Patent Publication Number: US-11643176-B1

Title: Hull assembly for a pontoon boat

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to propulsion of pontoon boats using thrusters. 
     BACKGROUND 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,033 discloses a self-contained marine propulsion device disposed within a container, or pod, that is removably attachable to an undersurface of a deck of a pontoon boat. An engine is contained within the container and connected in torque transmitting relation with the marine propulsion device which can be a sterndrive device or a jet drive device. The marine propulsion system is dirigible, with a portion that is rotatable about a generally vertical steering axis and is supported by the container which is attached to the deck of the pontoon boat. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,599 discloses a pontoon boat provided with a jet drive propulsion system in which an impeller is driven by an engine. The jet drive propulsion device is dirigible as a result of the fact that a nozzle of the device is rotatable about a generally vertical steering axis. The jet drive device can be supported below a deck of a pontoon boat and located between two flotation tubes of the pontoon boat. Alternative locations can also be used, such as within the structure of the flotation tubes themselves. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,622 discloses a container, or pod, for a pontoon boat in which an engine is disposed within the container and the container is supported below the deck surface of the pontoon boat. The container is shaped to prevent its passing completely downwardly through an opening in the deck surface when it is assembled from a position above the deck. A marine propulsion device is connected to the engine which is located within the pod, or container, and extends from the container when the container and the marine propulsion device are supported below the deck of the pontoon boat. 
     The above patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     SUMMARY 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     In one example, a hull assembly for a pontoon boat includes a hull extending in a longitudinal direction between a front end and a rear end. A first thruster assembly is attached to a first lateral side of the hull. A second thruster assembly is attached to a second lateral side of the hull. The first and second thruster assemblies include respective thrust units that are each movable between a deployed position and a stowed position. 
     In another example, a hull assembly for a pontoon boat includes a hull extending in a longitudinal direction between a front end and a rear end. A first thruster assembly is attached to a first lateral side of the hull closer to the front end of the hull than the rear end of the hull. The first thruster assembly includes a first shaft, a first joint coupling the first shaft to the hull in a movable manner, a first thrust unit attached to the first shaft, and a first actuator configured to move the first shaft and the first thrust unit with respect to the hull via the first joint. The first actuator is configured to move the first shaft and the first thrust unit between a stowed position, in which the first thrust unit is located alongside the first lateral side of the hull, and a deployed position, in which the first thrust unit is located below a bottom surface of the hull. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Examples of a pontoon boat and a hull assembly for attachment to the pontoon boat are described with reference to the following Figures. The same numbers are used throughout the Figures to reference like features and like components. 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a top perspective view of a pontoon boat with a hull assembly according to the present disclosure installed under the deck of the pontoon boat. 
         FIG.  2    shows a bottom perspective view of the pontoon boat, before the hull assembly is installed thereunder. 
         FIG.  3    shows a schematic of a hull assembly according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a bottom view of the pontoon boat with the hull assembly installed thereon. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view through the pontoon boat, taken along the line V-V in  FIG.  4   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    shows a pontoon boat  10  including a deck  12  having two primary hulls  14 ,  16  attached therebelow. As is known, the primary hulls  14 ,  16  are generally cylindrical, with narrowed ends  18  located at the bow  20  of the pontoon boat  10  for cutting through the water. The primary hulls  14 ,  16  can be made of aluminum, fiberglass, or another suitable material and can be hollow or filled with foam, as is known. In some instances, the primary hulls  14 ,  16  may include lifting strakes (not shown), as is also known. The pontoon boat  10  may be equipped with an outboard motor (not shown) at the stern  22  of the pontoon boat  10 , as is known, for propelling the pontoon boat  10  through the water. The outboard motor is not shown here so that an auxiliary hull assembly  24  for the pontoon boat  10  can be seen, which hull assembly  24  will be described further herein below. 
       FIG.  2    shows a bottom perspective view of the pontoon boat  10  in order to illustrate where the hull assembly  24  is to be installed. As is typical, a plurality of transverse stringers  26  are attached to an underside  28  of the deck  12  and support the deck  12  and any components installed thereon, such as seats, a helm console  100  ( FIG.  1   ), an upper deck, etc. The stringers  26  are shown here as having rectangular cross-sections for simplicity, but the stringers  26  could have I-shaped cross-sections, U-shaped cross-sections, or other known cross-sections appropriate for supporting the deck  12 . The primary hulls  14 ,  16  are attached to the stringers  26  by way of respective brackets  30 ,  32 . The brackets  30 ,  32  extend along a majority of the length of the primary hulls  14 ,  16  and are attached to all the stringers  26 . In other examples, individual brackets could be provided at the location of each stringer  26  to attach the primary hulls  14 ,  16  to each stringer  26 . Often, such brackets  30 ,  32  have M-shaped cross-sections providing four points for connection between the bracket  30  or  32  and the top side of the primary hull  14  or  16 , but the brackets  30 ,  32  could instead be V-shaped or square-shaped in cross-section, by way of non-limiting example. In other examples, the brackets can be U-shaped and extend partially or fully under the primary hulls  14 ,  16  to support them from their bottom surfaces. The stringers  26  can be welded, bolted, adhered, or otherwise attached to the deck  12 , and the brackets  30 ,  32  can be welded, bolted, adhered or otherwise attached to the stringers  26 . The primary hulls  14 ,  16  can be welded and/or bolted to the brackets  30 ,  32 . Such construction of a pontoon boat is typical, and other types of connections between the deck  12  and primary hulls  14 ,  16  are known within the art. 
     The pontoon boat  10  of  FIG.  2    has two primary hulls  14 ,  16  installed along either lateral side below the underside  28  of the deck  12 . This leaves a space  34  between the two primary hulls  14 ,  16  for installation of the auxiliary hull assembly  24 . Note that the hull assembly  24  could also be installed on a tritoon (i.e., a boat with three hulls already installed thereon) if the middle hull is first removed from the stringers  26  on which the middle hull is originally installed. In the case that the middle hull is connected to the stringers  26  using bolts, this is a relatively simple process. After the middle hull of the tritoon is removed, the auxiliary hull assembly  24 , described below, can be installed in the space  34  between the remaining primary hulls  14 ,  16 . 
     A schematic of the hull assembly  24  is shown in  FIG.  3   . The hull assembly  24  includes a hull  36  extending in a longitudinal direction L between a front end  38  and a rear end  40 . When installed, the front end  38  is to be placed near the bow  20  of the pontoon boat  10 , while the rear end  40  is to be placed near the stern  22 . Thus, the front end  38  is narrowed to cut through the water. A first thruster assembly  42  is attached to a first lateral side  46  of the hull  36 . A second thruster assembly  44  is attached to a second lateral side  48  of the hull  36 . The first thruster assembly  42  is attached to the first lateral side  46  of the hull  36  closer to the front end  38  of the hull  36  than to the rear end  40  of the hull  36 , and the second thruster assembly  44  is attached to the second lateral side  48  of the hull  36  closer to the rear end  40  of the hull  36  than to the front end  38  of the hull  36 . Note that the designation of the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  as “first” and “second” is arbitrary, and the thruster assembly  42  could instead be closer to the rear end  40  of the hull  36 , while the thruster assembly  44  could instead be closer to the front end  38  of the hull  36 . In this example, the first lateral side  46  of the hull  36  is opposite the second lateral side  48  of the hull  36 ; however, the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  could be installed on the same lateral side of the hull  36  as one another (i.e., the first and second lateral sides are the same side of the hull  36 ). 
       FIG.  4    shows the hull assembly  24 , complete with thruster assemblies  42 ,  44 , installed on the pontoon boat  10 . It can be seen that the hull assembly  24  is sized to fit within the space  34  between the primary hulls  14 ,  16 . The length of the hull  36  of the hull assembly  24  in the longitudinal direction L is approximately the same as the length of the primary hulls  14 ,  16 . In other examples, the hull  36  can be a few inches to a foot shorter than the primary hulls  14 ,  16 . The width of the hull  36  when viewed from below is such that the hull  36  and the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  can fit within the space  34  between the primary hulls  14 ,  16  when the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  are in stowed positions alongside the lateral sides  46 ,  48  of the hull  36 , which stowed positions will be described further herein below. The thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  are accordingly sized to fit within the spaces between the lateral side  46  of the hull  36  and the facing lateral side of the primary hull  14 , and between the lateral side  48  of the hull  36  and the facing lateral side of the primary hull  16 . 
     By comparison of  FIGS.  3  and  5   , it can be seen that the first and second thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  include respective thrust units  50 ,  52  that are each movable between a deployed position ( FIG.  5   , as shown in phantom) and a stowed position ( FIG.  3   ). Each of the first and second thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  further comprises a shaft  54 ,  56  attached to the thrust unit  50 ,  52 ; a joint  58 ,  60  coupling the shaft  54 ,  56  to the hull  36  in a movable manner; and an actuator  62 ,  64  configured to move the shaft  54 ,  56  with respect to the hull  36  via the joint  58 ,  60  so as to move the thrust unit  50 ,  52  between the deployed and stowed positions. Each joint  58 ,  60  is configured to pivot its respective shaft  54 ,  56  and thrust unit  50 ,  52  such that in the stowed position the thrust units  50 ,  52  are located closer to one another in the longitudinal direction L than in the deployed position (see  FIG.  3   ), and such that in the deployed position the thrust units  50 ,  52  are located further from one another in the longitudinal direction L than in the stowed position (see  FIG.  5   , as shown in phantom). For example, as shown in  FIG.  3   , in the stowed position the thrust units  50 ,  52  are located at distance D 1  from one another, center-to-center. As shown in phantom in  FIG.  5   , the thrust units are located at distance D 2  from one another, center-to-center, where D 2  is greater than D 1 . Additionally, as shown in  FIG.  5   , the thrust units  50 ,  52  are located below a bottom surface  66  of the hull  36  when the thrust units  50 ,  52  are in the deployed position (shown in phantom), and as shown in  FIG.  3   , the thrust units  50 ,  52  are located alongside the respective first and second lateral sides  46 ,  48  of the hull  36  when the thrust units  50 ,  52  are in the stowed position. Movement of the thrust units  50 ,  52  between the stowed and deployed positions will be described further herein below. 
     Returning to  FIG.  3   , the hull assembly  24  further comprises a power source  68  located within an interior of the hull  36 . The power source  68  can be a battery, and in one example is a battery typically known as a marine starting battery. In another example, the power source is a different type of marine battery, a solar battery, or a fuel cell. The hull assembly  24  further comprises a controller  70  located within the interior of the hull  36  and electrically coupled to the power source  68  and to the first and second thruster assemblies  42 ,  44 . First and second electrical connectors  72 ,  74  respectively connect the first and second thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  to the power source  68  via the controller  70 . In other examples, the controller  70  is located remote from the power source  68 , in which case the power source  68  can be directly electrically connected to the first and second thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  by way of the first and second electrical connectors  72 ,  74 . Third and fourth electrical connectors  76 ,  78  also connect the controller  70  to the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44 ; although in some examples the first and third electrical connectors  72  and  76  and the second and fourth electrical connectors  74  and  78  can be part of multi-wire cables along a portion or all of their lengths. Additional electrical connectors  80 ,  82  connect the positive and negative terminals on the power source  68  to the controller  70 . 
     The power source  68  and controller  70  can be supported by a platform that is suspended from the inner top surface of the hull  36  or can be supported by a platform that is raised from the inner bottom surface of the hull  36 . Preferably, however, some sort of platform or inner container protects the power source  68  and controller  70  from contact with water in case the hull  36  is damaged and water leaks into the hull  36  and pools on the inner bottom surface thereof. The electrical connectors may for similar reasons be suspended above the inner bottom surface of the hull  36 , such as by using clips or adhesive. In still another example, the interior of the hull  36  has a box-like structure built into it, which is configured to hold the power source  68  and the controller  70 . A watertight access panel or door (not shown) located for example on the top surface of the hull  36  can provide a user with access to the power source  68  and controller  70  for replacement and/or maintenance purposes. 
     The first and second electrical connectors  72 ,  74  extend through the first and second lateral sides  46 ,  48  of the hull  36 , respectively. The hull assembly  24  further comprises first and second grommets  84 ,  86  provided at respective first and second watertight interfaces  88 ,  90  between the first and second electrical connectors  72 ,  74  and the first and second lateral sides  46 ,  48  of the hull  36 , respectively. Effectively, these interfaces  88 ,  90  are holes or apertures cut through the material of the hull  36 , through which the electrical connector  72  or  74  is passed and secured in place using the grommet  84  or  86 . Waterproof adhesive or potting compound can be provided between the grommets  84 ,  86  and the electrical connectors  72 ,  74  and/or between the apertures in the hull  36  and the grommets  84 ,  86 , as needed Similar watertight interfaces with grommets  92 ,  94  can be provided where the electrical connectors  76 ,  78  extend through the hull  36  to connect to the actuators  62 ,  64 , respectively. 
     The controller  70  is configured to be communicatively coupled with a user input device on the pontoon boat  10 . For instance, referring back to  FIG.  1   , the user input device can include a joystick  96  and thruster up/down buttons  98   a,    98   b  provided at the helm console  100  of the pontoon boat  10 . In another example, the joystick  96  is replaced by a keypad, a trackball, or a touchscreen with options for a user to command the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44 . The thruster up and down buttons  98   a,    98   b  are shown as a switch, but can instead be presented on a keyboard or a touchscreen, which may be the same touchscreen as that presenting the joystick-like directional options to the user. 
     The user input devices  96  and  98   a,    98   b  are communicatively coupled to the controller  70  by way of electrical connectors that are routed through the helm console  100  and below the deck  12  to the hull assembly  24 . For instance, a hole  102  ( FIG.  2   ) can be drilled through the deck  12  between the stringers  26  to provide for passage of the electrical connectors.  FIG.  5    shows schematically how the electrical connectors, collectively shown in electrical cable  104 , can be passed through the hole  102  and connected to the controller  70 . As was described with respect to the first and second primary hulls  14 ,  16 , the hull assembly  24  further includes a bracket  106  configured to connect the hull  36  to the underside  28  of the deck  12  of the pontoon boat  10 . The bracket  106  can be a U-shaped bracket, a square-shaped bracket, a V-shaped bracket, or an M-shaped bracket, as disclosed herein above regarding the brackets  30 ,  32  and may be welded to the upper surface of the hull  36 . The bracket  106  includes an integrated channel  108  for routing the electrical cable  104  from the pontoon boat  10  to the hull  36  of the hull assembly  24 . The integrated channel  108  may be a ledge, a conduit, or a series of clips or similar features sized and shaped to hold the electrical cable  104 , which may be exposed to the elements if watertight. The integrated channel  108  can be formed as part of the bracket  106  or can be welded, bolted, adhered, or otherwise attached to the bracket  106 . Note that although the integrated channel  108  is shown as extending along the bracket  106  in the longitudinal direction L, the integrated channel could instead extend vertically only, directly below the hole  102  in the deck  12 , and the electrical cable  104  could be routed mostly through the interior of the hull  36 . Grommets or other watertight interfaces may be used where the electrical cable  104  passes through the hole  102  in the deck  12  and through an aperture into the hull  36 . 
     The controller  70  is shown as being approximately halfway between the first and second thruster assemblies  42 ,  44 , but the controller  70  could instead be located directly below the location of the helm console  100 , in the interior of the hull  36 . In still other examples, the controller  70  is located on the deck  12  of the pontoon boat  10  or in the helm console  100 , in which case the electrical cable  104  connects the controller  70  to the power source  68  in the hull  36 . It should be understood that the single electrical cable  104  is shown for simplicity; in alternative embodiments, several cables could be used. For example, it may be desirable to connect the power source  68  to the main battery on the deck  12  of the pontoon boat  10  for recharging purposes, in which case additional cables might be required. 
     The controller  70  is configured to control at least one of: (a) movement of the thrust units  50 ,  52  between the deployed and stowed positions; and (b) speed and direction of propulsors  50   a,    52   a  ( FIG.  3   ) of the thrust units  50 ,  52 . The controller  70  is configured to accept input commands from the user input devices  96  and  98   a,    98   b  so as to control the at least one of: (a) movement of the thrust units  50 ,  52  between the deployed and stowed positions; and (b) the speed and direction of the propulsors  50   a,    52   a.  In this context, “at least one of” means “one or both.” If the thrust units  50 ,  52  are steerable, the controller  70  may also be configured to control the steered positions of the thrust units  50 ,  52  in response to input commands from the user input devices  96  and/or  98   a,    98   b.  For instance, by pressing the down button  98   b  at the helm console  100 , the user can command the controller  70  to activate the actuators  62 ,  64  to lower the thrust units  50 ,  52  to the deployed positions shown in phantom in  FIG.  5   . By pressing the up button  98   a  at the helm console  100 , the user can command the controller  70  to activate the actuators  62 ,  64  to raise the thrust units  50 ,  52  to the stowed positions shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4    and in solid lines in  FIG.  5   . Although only one thruster up/down switch is shown, separate switches for controlling each of the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  can be provided at the helm console  100 . When the thrust units  50 ,  52  are in the lowered/deployed positions, the user can use the joystick  96  to command the controller  70  to activate the motors of the thrust units  50 ,  52  to turn the propulsors  50   a,    52   a.  For instance, if the user tilts the joystick  96  to the right, the thrust units  50 ,  52  may be activated to produce thrust tending to move the pontoon boat  10  to the right, and if the user tilts the joystick  96  to the left, the thrust units  50 ,  52  may be activated to produce thrust tending to move the pontoon boat  10  to the left. If the user rotates the joystick  96  about a longitudinal axis of its handle, the controller  70  may activate the thrust units  50 ,  52  to product thrust tending to rotate the pontoon boat  10  in the direction in which the handle of the joystick  96  was rotated. A joystick  96  capable of providing such inputs and a controller  70  capable of interpreting such commands and thereafter controlling the motors of the thrust units  50 ,  52  are well-known in the art. 
     The controller  70  may include a computing system that includes a processing system, storage system, software, and input/output interfaces. The processing system can comprise a microprocessor, including a control unit and a processing unit, and other circuitry, such as semiconductor hardware logic, that retrieves and executes software from the storage system. The storage system can comprise any storage media readable by the processing system and capable of storing software. The storage system can include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, software program modules, or other data. The storage system can include additional elements, such as a memory controller capable of communicating with the processing system. Non-limiting examples of storage media include random access memory, read-only memory, magnetic discs, optical discs, flash memory, virtual and non-virtual memory, various types of magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and that may be accessed by an instruction execution system. The storage media can be a transitory storage media or a non-transitory storage media such as a non-transitory tangible computer readable medium. 
     Thus, referring to  FIGS.  3  and  5    together, the present disclosure is of a hull assembly  24  for a pontoon boat  10  comprising a hull  36  extending in a longitudinal direction L between a front end  38  and a rear end  40 . A first thruster assembly  42  is attached to a first lateral side  46  of the hull  36  closer to the front end  38  of the hull  36  than the rear end  40  of the hull  36 . The first thruster assembly  42  includes a first shaft  54 , a first joint  58  coupling the first shaft  54  to the hull  36  in a movable manner, a first thrust unit  50  attached to the first shaft  54 , and a first actuator  62  configured to move the first shaft  54  and the first thrust unit  50  with respect to the hull  36  via the first joint  58 . The first actuator  62  is configured to move the first shaft  54  and the first thrust unit  50  between a stowed position ( FIG.  3   ;  FIG.  5    as shown in solid lines), in which the first thrust unit  50  is located alongside the first lateral side  46  of the hull  36 , and a deployed position ( FIG.  5   , as shown in phantom), in which the first thrust unit  50  is located below the bottom surface  66  of the hull  36 . The hull assembly  24  further comprises a second thruster assembly  44  attached to a second lateral side  48  of the hull  36 . The second thruster assembly  44  includes a second shaft  56 , a second joint  60  coupling the second shaft  56  to the hull  36  in a movable manner, a second thrust unit  52  attached to the second shaft  56 , and a second actuator  64  configured to move the second shaft  56  and the second thrust unit  52  with respect to the hull  36  via the second joint  60 . The second actuator  64  is configured to move the second shaft  56  and the second thrust unit  52  between a stowed position ( FIG.  3   ;  FIG.  5    as shown in solid lines), in which the second thrust unit  52  is located alongside the second lateral side  48  of the hull  36 , and a deployed position ( FIG.  5   , as shown in phantom), in which the second thrust unit  52  is located below the bottom surface  66  of the hull  36 . 
     Note that by “alongside,” it is meant that the thrust units  50 ,  52  are above a horizontal plane tangent to the bottom surface  66  of the hull  36 . In this stowed position, the shafts  54 ,  56  may be oriented horizontally, or they may be angled up or down with respect to horizontal. In most examples, the thrust units  50 ,  52  are out of the water when they are in the stowed position. By “below,” it is meant that the thrust units  50 ,  52  are below the horizontal plane tangent to the bottom surface  66  of the hull  36 . It is not necessary that the thrust units  50 ,  52  are directly below the hull  36  when viewed from above, and indeed, this is not the arrangement shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   . Rather, in the deployed position, the thrust units  50 ,  52  are configured to be in the water, and for thrust efficiency purposes are situated below the bottom surface  66  of the hull  36 . 
     The joints  58 ,  60  can be any connections appropriate for movably supporting the shafts  54 ,  56  and thrust units  50 ,  52  connected thereto with respect to the hull  36 . The joints  58 ,  60  can be pivotable joints, rotatable joints, or sliding joints, by way of non-limiting example. In one particular example, the joints  58 ,  60  comprise gears that enable pivoting of the shafts  54 ,  56  with respect to the hull  36  between the stowed and deployed positions, such as shown in U.S. application Ser. No. 17/185,289, filed by the present applicant on Feb. 25, 2021. The contents of the &#39;289 application are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. The joints  58 ,  60  can serve as the location for the watertight interfaces  88 ,  90  between the hull  36  and the electrical connectors  72 ,  74  providing electrical power and communication to the thrust units  50 ,  52 . 
     As is known, each thrust unit  50 ,  52  may include an electric motor within its housing, the output shaft of the electric motor being connected to the propulsor  50   a,    52   a  to power the propulsor. In one example, the electric motors are DC brushless motors, although many other types of motors could be used, such as any motor known to be appropriate for a trolling motor. The propulsors  50   a,    52   a  could be propellers, impellers, or other known propulsors capable of producing thrust in water to move a boat. The electrical connectors  72 ,  74  provide electrical power to electrical wires inside the shafts  54 ,  56 , which electrical wires are connected to the electric motors in the housings of the thrust units  50 ,  52 . The controller  70  can vary the speed of the electric motors and thus the propulsors  50   a,    52   a  by varying the current provided to the electric motors. In some examples, however, the electric motors only be turned on or off (i.e., they do not have variable speed). The controller  70  can control the direction of the propulsors  50   a,    52   a  (i.e., whether they turn clockwise or counterclockwise) by controlling the polarity of the applied voltage. In this way, the thrust units  50 ,  52  can be made to produce thrust in both a port direction and a starboard direction of the pontoon boat  10 . In other examples, the propulsors  50   a,    52   a  may be able to turn in only one direction (clockwise or counterclockwise), and the shafts  54 ,  56  are steerable so as to direct the thrust to port or starboard. 
     The actuators  62 ,  64  may be any actuator suitable for moving the shafts  54 ,  56  and thrust units  50 ,  52  connected thereto between the stowed and deployed positions. By way of non-limiting example, the actuators  62 ,  64  can be electric linear actuators, hydraulic linear actuators, electric rack-and-pinion actuators, electric rotary actuators, or pneumatic actuators, and may be selected based on the type of joints  58 ,  60  used to connect the shafts  54 ,  56  to the hull  36 . In the present example, the actuators  62 ,  64  are electric linear actuators with their cylinder ends coupled to the hull  36  by pivotable joints and their rod ends coupled to the shafts  54 ,  56  by pivotable joints. In one particular example, actuators like that shown in U.S. application Ser. No. 17/185,289 can be used. If electric, the actuators  62 ,  64  can have their electric motors installed inside or outside the hull  36 . If the electric motors are installed outside the hull  36 , the grommets  92 ,  94  allow for the electrical connectors  76 ,  78  to extend from the hull  36  and connect to the electric motors of the actuators  62 ,  64  in a watertight manner. The controller  70  can control the actuators  62 ,  64  by way of communication via the electrical connectors  76 ,  78 , in response to commands from the up/down buttons  98   a,    98   b,  as described herein above. In other examples, the up/down buttons  98   a,    98   b  are directly wired to the power source  68  and the actuators  62 ,  64  and the controller  70  is not required for stowing or deploying the thrust units  50 ,  52 . 
     As shown and described herein, the joints  58 ,  60  and actuators  62 ,  64  are configured to pivot the shafts  54 ,  56  and thrust units  50 ,  52  about pivot axes defined by the joints  58 ,  60  to move the thrust units  50 ,  52  between the stowed and deployed positions. Additionally, each thruster assembly  42 ,  44  is a mirror image of the other across both the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis of the hull  36 , such that the thrust units  50 ,  52  are pivoted toward one another and toward the central lateral axis of the hull  36  when moved to the stowed position, and the thrust units  50 ,  52  are pivoted away from one another and away from the central lateral axis of the hull  36  when moved to the deployed position. This allows the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  to be installed much closer to the respective front end  38  and rear end  40  of the hull  36  than if the thrust units  50 ,  52  were rotated away from the central lateral axis when moved to the stowed positions. If that were the case, and the joints  58 ,  60  were located at the same positions as shown in  FIG.  3   , the thrust units  50 ,  52  might stick out over the front end  38  or rear end  40  of the hull  36  when pivoted to the stowed positions and could be damaged. However, in other examples, the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  may be configured such that the joints  58 ,  60  are sliding joints and the actuators  62 ,  64  move the shafts  54 ,  56  vertically up and down with respect to the lateral sides  46 ,  48  of the hull  36 . In general, it is helpful to place the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  such that the thrust units  50 ,  52  are closer to the longitudinal ends  38 ,  40  of the hull  36  than to the central lateral axis of the hull  36  in the deployed position, as doing so locates the thrust vectors produced by the thrust units  50 ,  52  at more effective positions for lateral translation and yawing of the pontoon boat. 
     Furthermore, although the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  are shown as being on opposite lateral sides of the hull  36 , as noted above, the thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  could be on the same lateral side of the hull  36  if their dimensions allow for them to be stowed alongside the hull  36  without contacting one another. In the example in which the joints  58 ,  60  are sliding joints and the actuators  62 ,  64  move the shafts  54 ,  56  vertically up and down with respect to the lateral sides  46 ,  48  of the hull  36 , this is clearly not as much of an issue as it might be with the pivotable thruster assemblies  42 ,  44  shown herein. 
     The present inventors have realized that having a pre-rigged/wired hull assembly  24 , in which a pontoon hull  36  is provided with pre-installed thruster assemblies  42 ,  44 , which are already connected to a power source  68  and optionally a controller  70 , is useful for adding thruster capabilities to a pontoon boat  10  that does not yet have thrusters. On a pontoon boat, the hull assembly  24  can be installed in the space  34  between the primary hulls  14 ,  16  by feeding the electrical cable(s)  104  from the pre-wired/rigged power source  68  and controller  70  through a hole  102  drilled in the deck  12  of the pontoon boat  10 . The opposite ends of the electrical cables  104  can be connected to a house power source, the joystick  96 , and/or the up/down buttons  98   a,    98   b  as appropriate. On a tritoon, the middle hull can be removed before this process, as described herein above. The pre-rigged/wired hull assembly  24  can be attached to the existing stringers  26  on the pontoon boat  10  by way of bolting the bracket  106  thereto. 
     In the present description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly construed. The different systems and methods described herein may be used alone or in combination with other systems and methods. Various equivalents, alternatives, and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.