Abstract:
A rowboat is disclosed. The rowboat includes a first hull extending in a longitudinal direction and a second hull extending parallel to the first hull. The first hull is fixedly connected to the second hull. A seat is disposed between the first and second hulls. A first oar is pivotally connected to the first hull and a second oar is pivotally connected to the second hull. A method of operating the rowboat is also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS (IF APPLICABLE) 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/759,409, filed on Jan. 17, 2006. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Sculling is a popular sport that allows a rower or several rowers to sit in a streamlined boat, called a shell, and row the shell at a relatively high speed across a smooth water surface, such as a lake or a slow moving river. For a single-person shell, the shell includes oarlocks on either side of the rower. An oar is pivotally connected to each oarlock to allow the rower to operate each oar with a single hand. The seat is mounted on sliding rails, and allows the rower to slide back-and-forth along the rails during each oar stroke, allowing the rower to generate additional power with each stroke. 
         [0003]    The streamlined design of a typical shell makes the shell relatively unstable, requiring the rower to maintain balance within the shell in order to avoid losing his/her balance and tipping over. Such a design may intimidate a novice rower for fear that the shell may tip over and the rower may fall into the water. A mono-hull design may also pose a safety threat to a young or inexperienced rower. It would be beneficial to provide a boat that has the operative oar features of a scull, including the sliding seat of the scull, but is more stable than a typical shell, providing an increased stability for a novice user. 
         [0004]    Additionally, typical sculling oarlocks allow for four degrees of freedom for an oar: back-and-forth (rotational); up-and-down (rotational); spinning or feathering (rotational) and in-and-out (translational). The in-and-out degree of freedom also allows the oar to be rotated about its longitudinal axis within the oarlock, as with feathering the oar. Such multiple degrees of freedom may be confusing and hard to master for the novice rower. It would be beneficial to provide a rowboat that included oarlocks that restricted the number of degrees of freedom of the oar, such as to two rotational degrees of freedom, in order to enable the user to slowly familiarize himself/herself with the operation of the oar, without introducing too many variables that may make it difficult and frustrating to learn how to use all at once. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Briefly, the present invention provides a rowboat. The rowboat includes a first hull extending in a longitudinal direction and a second hull extending parallel to the first hull. The first hull is fixedly connected to the second hull. A seat is disposed between the first and second hulls. A first oar is pivotally connected to the first hull and a second oar is pivotally connected to the second hull. 
         [0006]    Additionally, the present invention provides a rowboat comprising first and second hulls fixedly connected to each other by a rib. A seat is slidably connected to the rib. An oar is operatively connected to each hull. 
         [0007]    Further, the present invention also provides a rowboat comprising a first hull extending in a longitudinal direction and a second hull extending parallel to the first hull. The first hull is fixedly connected to the second hull. A first oar is pivotally connected to the first hull and a second oar is pivotally connected to the second hull. Each of the first and second oars each have no more than two degrees of freedom. 
         [0008]    Additionally, the present invention provides a method of rowing a boat. The method comprises the steps of sitting between first and second hulls of the boat, wherein an oar operatively extends from each of the first and second hulls; and operating an oar with each hand, wherein operating the oar comprises operating the oar with no more than two degrees of motion. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description preferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification. For the purposes of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments that are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are employed for designating the same elements throughout the several figures. In the drawings: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a double-hulled rowboat according to the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the double-hulled rowboat shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the double-hulled rowboat shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the double-hulled rowboat shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. As used herein, the term “forward” is defined to mean a direction in which a rower is facing when seated in the rowboat and “aft” is defined to mean a direction behind the rower when seated in the rowboat. The following describes preferred a embodiment of the invention. However, it should be understood based on this disclosure, that the invention is not limited by the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         [0015]    Referring to the figures in general, the present invention is a rowboat  100  having a plurality of hulls  110 ,  120 . The plurality of hulls  110 ,  120  provide additional stability to the rowboat  100  and aid in the instruction of a novice rower, reducing the likelihood of the rower losing his balance and tipping over the side of the rowboat. 
         [0016]    Referring in particular to  FIG. 1 , the first hull  110  extends in a longitudinal direction and includes a forward end  112  and an aft end  114 . While  FIG. 1  shows a blunt forward end  112  and a blunt aft end  114 , those skilled in the art will recognize that the forward end  112  and the aft end  114  may be rounded or tapered to reduce drag on the rowboat  100  during operation. 
         [0017]    The second hull  120  extends parallel to the first hull  110  and includes a forward end  122  and an aft end  124 . Similar to the first hull  110 , the forward end  122  and the aft end  124  may be rounded or tapered to reduce drag on the rowboat  100  during operation. 
         [0018]    The first and second hulls  110 ,  120  are connected to each other by a pair of forward and aft ribs  130 ,  140 , respectively, that each extend in a plane transverse to the longitudinal length of the hulls  110 ,  120 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , the forward rib  130  includes a first riser  132  extending obliquely away from the first hull  110  and a second riser  134  extending obliquely away from the second hull  120 . A connector portion  136  connects the first and second risers  132 ,  134  to each other. The connector portion  136  preferably extends in a horizontal plane. 
         [0019]    The aft rib  140  includes a first riser  142  extending obliquely away from the first hull  110  and a second riser  144  extending obliquely away from the second hull  120 . A connector portion  146  connects the first and second risers  142 ,  144  to each other. The connector portion  146  preferably extends in a horizontal plane, co-planar with the connector portion  136  of the forward rib  130 . 
         [0020]    A pair of seat rails  150 ,  152  are fixedly connected to the connector portions  136 ,  146 , and extend generally parallel to the hulls  110 ,  120 . A seat  154  is slidably connected to the seat rails  150 ,  152  for longitudinal translation along the seat rails  150 ,  152 . The seat  154  may ride along the seat rails  150 ,  152  on roller bearings, as is well known in the rowing art. Preferably, the seat  154  and the seat rails  150 ,  152  imitate competition racing sculls. 
         [0021]    A generally U-shaped footstretcher  160  extends forward from the forward rib  130 . The footstretcher  160  extends sufficiently far from the forward rib  130  to enable the rower to place and maintain his/her feet on the footstretcher  160  while seated on the seat  154 , with the seat  154  in any position along the seat rails  150 ,  152 . The footstretcher  160  serves as a platform to allow the rower to push against to generate more power with each oar stroke. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , first and second outriggers  170 ,  180  extend from the first and second hulls  110 ,  120 , respectively. The first outrigger  170  extends generally obliquely away from the first hull  110 , and, as seen in  FIG. 1 , is generally V-shaped. A first oar lock  172  is connected to the apex of the outrigger  170  and extends in a generally vertical direction. The second outrigger  180  is similar to the first outrigger  170  and a second oar lock  182  extends generally vertically from the apex of the second outrigger  180 .  FIG. 3  shows a side view of the second outrigger  180 , further illustrating the V-shape of the outrigger  180 . 
         [0023]    A first oar  174  is pivotally connected to the first oar lock  172  such that the oar  174  may operate in a forward-aft direction and an up-and-down direction, but is neither rotatable about its longitudinal axis nor translatable along the oar lock  172 . Similarly, a second oar  184  is pivotally connected to the second oar lock  182  such that the oar  184  may operate in a forward-aft direction and an up-and-down direction, but is neither rotatable about its longitudinal axis nor translatable along the oar lock  182 . Such operation of the oars  174 ,  184  allows for easier use of the oars  174 ,  184  for a novice rower, without having to deal with the oars  174 ,  184  rotating within the oar locks  172 ,  182  or sliding along the oar locks  172 ,  182 . 
         [0024]    For ease of construction, the rowboat  100  may be constructed from PVC pipe. For example, the hulls  110 ,  120  may be constructed from 4″ PVC pipe, with the ribs  130 ,  140 , the footstretcher  160 , and the outriggers  170 ,  180  being constructed from 2″ PVC. One advantage to this type of construction is that the materials are readily available and the rowboat  100  may be constructed by an individual without great expense. However, it should be recognized that such construction should take into account the user&#39;s weight to ensure that the rowboat  100  has sufficient buoyancy to support the user without sinking. For example, instead of 4″ PVC for the hulls  110 ,  120 , 6″ PVC may be used to provide enhanced buoyancy. Additionally, all open ends and joints are preferably sealed to prevent water from entering the structure. 
         [0025]    With such a PVC construction, the lateral cross section of each of the hulls  110 ,  120  is circular, as can be seen in  FIG. 2 . The circular cross section is highly hydrodynamic and reduces drag on the hulls  110 ,  120  as the rowboat  100  is operated. 
         [0026]    Alternatively, other materials may be used to construct the rowboat  100 , such as fiberglass, or any other suitable material. Additionally, the lateral cross section of the hulls  110 ,  120  may be other than circular. 
         [0027]    The rowboat  100  as described above is well suited for a novice rower, who can use the rowboat  100  to learn how to row without worrying that the boat will tip over, or without having to deal with the oars rotating within the oarlocks. The two hulls  110 ,  120  provide the stability necessary to preclude the rowboat  100  from tipping over. 
         [0028]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention.