Patent Publication Number: US-6213831-B1

Title: Body hull for body hulling

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains to water sports, and more particularly to apparatus that enables a person to hydroplane across the water without using skis or a board. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Various types of equipment have been developed to enable people to use lakes and rivers for recreational purposes. For example, outboard and inboard motor boats are well known and in widespread use. Water skiing, in which a motor boat pulls a person wearing water skis, has been popular for a long time. Sailboats, canoes, and rowboats have also been used for pleasure for many years. 
     Recently, new types of water sports have become common. One example is sail boarding. In that sport, a person stands on a buoyant board, which supports a mast, boom, and sail. By maneuvering the mast and boom, the person can move across the water under wind power. 
     Another recent development in water sports is kite boarding. In that sport, a person stands on a buoyant board. He holds the power and control lines of an air foil or similar wing-like kite with his hands. The force of the wind on the kite is sufficient to pull the person across the water on the board. 
     Despite the thrills that can be obtained from sail boarding and kite boarding, they nevertheless have disadvantages. To kite board, for example, a person must be able to control both the kite and the board simultaneously. Gaining proficiency in that sport requires not only long hours of practice, but also great strength and athletic ability. Not all persons who would like to kite board are able to do so with reasonable proficiency. Nevertheless, those persons often desire to participate in a sport that combines the challenges of kite flying with the aesthetic appeal of moving across the water. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a new water sport of body hulling has been developed in which a person is pulled across the water without using mechanical power or boards. This is accomplished by apparatus that includes a sturdy body hull worn by the person, and a tow harness wrapped behind his body and connected to a kite. 
     The body hull preferably is made with semi-rigid flotation material. It has a front panel and a back panel, which are joined along shoulder regions that are separated by a head opening. The back panel extends to approximately the small of the person&#39;s back. The front panel is longer, extending to approximately the person&#39;s thighs. The inside surfaces of both panels are smooth and continuous, thereby presenting a comfortable fit to the person&#39;s torso. The panels are releasably connectable along their side edges, as by buckles, under the person&#39;s arms. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, the front panel is rectangular in shape. The panel outside surface has a skiff-like hullform that is smooth and generally flat. Preferably, the skiff-like hullform has a profile that is slightly convex about a longitudinal axis parallel to the front panel side edges. 
     To participate in the new water sport of body hulling, the person first releases the buckles. He puts the body hull over his head and then reconnects the buckles. The person places the tow harness behind his shoulders and under his arms. The free ends of the tow harness are attached to the kite control bar or handles. The person launches the kite, controls it to remain at the neutral zone, and enters the water. By controlling the kite lines, the kite can develop enough force to pull the person across the water. At low speeds, the body hull front panel rides on the water surface. As the speed increases, the body hull front panel hydroplanes across the water. Hydroplaning is achieved efficiently even in light winds because of the large rectangular area of the front panel. Although the body hull is not intended or designed to be a life saving device, its flotation is more than adequate to assure that the person&#39;s head is always well above the water surface. The inherent upward angle of the pulling force produced by the kite lines on the kite bar or handles further contributes to keeping the person&#39;s head out of the water. Consequently, there is but minimal risk that the person will submerge when hydroplaning. Most of the pulling force developed by the kite is transferred through the tow harness to the person&#39;s shoulders. Consequently, his arms are not required to transmit the entire kite force to the rest of his body. His arms and hands are thus free to control the kite. 
     In a modified embodiment of the invention, the body hull front panel has a pentagon shape. Parallel portions of the front panel side edges extend from the shoulders to approximately the hips of the person wearing the body hull. Tapered portions of the side edges extend downwardly from the hips and intersect a short bottom edge that is approximately at the level of the person&#39;s thighs. 
     The outside surface of the modified front panel is generally flat along the parallel side edges and adjacent the shoulder regions and head opening. The outside surface has an elongated hullform resembling a shallow vee that is centered along the front panel longitudinal axis. The shallow vee hullform extends between the front panel bottom edge and the flat area adjacent the neck opening. The hullform blends smoothly along transition regions into the flat areas adjacent the parallel side edges. The hullform fills substantially the entire width of the front panel front surface between the tapered side edges. The inside surface of the front panel is generally parallel to the outside surface flat areas. That construction gives the inside surface a relatively flat and smooth surface for the comfort of the person wearing the body hull. The shallow vee hullform is particularly suited for winds that are stronger than those with which the body hull with the skiff-like hullform would be used. Tapering the front panel side edges removes surface area that is not needed to achieve hydroplaning with higher wind speeds. 
     For even stronger winds, another alternate body hull is used. The front panel of the high-wind body hull is pentagon in shape, having parallel side edges and tapered side edges that intersect a short bottom edge. The front panel outside surface has two relatively flat areas along the parallel side edges. The outside surface also has an elongated relatively deep vee hullform centered along a first longitudinal axis of the front panel. The deep vee hullform blends smoothly at transition regions into the front panel flat areas, but the hullform fills the front panel between the tapered side edges. The inside surface of the front panel is generally parallel to a second longitudinal axis that intersects the first longitudinal axis at a shallow angle. The inside surface is relatively flat and smooth so as to be comfortable to the person&#39;s chest and abdomen. The relatively deep vee hullform helps the front panel penetrate the waves that are invariably present on the water on windy days. 
     The method and apparatus of the invention, using a body hull with a smooth front panel, thus enables a person to hydroplane across the water in a thrilling manner in a new sport of body hulling. The force with which the kite pulls the person is applied mostly to his shoulders, thus leaving his hands free to control the kite. 
     Other advantages, benefits, and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 a perspective view of the front of the body hull of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a back view of the body hull. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 3A is an enlargement of the cross-section of the body hull of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 4 is a view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a view of a person wearing the body hull of the invention. 
     FIGS. 6 and 6A are views showing a person being propelled across the water wearing the body hull of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the front of a modified embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 7A is an enlargement of the lacings used with the body hull of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 8 is a view taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 10 is a view showing a person wearing the modified body hull of FIGS. 7-9. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a further modified embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 11A is an enlargement of the lacings used with the body hull of FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 12 is a view taken along line  12 — 12  of FIG.  11 . 
     FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  13 — 13  of FIG.  11 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention, which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a body hull  1  is illustrated that includes the present invention. The body hull  1  is particularly useful for participating in the new sport of body hulling, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited to non-traditional water related applications. 
     The body hull  1  is composed of a generally rectangular front panel  3  having a longitudinal axis  4  and a shorter back panel  5 . Preferably, the front panel  3  is approximately 70 percent to 80 percent longer than the back panel  5 . The front and back panels are permanently joined to each other in two shoulder regions  7 . There is a head opening  9  between the shoulder regions  7 . The front panel has a bottom edge  11  and generally parallel side edges  13 . Similarly, the back panel has a bottom edge  15  and side edges  17 . In the illustrated construction, lacings  19  connect one set of side edges  13  and  17  of the two panels. If desired, however, the front and back panels can be permanently and integrally joined along the side edges  13  and  17 . Buckles  21  connect the opposite set of front and back panel side edges. 
     The body hull  1  has an outside surface  23  and an inside surface  26 . The two surfaces  23  and  26  are generally parallel. As best seen in FIG. 4, the outside surface  23  of the front panel  3  is smooth and has a skiff-like hullform that is slightly convex about the longitudinal axis  4 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the body hull  1  is manufactured as a laminate of two sheets of two different materials. The first material is a one inch polyethylene foam flotation material  24 . That material is semi-rigid, and it has excellent buoyant properties. It has relatively large air pockets, which give its outer surface a rather coarse contour. The second material is a conventional 0.25 inch dense polyethylene foam material  25 . The one inch flotation material  24  is bonded to the 0.25 inch foam material  25  with a suitable adhesive  27 , such as waterproof contact cement. The resulting laminate is cut out for the head opening  9 . The side edges  17  are cut out slightly at arm regions  29  adjacent the shoulder regions  7 . The laminate is folded over at the shoulder regions  7  such that the 0.25 inch dense polyethylene foam material  25  is the outside surface  23 . The dense foam outside surface provides optional color to the body hull as well as a smooth outside surface. The shoulder regions are heated, as with forced hot air, to create a permanent set in the laminate. The semi-rigid characteristic of the one inch polyethylene foam gives shape and structure to the body hull. Holes  31  are produced in the front and back panels  3  and  5 , respectively, for the lacings  19 . 
     The buckles  21  are on the ends of associated straps  33 . The straps  33  are sewn between the materials  24  and  25  in the front panel  3 . The straps are not sewn to the back panel  5 . Instead, they pass over the back panel outside surface  23  and are loosely captured in loops  34  that are sewn to the back panel outside surface. The result is a sturdy body hull having a relatively large rectangular shaped front panel, and the body hull can be adjusted to fit different size persons. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the sheet of the one inch polyethylene foam flotation material  24  is approximately 60 inches long and 25 inches wide. The buoyancy of a sheet that size is rated at supporting approximately 200 pounds. The sheet of the 0.25 inch dense polyethylene foam material is approximately 62 inches long by 26 inches wide. That size compensates for the slightly curved shape of the body hull front panel and also allows a small overlap along the edges of the one inch polyethylene material. The distance of the head opening  9  from the back panel bottom edge  15  is approximately 22 inches. The front panel  3  is approximately 38 inches long. 
     To use the body hull  1 , a person puts his head through the head opening  9 , and rests the shoulder regions  7  on his shoulders, FIG.  5 . The front panel bottom edge  11  then reaches to approximately mid-thigh of a person who is approximately six feet tall, and the back panel bottom edge  15  reaches to approximately the small of the person&#39;s back. The straps  33  are adjusted, and the buckles  21  are closed. The design of the straps  33  enables the back panel side edge  17  to underlap the front panel side edge  13  to suit a small person. The body hull is not designed or intended to be a life saving device. The person may therefore also want to wear a personal flotation device while body hulling. 
     Looking at FIGS. 6 and 6A, the person loops a tow harness  37  under his arms and behind his shoulders. On the ends of the tow harness  37  are a pair of hooks  39 . The person hooks the tow harness hooks  39  onto the control handles  41  of a conventional air foil kite, of which only the four control lines  43  are shown. If a two line control bar configuration is used, the harness hooks onto the control bar. 
     The person wearing the body hull  1  enters the water  35 . If desired, he can wear flippers  45 . If the water is so deep that he cannot stand, the body hull and personal flotation device will provide adequate flotation. When the person is ready, he controls the kite lines  43  to maneuver the kite into its power zone. When that happens, the kite develops enough force to pull the person head first across the water. The body hull front panel  3  provides a firm surface that supports and protects the person&#39;s body. The smooth skiff-like hullform with the rectangular front panel enables the body hull to start hydroplaning across the water at relatively low wind speeds. The buoyancy of the body hull and the personal flotation device is more than sufficient to produce adequate buoyancy at slow and sluggish speeds prior to hydroplaning speeds, and to assure that the person rides high on the water while hydroplaning. In addition, the vertical component of force exerted by the kite lines  43  on the handles  41  assures that the person&#39;s head is always well above the water surface. Approximately 80 percent of the kite force is transmitted to the person through the tow harness  37 . Consequently, the person&#39;s arms and hands are needed primarily only to control the kite through the handles and lines  43 . By controlling the kite, the person can vary his speed across the water from a maximum to a stopped condition. Directional control of as much as approximately 40 degrees left or right of the downwind direction is also achievable by manipulating the kite control lines. 
     The body hull  1  is ideal for body hulling when the wind speed is approximately ten knots or less. For higher wind speeds, waves usually develop on the water  35 . To enable the body hull to smoothly hydroplane and penetrate the waves, a modified design is provided. Looking at FIGS. 7-9, a modified body hull  45  is made from a laminate of one inch polyethylene foam flotation material  67  and 0.25 inch dense polyethylene foam material  46 . The body hull  45  has a front panel  47  and a back panel  49  connected by shoulder regions  50 , a head opening  51 , lacings  53 , and buckles  55 . The front panel  47  has parallel side edges  63  and two tapered side edges  69  that converge and intersect a short bottom edge  71 . The front panel outside surface  57  has an elongated rather shallow vee hullform  56  centered along a front panel longitudinal axis  58 . The shallow vee hullform  56  blends to the side edges  63  and the tapered side edges  69 . The hullform  56  need not extend all the way to the head opening  51 . Instead, it is sufficient that the hullform blend into a flat area  65  adjacent the head opening  51 . To help retain the shape of the hullform  56 , as well as to provide comfort to the chest and abdomen of the person, extra flotation material  67  is used under the hullform. The extra flotation material  67  is shaped to make a smooth and continuous inner surface  74  that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis  58 . 
     When the shallow vee hullform body vest  45  is worn, FIG. 10, the front panel bottom edge  71  is approximately at mid-thigh of the person. The junctions of the parallel side edges  63  and the associated tapered edges  69  are approximately at the hips of the person. 
     The shallow vee hullform body hull  45  is used in substantially the same way as the skiff-like hullform body hull  1  described previously with regard to FIGS. 1-6. The body hull  45  works very well for wind speeds between approximately ten and 15 knots. The shallow vee hullform  56  on the outside surface  57  enables the body hull to penetrate and hydroplane across small waves. Any shocks to the person&#39;s body from hitting waves with the body hull are thus reduced and even eliminated. 
     For wind speeds greater than approximately 15 knots, a further modified body hull  73  is used, FIGS. 11-13. The body hull  73  has a front panel  75  with a bottom edge  90 , a back panel  77 , holes  31 ′ for lacings  79 , and buckles  81 . The front panel  75  has tapered side edges  82  between parallel side edges  91  and the bottom edge  90 . The front panel outside surface  83  has an elongated rather sharp deep vee hullform  85  centered along a first longitudinal axis  86 . The deep vee hullform  85  blends smoothly through reverse curve transition regions  87  to the parallel side edges  91  and to the tapered side edges  82 . The hullform  85  extends from the bottom edge  90  of the front panel to a head opening  92  opposite the bottom edge. 
     To provide comfort to the person using the deep vee hullform body hull  73 , extra one inch foam flotation material  95  is provided under the hullform  85  to make a smooth and continuous inside surface  97 . As best seen in FIG. 13, the inside surface  97  is generally parallel to a second longitudinal axis  99  that is between the first longitudinal axis  86  and the back panel  77 . The longitudinal axes  86  and  99  intersect at an angle A. A satisfactory value angle A is between approximately 10 degrees and 20 degrees. In addition to providing comfort to the person wearing the body hull  73 , the extra flotation material  95  helps to maintain the shape of the hullform  85 . 
     The body hull  73  is used in substantially the same way as the skiff-like hullform body hull  1  and the shallow vee hullform body hull  45  described previously. The deep vee hullform  85  penetrates the relatively large waves that are usually present with winds greater than approximately 15 knots. The body hulling sportsman thus enjoys a smoother ride than if the skiff-like or shallow vee hullforms were used on the body hull. 
     In summary, the recreational opportunities available from small and large bodies of water can now be more fully realized. The body hull provides a person with both the ability to participate in the new water sport of body hulling as well as relative comfort as he is pulled by a kite across the water  35 . This desirable result comes from using the combined functions of the body hull front panel hullforms. The front panel provides a firm and smooth surface that is in contact with the water. The front panel also provides protection for the person&#39;s chest and abdomen. The body hull is comfortable to wear, and it provides considerable flotation to the person. The front panel can be made in different configurations to suit the wind speed and wave action. The relatively large surface area of the rectangular skiff-like hullform of the body hull  1  is satisfactory for light winds. For increased wind speeds, the front panel outside surface is made with an elongated shallow vee or deep vee hullform to better penetrate the waves and cushion the shocks as the person hydroplanes across the water. The tow harness  37  transmits most of the pulling force from the kite to the person&#39;s shoulders. His arms and hands are therefore free to control the kite without having to also bear the pulling force. 
     It will also be recognized that in addition to the superior performance of the invention, its cost is nominal in relation to the benefits it provides. Also, because it is made of a simple design and with rugged components, it gives long service life with minimal upkeep. 
     Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, a body hull for body hulling that fully satisfies the aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.