Abstract:
A pedal powered catamaran has a pair of pontoons connected by a cross platform whereat an operator sits and rotates a pair of pedals which power the catamaran via a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism allowing the operator to gain mechanical advantage. One or both of the pontoons has a seat molded directly into the upper surface thereof in order to accommodate additional passengers onto the catamaran. Back rests and cup holds are also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a pedal powered catamaran wherein the operator is seated between the pontoons of the catamaran and wherein the pontoons have a seat thereon for additional passengers. 
   2. Background of the Prior Art 
   For people who love to be on the water, the exists a panoply of water vessels that can be used to get onto the water in order to satisfy the nautical urge. Such vessels range from a simple floating lounger or inner tube to a giant yacht or cruise ship and vessels of all sizes and types in between. While motor powered boats, large and small tend, to be fun and exhilarating, many small boats find favor with water going folks. One small boat that is enjoyed by many is the pedal boat, which typically comprises a small 4 or 5 seat boat that is pedaled by one or two folks in front seats with the pedaling driving a paddle that pushes the boat through the water. These boats, which are useful on lakes and other small bodies of water, are a great and inexpensive way to get onto the water. Although they do not travel very fast, they can still provide for a fun filled day. 
   Although pedal boats are quite fun and relatively straightforward to operate and maintain, their slow speed proves a limitation to some. Due to the architecture of a typical pedal boat, the pedals rotated by the pedallers directly drive the paddle wheel. As a result no mechanical advantage is gained by the operators. To overcome this lack of speed in pedal boats, pedal catamarans have been proposed. Such catamarans, while still relatively simple in design and thus relatively inexpensive so as to be affordable to those who want to enjoy the water at low cost, employ a drive system that gives the operators a mechanical advantage, thereby increasing the speed that can be achieved by the vessel, and effectively, the range. Such mechanical advantage is typically achieved by having the pedals operatively connected to either a paddle or a screw that drives the boat by either a chain drive or a gear drive, which drive provides the advantage. Many variations of pedal catamarans can be found in the art, and such catamarans are finding favor with a wide variety of water going people. 
   One limitation that present day catamarans have is the limited passenger capacity relative to the size of the vessel. Unlike a typical pedal boat, wherein the passengers are located above the pontoons of the boat, on a catamaran, the passengers are located on the platform that joins the pontoons of the vessel. As many pedal catamarans that achieve mechanical advantage have the drive seat—the seat or seats wherein the pedallers are seated—at the lateral midpoint of the platform, seating configuration for the other passengers can be tricky. While the width and/or length of the platform can be increased in order to provide more real estate for passengers, such catamaran expansion reduces the low cost advantage of this class of boats and also makes transport of the boat between home and the launch site more difficult. 
   Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a catamaran that has a large passenger capacity to size ratio by utilizing the available surface real estate efficiently. Such a catamaran must be relatively low cost so that it serves as an entry level-type of boat for water lovers, while allowing for reasonable speed and range of the vessel. Such a catamaran must be relatively easy to load onto and transport by the transport vehicle that takes the boat between storage and launch site. Ideally, such a catamaran is of relatively simple design and construction and is simple to use and maintain. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The pedal powered catamaran of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art. The pedal powered catamaran is a large passenger capacity water vessel relative to its size ratio by utilizing the available surface real estate of the vessel efficiently. The pedal powered catamaran is relatively simple in design and construction making the boat relatively low cost allowing the boat to serve as an entry level-type of water vessel for water lovers. The pedal powered catamaran achieves mechanical advantage for its human provided drive motor, thereby allowing for reasonable speed and range of the vessel. The pedal powered catamaran is relatively easy to load onto and transport by the transport vehicle that takes the boat between storage and launch site. The pedal powered catamaran is simple to use and maintain. 
   The pedal powered catamaran is comprised of a first pontoon and a second pontoon that are joined by an appropriate cross platform. The catamaran has an appropriate a drive system for providing locomotive power to the catamaran, such as a single 10/1 gear box that drives a stainless steel shaft supported by carrier bearings turning a standard boat prop, and a steering system for steering the catamaran. A first seat is molded within an upper surface of the first pontoon while a second seat may be molded within an upper surface of the second pontoon. At least first one cup holder may be attached to the first pontoon and be located proximate the first seat while at least second one cup holder may be attached to the second pontoon and be located proximate the second seat. A first back rest may be located on the first pontoon and proximate and behind the first seat while a second back rest may be located on the second pontoon and proximate and behind the second seat. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the pedal powered catamaran of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the pedal powered catamaran. 
       FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the pedal powered catamaran. 
       FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the pedal powered catamaran. 
   

   Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the pedal powered catamaran of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a first pontoon  12  and a second pontoon  14  joined by a platform that comprises a pair of cross members  16  with a base member  18  connecting the two cross members  16  (the base member  18  may extend entirely between the two pontoons  12  and  14 ). Other cross members can also be provided. As seen, a drive system comprises a pair of pedals  20  that rotate within a drive box  22 . A drive shaft  24  extends rearwardly from the drive box  22  and terminates at a screw  26 . Support struts  28  that have a shaft support  30  with appropriate carrier bearings can depend downwardly from the rear cross member  16  and/or the base member  18  in order to stabilize the drive shaft  24 . The pedals  20  are operatively connected to the drive shaft  24  in order to rotate the drive shaft  24  in any desired manner known in the art such as by a chain connection, a gear connection such as a single 10/1 gear box (neither illustrated), etc. A seat  32  is located above the pedals  20  in order to allow an operator to sit therein and be able to reach and pedal the pedals  20 . The seat  32  may, but need not be adjustable. As seen a pair of rudders  34  are connected to each other by a rudder linkage  36  that is rotatably connected to each of the pontoons  12  and  14  via a linkage post  38  that is rotatably received, removably or otherwise, within a post receiver  40 . A cable  42  operatively connects a steering control arm  44  with the rudder linkage  36  such that pushing the steering control arm  44  forward causes the rudder linkage  42  to move in one direction and the rudders  34  in opposing direction (in the catamaran  10  illustrated, rudder linkage  36  starboard, rudders  34  port) and pulling back on the steering control arm  44  causes the rudder linkage  36  and the rudders  34  in to move in opposing direction (rudder linkage  36  port, rudders  34  starboard). A cable support  46  can be attached to the base member  18  and/or rear cross member  16  to help keep the cable  42  in place. A second seat  48  can be provided forward and/or rearward of the first seat  32  for holding a passenger, which second seat  48  may have a foot rest  50 . 
   Each item of the catamaran  10  may be made from any appropriate material for the specific member with the pontoons  12  and  14  being made from an appropriate lightweight material such as plastic (rotomolded, etc.), an aramid fabric (KEVLAR, etc.), fiberglass, aluminum, etc., as may be the cross platform and the rudders. The drive shaft  24  and screw  26  may be made from stainless steel. The pontoons  12  and  14  may be sectioned with bulkheads (not illustrated) so that if a pontoon  12  or  14  develops a leak, that pontoon  12  or  14  will maintain partial buoyancy. 
   The above is illustrate of a typical pedal powered catamaran and changes in detail and architecture may be made while keeping with the scope and spirit of the present invention. 
   As seen, the first pontoon  12  and/or the second pontoon  14  may have a seat  52  thereat for holding additional passengers located amidships. Each seat  52  may be molded directly into the upper surface of the respective pontoon  12  or  14  and may have a back rest  54  positioned above the pontoon  12  or  14  for passenger comfort and may have one or more cup holders  56  in order to hold drinks for the passengers and possibly the pedaller of the catamaran  10 . The cup holders  56  may be simple cutouts as illustrated, or may be more active grip type cup holders as known in the art. 
   By molding seats  52  directly into the pontoons  12  or  14  of the catamaran  10 , the available surface real estate of the catamaran  10  is utilized efficiently and allows for additional passenger capacity without the need to either scrunch the passengers onto the cross platform or to increase the size of the cross platform. The architecture of the pedal powered catamaran  10  of the present invention allows for carrying of additional leisurely passengers without increasing the size of the catamaran  10  allowing the catamaran  10  to remain a relatively simple and straightforward water vessel that is easy to load and transport and to maintain and use. The back rest  54  can be attached to its respective pontoon  12  and  14  in any desired fashion, such as adhesive, screws, welding, etc. 
   The present invention can also be employed on trimarans wherein the two outbound pontoons and possibly the central pontoon have seats molded directly therein. 
   While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.