Abstract:
Boats adapted for multiple purposes are detailed. Versions of the boats may have performance characteristics and equipment necessary to qualify as rescue boats while normally maintaining appearances appropriate for placement on, for example, yachts as tenders or similar boats. Covers or other transformative materials may be used to modify the appearances of the boats when needed as rescue craft.

Description:
REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is based on and hereby refers to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/507,778, filed Oct. 1, 2003, having the same title as appears above. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to boats adapted for use as rescue boats and, more particularly (although not exclusively), to inflatable boats useful on-board yachts and for rescue purposes.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,789 to Kurzman details a wooden-framed dory designed for storage aboard a yacht. Included on the dory are inflatable sponsons mounted to the left and right sides of the wooden frame. According to the Kurzman patent, “[a]water-impervious fabric skin is attached to the frame near the bottom and is wrapped around each sponson.” See Kurzman, col. 1, 11.35-45.  
         [0004]     Absent from the Kurzman patent is any discussion of the dory functioning as a rescue boat for the yacht. Unlike dories or conventional tenders, rescue boats are mandatory components of certain classes of vessels and must (or desirably) comply with numerous regulations as to, for example, both performance and appearance. As sizes of yachts and their passenger-carrying loads increase, more of these (often privately-owned) vessels are becoming subject to rules obliging the on-board presence of rescue boats.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,357 to Peterson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,658 to Weiner, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,040 to Hemphill, et al., all incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference, disclose various covers or sleeves for use with various boats. Described in the Peterson patent is a protective cover for a towable watercraft. Although the cover appears designed to reinforce and strengthen the inflatable material, the Peterson patent indicates that it also “enables selected attractive color graphics to be applied to an otherwise drab or single colored inflatable boat.” See Peterson, col. 1, 11.38-47.  
         [0006]     Illustrated in the Weiner patent is a cover intended to envelop an open boat whenever it is stored. The cover protects the boat against ingress of rain- and sea-water and, functioning together with an exhaust fan, helps reduce the moisture level inside the non-operating boat. Disclosed in the commonly-owned Hemphill patent, finally, are sleeves in which buoyant materials are placed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Included as part of the present invention are boats adapted for use both as rescue boats and as tenders or pleasure or other boats. Embodiments of these boats may thus have performance characteristics and equipment suitable for rescue boats while maintaining appearances appropriate for placement on yachts or other high-quality, aesthetically-attractive craft. Changes in appearance necessary to comply with applicable regulations may be effected through colored covers or similar devices and other components temporarily fitted or otherwise attached to the boats. Among other temporary components of the boats may be inflatable righting bags, for example.  
         [0008]     Alternatively, the boats may be colored (and perhaps outfitted) normally as rescue boats, with covers employed to blend with the appearances of the yachts or other larger boats on which they are placed. If normally outfitted as rescue boats, components may possibly be removed when the boats are used for other purposes. Regardless of their nominal configurations, however, the boats are adapted for multiple purposes—one being rescue service—and capable of transitioning between them.  
         [0009]     It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide multi-function boats.  
         [0010]     It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide boats adapted for placement on larger boats and capable of functioning as rescue boats.  
         [0011]     It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide boats capable of functioning as rescue boats and adapted to change appearance to function as tenders or pleasure boats.  
         [0012]     It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide equipment adapted for temporary attachment to craft as part of a transition from one mode of operation to another.  
         [0013]     It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide covers which, when utilized, alter the appearance (typically the color) of the boats on which they are placed.  
         [0014]     Other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art with reference to the remaining text and drawings of this application. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a (generally) side view of aspects of an exemplary inflatable boat consistent with the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a view of the bow and port side of the boat of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a view of the stern of the boat of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a view of the stern of another exemplary inflatable boat to which an optional righting bag has been mounted.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a schematicized view of the bag of  FIG. 4  shown in an inflated state. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     Illustrated in  FIG. 1  is boat  10 . Boat  10 , in its basic form, may be a conventional inflatable, or rigid inflatable, boat (the latter frequently referred to as a “RIB”). Although it may have many uses, such boat  10  is, typically, among those suitable for use as a tender (or otherwise) on a yacht or larger watercraft. Consequently, its color scheme is likely to be aesthetically pleasing and compatible with decor of the larger craft on which it is positioned. It likewise conventionally would not necessarily be equipped to perform as required for certification as a rescue boat. Boat  10 , however, is constructed so as to operate on demand as a rescue boat.  
         [0021]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , boat  10  may comprise collar  14  formed of one or more inflatable tubes  18 . Alternatively, the tubes  18  may be made of foam or other buoyant material or have a hybrid foam/inflatable bladder configuration. Boat  10  further may comprise a deck, above which steering console  22  and seating  26  may protrude, and a transom  30  behind which an outboard motor may be mounted.  
         [0022]     Also detailed in  FIGS. 1-3  are one or more covers  34  and reflective material  38 . Because conventional yacht tenders are not colored as mandated for rescue boats, covers  34  may be used to transform such boats into ones complying with this aspect of the rescue-boat regulations. Preferred versions of covers  34  are international orange in color, although covers  34  may be any other color appropriate or permissible for rescue purposes. Generally, such color should be selected so that it is highly visible at sea, although other colors conceivably could be used for covers  34 .  
         [0023]     Reflective materials  38  similarly preferably are international orange in color. Likewise, however, those skilled in the art will recognize that colors other than international orange may be used instead as appropriate or desired. Together, covers  34  and material  38  help satisfy requirements of qualification as rescue boats.  
         [0024]     At least because their coloring is inconsistent with non-rescue boat functions, covers  34  and reflective material  38  are adapted for deployment only when necessary or otherwise appropriate. They thus are not permanently included as part of boat  10 , but rather are removable therefrom. Accordingly, temporary fasteners including (but not limited to) hooks and loops (e.g. Velcro), snap hooks, removable screws and latches, or otherwise may be utilized to attach either or both of covers  34  and material  38  to boat  10 .  
         [0025]     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3 , covers  34  are shown as draped over (upper) portions of collar  14  to enhance its visibility to persons or other vessels in the water and to aircraft flying overhead. Because laid over fittings or other objects normally present on collar  14 , covers  34  may incorporate cut-outs or otherwise be shaped or positioned so as not to interfere significantly with use of such fittings or objects. Any cut-outs may, for example, permit lanyard  42  to overlay covers  34  and make the lanyard  42  accessible when boat  10  is utilized in rescue mode.  
         [0026]     Additionally optionally added for purposes of rescue operation is a righting bag (or similar means) designed to reorient boat  10  upright if capsized at sea. If present, the righting bag too could be removable when boat  10  is employed for other purposes. Alternatively, boat  10  could normally appear consistent with regulations governing rescue boat appearance. In this case covers  34  could be utilized to transform the appearance of boat  10  into something consistent with boats normally functioning as tenders on board yachts. Thus, if parts of boat  10  are produced in a color such as international orange, covers  34  conceivably could operate to change the perceived color of boat  10  to white, for example. In any circumstance covers  34  could, if desired, include other information such as the name and port of registry of the ship on which boat  10  is deployed.  
         [0027]      FIGS. 4-5  illustrate an exemplary, optional righting assembly  100 . Assembly  100  includes righting bag  104 , inflation mechanism  108 , and activator  112  and, as noted above, may assist in reorienting boat  10  if the boat capsizes at sea.  FIG. 4  depicts bag  104  in its normal, uninflated state, while  FIG. 5  shows bag  104  as inflated.  
         [0028]     Inflation mechanism  108  preferably, but not necessarily, comprises a cylinder of compressed gas. In the version of assembly  100  depicted in  FIGS. 4-5 , activator  112  includes a handle  116  which, when pulled, releases the compressed gas into bag  104 . Thus, should boat  10  capsize, an occupant need only perform one action with one hand to inflate bag  104 .  
         [0029]     Assembly  100  may be mounted to boat  10  in any suitable manner and at any suitable location. Beneficially, mounting means  120  may be provided, with such means  120  comprising frame  124 . Handle  116  and associated cabling, as well as bag  104  and inflation mechanism  108 , may be attached to frame  124  if appropriate or desired. Assembly  100  permits two-person righting of boat  10  in certain circumstances and may be removed therefrom when not needed merely by removing various fasteners.  
         [0030]     The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing exemplary embodiments and certain benefits of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to the illustrated and described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.