Patent Publication Number: US-11377177-B2

Title: Personal watercraft

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a personal watercraft. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 10,227,110 B1 discloses a personal watercraft provided with a relatively wide cargo-carrying surface located rearward of a seat on which a user sits. On the cargo-carrying surface of the personal watercraft is mounted an anchor fixture of the pop-up type used to hold a cargo placed on the cargo-carrying surface. The size, shape, and placement position of the cargo can vary from user to user. Thus, a cargo-holding mechanism adaptable to various forms of cargoes is desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     A personal watercraft according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a watercraft body including a cargo-carrying surface; and at least one anchor rail mounted on the watercraft body, the anchor rail being adjacent to the cargo-carrying surface and exposed to an environment outside the watercraft body. 
     This configuration can increase the variety of sizes, shapes, and placement positions of cargoes placeable on the cargo-carrying surface of the watercraft body, thus providing improved user-friendliness. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a left side view of a personal watercraft according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a top left perspective view of the rear of the personal watercraft of  FIG. 1  with an additional deck removed. 
         FIG. 3  is a top left perspective view of the rear of the personal watercraft of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of a partition shown in  FIG. 3  and its vicinity. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom left perspective view of the personal watercraft&#39;s rear of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a side cross-sectional view of a movable step mechanism shown in  FIG. 5  and its vicinity. 
         FIG. 7  is a rear cross-sectional view of an anchor rail shown in  FIG. 2  and its vicinity. 
         FIG. 8  is a left side cross-sectional view of the anchor rail shown in  FIG. 2  and its vicinity. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of key elements and illustrates an example of how to use the anchor rail shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of an anchor rail and its vicinity in a personal watercraft according to a first variant. 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view of the rear of a personal watercraft according to a second variant. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a left side view of a personal watercraft  1  according to an exemplary embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the personal watercraft  1  (hereinafter referred to as “PWC”) includes a watercraft body  2  made of resin. The watercraft body  2  includes a hull  11 , a base deck  12 , and an additional deck  13 . The hull  11  forms the bottom surface of the watercraft body  2 . The base deck  12  covers the hull  11  from above and is secured to the hull  11 . In the watercraft body  2 , the portion where the hull  11  and the base deck  12  are connected is referred to as a “gunwale line G”. The additional deck  13  is mounted as an additional component on the rears of the hull  11  and the base deck  12 . On the additional deck  13  is mounted an anchor rail  15  for carrying a cargo Y. The anchor rail  15  will be described later. 
     The interior of the watercraft body  2  includes an engine room, in which an engine E serving as a prime mover is accommodated. The engine E includes an output shaft connected to a propeller shaft  3  extending rearward. The rear end of the propeller shaft  3  is connected to a pump shaft  4   a  of a water jet pump  4  located in the rear of the hull  11 . An impeller  4   b  is mounted on the pump shaft  4   a . A stator vane  4   c  is located rearward of the impeller  4   b . A pump casing  4   d  is located radially outward of the impeller  4   b  and encloses the impeller  4   b.    
     A water inlet  21  opens at the bottom of the hull  11 . The water inlet  21  is in communication with the pump casing  4   d  via a water passage  22 . The pump casing  4   d  is provided with a pump nozzle  4   e  facing rearward of the watercraft body  2 . The pump nozzle  4   e  decreases in diameter from front to rear, and an ejection orifice opens at the rear end of the pump nozzle  4   e . To the pump nozzle  4   e  is connected a steering nozzle  5  which is swingable in the left-right direction. A bowl-shaped reverse bucket  6  is located in proximity to the steering nozzle  5 . The reverse bucket  6  is pivotally supported by the hull  11  and pivotable between an advanced position where the reverse bucket  6  covers the ejection orifice of the steering nozzle  5  from behind to cause water ejected from the pump nozzle  4   e  to be redirected forward and a retracted position where the reverse bucket  6  allows the ejection orifice of the steering nozzle  5  to be open in the rearward direction. 
     In the PWC  1 , water drawn into the hull  11  through the water inlet  21  located at the bottom of the hull  11  is pressurized and accelerated by rotational power of the impeller  4   b  of the water jet pump  4  driven by the engine E. The flow of water is conditioned by the stator vane  4  and ejected rearward through the ejection orifice of the pump nozzle  4   e  and the steering nozzle  5  to produce propulsion power. A bar-shaped handle  7  is located above the front of the base deck  12  and rotatably supported by the base deck  12 . When the operator tilts the handle  7  to the left or right, the steering nozzle  5  swings to the left or right in conjunction with the tilting movement of the handle  7 . 
     The base deck  12  includes a seat support  31 , a pair of foot rest surfaces  32 , and a rear deck surface  33 . The seat support  31  is located rearward of the handle  7  and projects upward from the deck floor. The foot rest surfaces  32  are located to the left and right, respectively, of the seat support  31  on the deck  12  and extend in the front-rear direction. The foot rest surfaces  32  constitute a part of the deck floor. The seat support  31  supports a front seat  8  and a rear seat  9  from below. The front and rear seats  8  and  9  are straddle seats on which users sit in a straddling position. The number of the seats supported by the seat support  31  is not limited to two. One seat or three seats may be supported by the seat support  31 . 
     The rear deck surface  33  is located rearward of the seat support  31  and faces upward. Without the additional deck  13 , the rear deck surface  33  would constitute a part of the deck floor. The rear deck surface  33  is a rear region of the upper surface of the base deck  12 . The additional deck  13  is removably secured to the hull  11  and the base deck  12  to cover a rear portion of the gunwale line G and the rear deck surface  33  of the base deck  12 . The additional deck  13  projects rearward beyond the hull  11  and the base deck  12 . 
       FIG. 2  is a top left perspective view of the rear of the PWC  1  of  FIG. 1  with the additional deck  13  removed. In the deck floor of the base deck  12 , as seen from  FIG. 2 , the foot rest surfaces  32  are continuous with the rear deck surface  33 . The boundary portion between the pair of foot rest surfaces  32  and the rear deck surface  33  bulges upward. If the additional deck  13  is not provided, the watercraft body could be constructed of the hull  11  and the base deck  12 . The hull  11  includes a back surface  23  facing rearward. The back surface  23  is provided with a pump opening  24  through which the water jet pump  4  (see  FIG. 1 ) is exposed to the environment behind the PWC  1 . The steering nozzle  5  and the reverse bucket  6  are disposed inside the pump opening  24 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the rear of the PWC  1  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of a partition  41   c  shown in  FIG. 3  and its vicinity.  FIG. 5  is a bottom left perspective view of the PWC  1 &#39;s rear of  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the additional deck  13  includes a covering portion  13   a  and a projecting portion  13   b  continuous with the covering portion  13   a  and projecting rearward from the covering portion  13   a . The covering portion  13   a  is located forward of the rear end of the base deck  12  and covers the rear deck surface  33  of the base deck  12 . The projecting portion  13   b  projects rearward beyond the rear end of the base deck  12 . 
     The additional deck  13  covering the rear portion of the gunwale line G is secured to the lateral sides of the rear portion of the gunwale line G by side fasteners  14  (e.g., bolts). The side fasteners  14  fasten the additional deck  13 , base deck  12 , and hull  11  together. The additional deck  13  includes an upper panel  41 , a lower panel  42 , and a covering sheet  43 . 
     The upper panel  41  covers the rear deck surface  33  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the base deck  12  from above and has a projecting portion extending rearward beyond the back surface  23  of the hull  11 . The lower panel  42  covers the projecting portion of the upper panel  41  from below. The lower panel  42  is secured to the lower side of the upper panel  41 . The upper panel  41  covers the rear portion of the gunwale line G from above, and the lower panel  42  covers the rear portion of the gunwale line G from below. 
     The covering sheet  43  covers the upper surface  41   a  of the upper panel  41  and is adhered to the upper panel  41 . The covering sheet  43  is made of, for example, a material softer than the material of the upper panel  41 . The surface roughness of the covering sheet  43  is greater than the surface roughness of the upper panel  41 . The covering sheet  43  may cover all or a part of the upper surface  41   a  of the upper panel  41 . The covering sheet  43  is composed of a plurality of covering sheets adhered individually to the upper surface  41   a  of the upper panel  41 . Alternatively, the covering sheet may be a single, continuous sheet. 
     The upper surface of the covering sheet  43  is a cargo-carrying surface  43   a  on which cargoes are placeable. The cargo-carrying surface  43   a  is located rearward of the rear seat  9  (in particular, rearward of the seat support  31 ) and faces upward. With the additional deck  13  mounted on the watercraft body  2 , the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  constitutes a part of the deck floor of the watercraft body  2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the upper panel  41  of the additional deck  13  includes the upper surface  41   a , a pair of receiving grooves  41   b , and a pair of partitions  41   c . The upper surface  41   a  of the upper panel  41  is located rearward of the rear seat  9  (in particular, rearward of the seat support  31 ) and faces upward. The receiving grooves  41   b  are recessed downward from the upper surface  41   a  of the upper panel  41  and extend in the front-rear direction. The two receiving grooves  41   b  are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The two receiving grooves  41   b  are symmetrical with respect to a center line extending in the front-rear direction through the center of the watercraft body  2  in the left-right direction. 
     The two receiving grooves  41   b  receive the two anchor rails  15 , respectively. Thus, the two anchor rails  15  are located rearward of the seat support  31 , spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, and extend in the front-rear direction. The two anchor rails  15  are substantially parallel to each other. Imaginary forward extensions of the anchor rails  15  overlap the foot rest surfaces  32  in plan view. 
     The anchor rails  15  are adjacent to the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  of the additional deck  13  and exposed to the environment outside the watercraft body  2 . Each anchor rail  15  includes: a receiving plate  53  exposed to the environment outside (above) the watercraft body  2 ; and a slit SL formed in the receiving plate  53  and extending in the longitudinal direction of the anchor rail  15 . The details of the structure of the anchor rails  15  will be described later. Each anchor rail  15  is secured to the watercraft body  2  in such a manner that its outwardly facing surface exposed to the environment outside the watercraft body  2  (namely, the upper surface of the receiving plate  53 ) is recessed downward relative to the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  to form a recess  19 . The cargo-carrying surface  43   a  includes a central surface  43   aa  located between the two anchor rails  15  and outer edge surfaces  43   ab  located outward of the anchor rails  15  in the left-right direction. 
     In side view, the central surface  43   aa  of the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane so as to extend rearward and downward. Further, in rear view, the central surface  43   aa  of the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane so as to extend downward and outward in the left-right direction toward the anchor rails  15 . Thus, in rear view, the central surface  43   aa  of the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  is in the shape of an upwardly convex arch. The outer edge surfaces  43   ab  of the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  are inclined with respect to the horizontal plane so as to extend downward and inward in the left-right direction toward the anchor rails  15 . 
     The additional deck  13  includes a recess P located in the central surface  43   aa  and opening upward. Specifically, the upper panel  41  is provided with a recess, and the covering sheet  43  is provided with an opening allowing the recess to open upward. The recess P is in an elongated shape extending longitudinally in the left-right direction. The recess P is configured to allow the user to put his/her hand into the recess P when getting onto the watercraft from the water. 
     The longitudinal length of the receiving grooves  41   b  is greater than the longitudinal length of the anchor rails  15 . The rear ends of the receiving grooves  41   b  are open in the rearward direction. The rear ends of the anchor rails  15  are located closer to the center of the watercraft body than (namely, located forward of) the rear ends of the receiving grooves  41   b  in the longitudinal direction of the receiving groove  41   b . A filler  18  is placed in the rear end portion of each receiving groove  41   b  to cover the rear end of the anchor rail  15 . The filler  18  is a resin molded product. The filler  18  is removably secured to the additional deck  13  by a fastener. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the partitions  41   c  of the upper panel  41  are located between the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  and the foot rest surfaces  32 . Each partition  41   c  includes a back surface facing rearward. Imaginary forward extensions of the anchor rails  15  intersect the partitions  41   c  in plan view. The partitions  41   c  project upward with respect to the foot rest surfaces  32  and the cargo-carrying surface  43   a , and project upward with respect to the front edges of the upper surfaces of the anchor rails  15 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the lower panel  42  includes: a lower surface  42   a  located above the pump opening  24  of the back surface  23  of the hull  11 ; and a pair of gussets  42   b  projecting downward from the lower surface  42   a . The two gussets  42   b  are located to the left and right, respectively, of the pump opening  24 , and are in contact with and secured to the back surface  23  of the hull  11 . Thus, the gussets  42   b  serve as a reinforcing structure supporting the projecting portion  13   b  of the additional deck  13  from below. 
       FIG. 6  is a side cross-sectional view of a movable step mechanism  30  shown in  FIG. 5  and its vicinity. As seen from  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the movable step mechanism  30  is mounted on the hull  11 . The movable step mechanism  30  includes a pair of brackets  71 , a movable step  72 , and a pair of return springs  73 . The two brackets  71  are located to the left and right, respectively, of the pump opening  24 , and secured to the back surface  23  of the hull  11 . The movable step  72  is pivotally supported by the pair of brackets  71  and pivotable about an axis extending in the left-right direction. 
     Specifically, the movable step  72  includes a pair of supporting arms  72   a  pivotally supported respectively by the pair of brackets  71  and a step bar  72   b  connected to the distal ends of the supporting arms  72   a  and extending in the left-right direction. The movable step  72  is configured to pivot between a retracted position (indicated by a solid line in  FIG. 5 ) and a use position (indicated by a dashed-two dotted line in  FIG. 5 ). The return springs  73  bias the movable step  72  toward the retracted position. The step bar  72   b  of the movable step  72  is located at a lower level when the movable step  72  is in the use position than when the movable step  72  is in the retracted position. The step bar  72   b  placed in the retracted position is lowered by the user against the return springs  73 , and thus the step bar  72   b  is moved to the use position. 
     The rear end portion of the projecting portion  13   b  of the additional deck  13  includes a receiving recess  13   ba  opening rearward and downward. When the movable step  72  is in the retracted position, the step bar  72   b  is placed in the receiving recess  13   ba . The back surface of the step bar  72   b  placed in the retracted position is flush with the adjacent back surface of the additional deck  13 . The rear end portion of the projecting portion  13   b  of the additional deck  13  includes a cut  13   bb  extending upward from the receiving recess  13   ba  and opening at least rearward. The length of the cut  13   bb  in the left-right direction is smaller than the length of the receiving recess  13   ba  in the left-right direction. The user can put his/her hand into the cut  13   bb  and touch the upper surface of the step bar  72   b  to manually lower the movable step  72  from the retracted position to the use position. 
       FIG. 7  is a rear cross-sectional view of the anchor rail  15  shown in  FIG. 2  and its vicinity. Referring to  FIG. 7 , the anchor rail  15  includes a rail main portion  50  and a pair of reinforcing portions  60  adjacent to both sides of the rail main portion  50 . The rail main portion  50  includes a bottom plate  51 , a pair of side plates  52 , and a receiving plate  53 . The bottom plate  51  is mounted on the bottom surface of the receiving groove  41   b  of the additional deck  13 . The two side plates  52  project upward from both lateral edges of the bottom plate  51 . The receiving plate  53  is located above and away from the bottom plate  51 . The receiving plate  53  is positioned parallel to the bottom plate  51  and connected to the upper edges of the side plates  52 . 
     The upper surface of the receiving plate  53  is an outwardly facing surface exposed to the environment outside the watercraft body. The receiving plate  53  is provided with the slit SL extending in the longitudinal direction of the anchor rail  15 . The slit SL extends over the entire length of the anchor rail  15  in the longitudinal direction. The slit SL may extend over a part of the anchor rail  15  in the longitudinal direction. The bottom plate  51 , side plates  52 , and receiving plate  53  define an anchor space S 1  extending in the longitudinal direction of the anchor rail  15 . The anchor space S 1 , which is an inner space of the rail main portion  50 , is in communication with the environment outside the rail main portion  50  (outside the watercraft body) through the slit SL. 
     Each reinforcing portion  60  includes a bottom plate  61 , a side plate  62 , and an upper plate  63 . The bottom plate  61  is mounted on the bottom surface of the receiving groove  41   b  of the additional deck  13 . The bottom plate  61  is located adjacent to and in the same plane as the bottom plate  51  and is connected to the bottom plate  51 . The side plate  62  projects upward from the outer lateral edge of the bottom plate  61 . The upper plate  63  is located above and away from the bottom plate  61 . The upper plate  63  is positioned parallel to the bottom plate  61 , and the upper edge of the side plate  62  is connected to the upper plate  63 . The bottom plate  61 , side plate  62 , upper plate  63 , and side plate  52  form a closed cross-section. That is, the reinforcing portion  60  defines an inner reinforcement space S 2 . 
     The upper surface of the upper plate  63  is an outwardly facing surface lying side-by-side with the slit SL and exposed to the environment outside the watercraft body  2 . The reinforcing portion  60  is located outward of the rail main portion  50  in the width direction of the slit SL (the left-right direction) and connected to a side surface of the rail main portion  50 . The anchor rail  15  is secured to the additional deck  13  in such a manner that the outwardly facing surfaces of the anchor rail  15  (the upper surfaces of the rail main portion  50  and reinforcing portions  60 ) are recessed downward relative to the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  to form the recess  19 . The height of the anchor rail  15  is smaller than the depth of the receiving groove  41   b . The upper surface of the anchor rail  15  is located at a lower level than the cargo-carrying surface  43   a . Alternatively, the anchor rail  15  may be secured to the additional deck  13  in such a manner that the outwardly facing surfaces are flush with the adjacent cargo-carrying surface  43   a . That is, the anchor rail  15  is placed so as not to project upward from the adjacent cargo-carrying surface  43   a.    
       FIG. 8  is a left side cross-sectional view of the anchor rail  15  shown in  FIG. 2  and its vicinity. As seen from  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the lower surface of the bottom wall of the receiving groove  41   b  of the additional deck  13  is located above and in contact with the rear deck surface  33  of the base deck  12 . The lower surface of the anchor rail  15  is in contact with the upper surface of the bottom wall of the receiving groove  41   b  of the additional deck  13 . Nuts  17  are secured to that portion of the lower surface of the base deck  12  which is associated with the receiving groove  41   b . A plurality of upper fasteners  16  (e.g., bolts) are threaded into the nuts  17  to fasten the anchor rail  15 , the additional deck  13 , and the base deck  12  together at the bottom wall of the receiving groove  41   b.    
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , each upper fastener  16  includes a shaft portion  16   a  and a head portion  16   b  located at the upper end of the shaft portion  16   a . Holes  63   a  are formed at predetermined locations on the upper plate  63  (see  FIG. 7 ) of each reinforcing portion  60  of the anchor rail  15 . Each hole  63   a  has a size which allows the shaft and head portions  16   a  and  16   b  of the upper fastener  16  to pass through the hole  63   a . The anchor rail  15  includes collars  15   c  located in the reinforcement spaces S 2 . Each collar  15   c  is held between the head portion  16   b  of the upper fastener  16  and the bottom plate  61  of the reinforcing portion  60 . The presence of the collar  15   c  allows the head portion  16   b  of the upper fastener  16  to be positioned close to the hole  63   a  of the upper plate  63 . The collar  15   c  has a length such that the upper surface of the head portion  16   b  of the upper fastener  16  does not project upward from the upper surface of the anchor rail  15 . 
     When the PWC  1  is at rest on the water, the anchor rail  15  is inclined to extend rearward and downward. The rear end of the anchor rail  15  is located forward of (closer to the center of the watercraft body than) the rear end of the receiving groove  41   b . The anchor rail  15  has a rear end opening  54  that allows the inner spaces of the anchor rail  15  to open in the rearward direction. The filler  18  is placed in the receiving groove  41   b  to close a rear end opening  54  of the anchor rail  15 . The filler  18  placed in the receiving groove  41   b  and secured to the additional deck  13  is preferably flush with the adjacent outer surface of the additional deck  13 . A part of the filler  18  is inserted into the rear end opening  54  of the anchor rail  15 . The rear end portion of the anchor rail  15  is provided with a drain hole which allows the anchor space S 1  to communicate with the environment outside the watercraft. 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of key elements and illustrates an example of how to use the anchor rail  15  shown in  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIG. 9 , when a cargo Y is placed on the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  of the additional deck  13 , anchors  20  are mounted on the anchor rails  15 . Each anchor  20  includes, for example, an eyebolt B, an upper nut N 1 , and a lower nut N 2 . The anchor  20  is not limited to this type of anchor and may be of another type (the anchor  20  may be, for example, a set of a hexagon head bolt, an upper nut, and a lower nut). The anchor  20  is slidably inserted into the anchor rail  15  through the rear end opening  54 . 
     Specifically, the shaft portion of the eyebolt B is passed through the slit SL of the anchor rail  15  to place the upper nut N 1  above the receiving plate  53  of the anchor rail  15  and place the lower nut N 2  in a space (anchor space S 1 ) lying below the receiving plate  53  of the anchor rail  15 . The anchor  20  can be moved along the slit SL with the receiving plate  53  being not held tightly between the upper and lower nuts N 1  and N 2 . 
     Once the user moves the anchor  20  to a desired position along the slit SL and rotates the eyebolt B or upper nut N 1 , the upper and lower nuts N 1  and N 2  hold the receiving plate  53  tightly therebetween, and the anchor  20  is fastened to the anchor rail  15 . The user hooks an end of a stretch wire W to the eyebolt B. The stretch wire W is for holding the cargo Y placed on the cargo-carrying surface  43   a . The use of the anchor rail  15  is not limited to this example, and a cargo-holding platform may be secured to the anchor rail  15  using an anchor (such as a set of a hexagon head bolt, an upper nut, and a lower nut). 
     In the configuration described above, the anchor  20  can be placed in a position desired by the user in the longitudinal direction of the anchor rail  15 . This increases the variety of sizes, shapes, and placement positions of cargoes Y placeable on the cargo-carrying surface  43   a , thus providing improved user-friendliness. 
     Since the anchor rail  15  does not project upward beyond the cargo-carrying surface  43   a , the anchor rail  15  does not interfere with a cargo Y placed on the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  even when a part of the cargo Y is located directly above the anchor rail  15 . Thus, the variety of placement positions of the cargo Y is further increased, and the user-friendliness is further improved. Additionally, the anchor rail  15  does not impede the user when any cargo Y is not placed on the cargo-carrying surface  43   a . Thus, the user can comfortably use the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  located rearward of the seat support  31  for multiple purposes. 
     The two anchor rails  15  extend in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. As such, the positions of the two anchors  20  positioned respectively on the two anchor rails  15  can be continuously adjusted on the anchor rails  15  while the midpoint between the two anchors  20  is kept at or around the center of the watercraft body  2  in the left-right direction. 
     The outer edge surfaces  43   ab  of the cargo-carrying surface  43   a , which are located outward of the anchor rails  15  in the left-right direction, are inclined downward toward the anchor rails  15 . As such, when the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  is exposed to water, the water can be gathered into the anchor rails  15  and directed out of the watercraft through the anchor rails  15 . 
     The anchor rails  15  are inclined to extend rearward and downward when the PWC  1  is at rest on the water. As such, water entering the anchor rails  15  can be spontaneously discharged rearward from the anchor rails  15 . Further, since the rear ends of the anchor rails  15  are located forward of the rear ends of the receiving grooves  41   b  and buried in the watercraft body  2 , the anchor rails  15  can be prevented from impeding the user. 
     Although each receiving groove  41   b  has a recessed region where the anchor rail  15  is not placed, this region can be filled with the filler  18 . The filler  18  can also cover the rear end of the anchor rail  15 . If the anchor  20  is loosened and moved along the anchor rail  15 , the filler  18  can prevent the components of the anchor  20  from falling off the watercraft body  2 . The filler  18  is removable to uncover the rear end opening  54  of the anchor rail  15 , and the anchor  20  can easily be slidably mounted on the anchor rail  15  through the uncovered rear end opening  54 . 
     Each anchor rail  15  includes the slit SL formed in the receiving plate  53  exposed to the environment outside the watercraft body  2 , and the anchor  20  can be inserted into the slit SL of the anchor rail  15  and slid along the slit SL. Thus, the anchor  20  can easily be moved to a desired position and fastened to the receiving plate  53 . 
     Each anchor rail  15  includes the reinforcing portion  60  which is located outward of the rail main portion  50  in the width direction of the slit SL and which defines a closed cross-section together with the rail main portion  50 . The reinforcing portion  60  can prevent the rail main portion  50  from being deformed to such a degree that the width of the slit SL is changed. Thus, the anchor rail  15  can exhibit increased rigidity. Since the upper fastener  16  secures the reinforcing portion  60  to the watercraft body  2 , the reinforcing portion  60  of the anchor rail  15  contributes to both reinforcement of the anchor rail  15  and securing of the anchor rail  15  to the watercraft body  2 . As such, efficient layout of the components can be achieved. 
     Each anchor rail  15  includes the collar  15   c  held between the head portion  16   b  of the upper fastener  16  and the bottom plate  61  of the reinforcing portion  60 . Thus, the head portion  16   b  of the upper fastener  16  is located away from the bottom plate  61  of the reinforcing portion  60  and close to the upper surface of the anchor rail  15 . As such, the head portion  16   b  of the upper fastener  16  is easily accessible from outside the watercraft body  2 , and ease of maintenance is increased. The collar  15   c  has a length such that the upper surface of the head portion  16   b  of the upper fastener  16  does not project from the upper surface of the anchor rail  15  to the environment outside (above) the watercraft body  2 . Thus, the upper fastener  16  can be prevented from impeding the user. 
     Since the additional deck  13  is removably secured to the base deck  12 , the length of the region posterior to the seat support  31  can easily be extended rearward in the front-rear direction. That is, the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  can easily be widened without having to modify the hull  11  and the base deck  12 . When the additional deck  13  is not required, the watercraft body can be used with the additional deck  13  removed. 
     The upper fasteners  16  fasten the anchor rails  15 , the additional deck  13 , and the base deck  12  together. That is, the upper fasteners  16  can provide both securing of the anchor rails  15  to the additional deck  13  and securing of the additional deck  13  to the base deck  12 . This allows for efficient layout of the components. The side fasteners  14  fasten the additional deck  13 , the base deck  12 , and the hull  11  together at the rear portion of the gunwale line G. That is, the side fasteners  14  can provide both securing of the additional deck  13  to the base deck  12  and securing of the base deck  12  to the hull  11 . 
     The additional deck  13  includes the upper and lower panels  41  and  42  by which the rear portion of the gunwale line G where the hull  11  and the base deck  12  are connected is covered from above and below. Such an additional deck  13  can easily be manufactured and mounted on the hull  11  and the base deck  12 . The lower panel  42  includes the pair of gussets  42   b  which are located to the left and right, respectively, of the pump opening  24  and which are in contact with the back surface  23  of the hull  11 . This simple design can increase the strength of the additional deck  13 . 
     The partitions  41   c  projecting upward with respect to the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  and the foot rest surfaces  32  are located between the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  and the foot rest surfaces  32 . Thus, if the cargo-carrying surface  43   a  is exposed to water during backward movement of the PWC  1 , the partitions  41   c  block forward movement of the water. Consequently, the water can be prevented from reaching the foot rest surfaces  32 . 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of an anchor rail  115  and its vicinity in a PWC according to a first variant. As seen from  FIG. 10 , the anchor rail  115  of the first variant is I-shaped in cross-section. The anchor rail  115  includes a bottom plate  115   a , a vertical plate  115   b , and a retaining plate  115   c . The bottom plate  115   a  is placed on the bottom surface of the receiving groove  41   b  of the upper panel  41  of the additional deck  13  and is secured to the upper panel  41  and the base deck  12  by upper fasteners  116 . The vertical plate  115   b  projects upward from the center in the left-right direction of the bottom plate  115   a . The retaining plate  115   c  is located above and away from the bottom plate  115   a . The retaining plate  115   c  is positioned parallel to the bottom plate  115   a  and projects from the upper edge of the vertical plate  115   b  in the left-right direction. The length over which the retaining plate  115   c  projects from the vertical plate  115   b  in the left-right direction is smaller than the length over which the bottom plate  115   a  projects from the vertical plate  115   b  in the left-right direction. The upper surface of the retaining plate  115   c  is an outwardly facing surface exposed to the environment outside the watercraft body. A gap is formed between the retaining plate  115   c  and the cargo-carrying surface  43   a.    
     An anchor  120  includes a slide portion  120   a  slidably fitted on the retaining plate  115   c . The slide portion  120   a  is shaped to face the left, right, upper, and lower sides of the retaining plate  115   c . The anchor  120  includes an attachment portion  120   b  continuous with the slide portion  120   a  and projecting upward from the slide portion  120   a . The stretch wire W as shown in  FIG. 9  can be hooked to the attachment portion  120   b . The anchor  120  can thus be placed in a position desired by the user in the longitudinal direction of the anchor rail  115 . The other elements of the first variant are the same as those of the embodiment described above and will not be described repeatedly. 
       FIG. 11  is a plan view of the rear of a PWC  201  according to a second variant. As seen from  FIG. 11 , the rear of a watercraft body  202  of the PWC  201  includes a cargo-carrying surface  243  located rearward of the seat support  31 . The pair of anchor rails  15  are disposed rearward of the seat support  31 . The two anchor rails  15  extend in the left-right direction and are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. The anchor rails  15  are mounted on the watercraft body  202  in such a manner that they are adjacent to the cargo-carrying surface  243  and exposed to the environment outside (above) the watercraft body  202 . This allows for easy adjustment of the position of a cargo on the cargo-carrying surface  243  in the left-right direction. The other elements of the second variant are the same as those of the embodiment described above and will not be described repeatedly. 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be construed as illustrative only, and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode for carrying out the invention. The details of the structure and/or function may be varied substantially without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     For example, the cargo-carrying surface need not be located rearward of the rear seat  9 , and may be located forward of the rear end of the rear seat  9 . The additional deck  13  need not include the covering sheet  43 , and the upper surface  41   a  of the upper panel  41  may be used as the cargo-carrying surface. The additional deck  13  need not be an assembly of the upper and lower panels  41  and  42 , and may be formed by one-piece molding. The anchor rails  15  may be secured to the base deck  12  without mounting the additional deck  13 . The number of the anchor rails  15  is not limited to two, and one anchor rail  15  or three or more anchor rails  15  may be used. The anchor rails  15  may be non-parallel to one another.