Vessel having extensions for supporting swim platform and concealing outboard engines

A vessel, including a transom for mounting outboard engines thereto, is spanned on opposite sides by aft-facing hull extensions which extend beyond the engines and allow a swim platform to be positioned between the hull extensions. The design allows the outboard engines to be covered with an engine cover, which provides an attractive vessel design in which the outboard engines can be concealed with a cover, which may serve other functions, such as a seat or the like. The cover houses an engine cowl mist shield which includes a support frame surrounding one or more outboard engines. The frame includes aperture(s) with edges spaced from the cowl and a flexible member extending from the edges to the cowl below the air intake of the cowl, such that spray and mist from the operation of the vessel does not reach the air intake of the cowl.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vessels, such as recreational boats employing outboard engines.

Vessels, such as pleasure boats, powered with multiple outboard engines are becoming increasingly popular as they provide desired performance and are relatively economical to acquire. As emission standards become stricter, inboard/outdrive type propulsion systems for pleasure vessels meeting new standards are becoming more expensive, thereby making an outboard driven vessel even more attractive to the consumer. Inboard/outdrive vessels have some features, for example, a rear deck and/or swim platform areas, which are not available on vessels with an outboard engine or engines mounted on the transom. Typically, outboard engines extend from the transom aft and do not allow space behind the engine for such amenities. Swim ladders are frequently mounted to the transom of outboard powered vessels but have limited use only for ingress and egress onto the vessel when the outboard engine is not in operation. Some inboard/outdrive vessels, however, as well as conventional inboard driven vessels, have swim platforms which can be relatively extensive and provide convenience to the vessel operator and passengers in many instances while getting onto or off of a vessel, as well as when anchored and engaging in recreational activities, such as swimming, lounging, and the like. Thus, it would be desirable to have such a feature with an outboard powered vessel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The vessel of the present invention satisfies this need by providing several unique features to the hull design, including a transom for mounting one or more outboard engines thereto which is spanned on opposite sides by aft-facing hull and deck extensions which extend the sides and part of the hull aft beyond the transom. This allows a swim platform to be positioned between the hull extensions and behind the outboard engines. Additionally, the design allows the outboard engine or engines to be covered to provide an attractive vessel design in which the outboard engines are concealed. The cover may serve other functions, such as providing seating, a sun pad, or other amenities. Such a cover may be opened or include an opening hatch to allow easy access to the engines for servicing. By integrating extensions to the hull which extend aft beyond the transom, an entirely unique vessel design is provided allowing amenities, such as a walkthrough to a swim platform, seating, and/or sun pads, to be incorporated in an outboard powered vessel in previously unavailable areas. With or without an added swim platform, the extensions allow the outboard engine or engines to be covered to present a vessel which has the appearance of an inboard driven vessel but with the performance and cost effectiveness of using outboard engines.

Vessels embodying this invention include a hull with a transom for holding at least one outboard engine and starboard and port hull extensions formed on the hull and deck and extending toward any outboard engine mounted to the transom. Vessels embodying this invention may also include an engine cover positioned on the hull and over an outboard engine when mounted to the transom and supported, at least in part, by the hull extensions. Vessels embodying the invention may further include a swim platform between the hull extensions aft of the area occupied by an outboard engine. A swim platform may be integrally formed at an aft end of the engine cover which may include a hatch for providing access to the outboard engine. The engine well of a covered engine of this invention includes a mist shield surrounding the engine cowl, wherein the shield has a flexible member extending into engagement with the engine cowl. In one embodiment, the flexible member comprises bristles of a brush extending from the edges of the mist shield to the engine cowl. The mist shield may be a pivoted frame movable between engine operating and servicing positions. The engine cover includes air inlets to provide combustion air for the engine(s).

These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description thereof together with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially toFIGS. 1-5, there is shown a vessel10including a hull20and deck30. The deck30includes a bridge deck area with the usual amenities, including a windshield32, side windows34, a hard top36for the bridge deck, and electronics38mounted to the hard top (FIGS. 2-5). The top may include a sunroof37(FIGS. 2 and 3), which can be opened and closed. The deck30supports handrails22assisting operators access to the bow area21of the vessel.

The hull20includes a starboard side24and a port side26which are integrally molded with the bottom28and transom29(FIGS. 1,2,5,10, and11). Hull20and deck30are unique in that they include hull extensions40and42on the starboard and port sides, respectively, which are integral with the sides24and26and the bottom28of the hull. Hull20and deck30are made of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) typically integrally molded and joined in a conventional manner. At the extensions40,42, the two members are joined in a sealed watertight connection, as seen inFIG. 13discussed below. The hull may, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, include ports25, which are sealably enclosed with suitable watertight transparent port covers for providing natural light to the living quarters within hull20.

The stern of the vessel includes a transom29extending upwardly from the bottom28(FIGS. 1,2,5,10, and11) to which a pair of outboard engines50and52are mounted for providing propulsion for vessel10. The vessel10may include one or several engines (three or four or more) mounted to the transom depending upon the size of the vessel. Hull extensions40and42are substantially symmetrical and include horizontally extending lower first sections41(FIGS. 1,2, and6-8) on each of the port and starboard sides of the vessel. The lower surface of first sections41are slightly below the water line (WL) in relation to the hull20, as best seen inFIG. 2, but do not form part of the performance characteristics of the vessel controlled by the shape of bottom28. Thus, the lower surface of sections41is not visible and, as seen inFIG. 2, extends to an observer to what appears to be the waterline of the vessel, which can range in size from 24 to 40 feet or longer.

Hull extensions40,42each include an intermediate upwardly inclined aft extending section43and a generally horizontally extending aft third section45on both the starboard and port sides, which extend toward and behind engines50,52a distance sufficient to allow the engine(s) to be fully raised, as seen inFIGS. 11 and 15, without contacting a swim platform70extending between hull extensions40,42. As best seen inFIG. 12, the hull extensions40,42are fabricated with integrated stringers74and braces72in the hull20sufficient to support the weight of an engine cover60and integral swim platform70and several individuals using the swim platform and walkway76. The hull may have a reinforcing grid27(FIG. 12), such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,191,495, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Platform70can be fixedly secured between ends45of extensions40,42or, as seen inFIG. 8, can be an integral part of an engine cover60for covering the engines50,52.

Engine cover60comprises a housing62with port and starboard side walls64,66and a lower edge68, which is secured to deck30, as seen inFIG. 13, by a plurality of spaced-apart backed through bolts69and a conventional marine bedding compound67. The deck30to hull20junction at extensions40,42is also seen inFIG. 13and includes a plurality of spaced-apart backed through bolts31and a marine bedding compound33. Thus, the deck30and hull20have a watertight mechanical junction, as does the housing62of cover60to the deck30.

Cover60includes a hatch65which is hinged to an aft lower edge63(FIG. 1) of cover housing62by hinges61(FIG. 14) to open rearwardly, as illustrated inFIGS. 9-11,14, and15, providing access to engines50,52for servicing. InFIGS. 10 and 11, the hatch is shown in open and closed positions and moves between these positions in an arc represented by arrow A in these figures. Gas springs54(FIGS. 10,11,14, and15) extend between the hatch and the edge of the cover opening defining the motor well56behind the transom29. Hydraulic or electrical struts could be employed for raising and lowering hatch65. Hatch65includes an integrally molded aft-facing seat61, which can be used in conjunction with swim platform70. Platform70includes a stowable extendable swim ladder71(FIG. 6) to facilitate individual ingress and egress to and from the water. Hatch65also includes an upper air intake48for combustion air for the engines. The junction of the hatch65and the cover housing62also includes air inlets49(FIG. 15) on each side of the cover60to assist in providing combustion air.

As seen particularly inFIG. 7and inFIGS. 8-15, engines50and52fit within the open area or motor well56defined by the space between the hull extensions40,42, the transom29, and the swim platform70. This provides sufficient room, as illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 15, to allow engines50and52to be raised within the well56as desired for maintenance and/or shallow water running. The hull extensions40,42, including sections41,43, and45, may include walkways, such as walkway76shown in FIGS.1and4-7, to provide access to the swim platform70from the cockpit area80(FIG. 1) of the vessel. The upper surface46(FIGS. 1-3and5-9) of hull extension40is part of the deck30and is inclined downwardly toward section45to provide a streamlined appearance to the vessel10.

As seen inFIGS. 14 and 15, the engines50,52are situated in the motor well56to which a pivoted mist-blocking frame90is hingedly mounted at hinges92at the forward end of the well56. This allows the frame90to pivot between a raised position, as shown inFIGS. 14 and 15, and a lowered servicing position which allows access to remove the cowls13of engines50and52for servicing. The mist-blocking frame90includes a pair of apertures91and93, which have edges95in spaced relationship to the engine cowls to allow the engine cowls13to extend through the apertures. Coupled to the edges95are flexible members100, which extend from edges95into engagement with the cowls13of engines50and52. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flexible members100comprise, as best seen inFIGS. 14 and 15, bristles of brushes which had a length of approximately 11-inches to 12-inches to extend between edges95of apertures91and93into contact with the cowl13of the engines50,52. The frame90positions the flexible members100in engagement with the cowl at an area near the lower end thereof, as seen inFIGS. 14 and 15, below the air intake51of each of the engines. The bristles employed in flexible member100can range in diameter size of from about 0.003-inches to 0.060-inches, depending upon the particular installation, although a diameter of 0.045-inches was successfully used in the test trials of the vessel10. The bristles, as best seen inFIGS. 14 and 15, are attached to the edges95of apertures91and93of frame90by underlying strips of material sandwiching the brush bristles in place and held by fasteners97. The use of the flexible members prevents water from interfering with engine performance while allowing the engines to be raised, lowered, and turned for steering the vessel through the apertures91,93in mist-blocking frame90.

Frame90typically will be made of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP), and the brushes will be mounted to the underside of frame90for aesthetic purposes. In the embodiment shown, frame90was made of 3/16-inch FRP and had an integral reinforcing rib94located between apertures91,93. Instead of brush bristles employed for flexible member100, other means of providing a spray or mist guard interface between the apertures91,93in mist-blocking frame90and the engine cowls13can be employed. Thus, for example, a flexible rubber or other flexible membrane could be employed which allows the engine to be turned for steering and tilted for trimming during operation and the frame90lowered for servicing. Also, strips of semi-rigid polymeric materials likewise could be employed, although the bristles are extremely effective in preventing liquid from accumulating on the engines.

The mist-blocking frame90, as best seen inFIGS. 14 and 15, is hinged by hinges92and latched in a raised operational position with a conventional latch96extending between the cover housing and frame90. With the aft-facing end of frame90lowered, the cowls13on both engines50and52are fully exposed, allowing them to disengage from the bristles of member100and be removed for access to the engine components.

By providing a cowl mist shield of the present invention, the engines are protected against the deleterious effects of salt or fresh water spray entering the engine area and the cowl and air intakes of the engine while the vessel is running at operational speeds. The trim of the vessel can vary from 0° at idle to about 12° when on plane and the wake created by operational speeds together with the turbulence of the propellers of the engine may otherwise, in the enclosed engine environment of the vessel shown in these figures, reduce the life of the engines or their performance.

It will become apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the invention as described herein can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.