull, an engine supported by the hull and having an output shaft, a propulsion device connected to the output shaft of the engine, a steering input device configured to be manually operable by an operator, a steering device configured to steer the watercraft in accordance with the position of the steering input device, first and second sponson modules connected to opposite sides of the hull, each sponson module comprising a sponson body having a first inner surface facing toward a side of the hull, a second lower surface extending from the inner surface away from the hull, and a third surface extending at an angle from the second surface and being spaced outwardly from the first inner surface, each sponson module also including a guide mechanism defining a fixed path of travel for each sponson body between a first retracted position and a second deployed position, a steering sensor configured to detect a position of the steering input device and to generate a position signal indicative of the position of the steering input device, an actuator for moving the sponsoring body between the first and second positions, and a controller configured to control the actuator based on the position signal from the steering sensor.