Patent ID: 6948439

Claim:
In an improved surface effect ship wherein said improved surface effect ship includes a port sidehull having a port bow member and a starboard sidehull having a starboard bow member and is supported upon a water surface in part by at least one artificially pressurized gas cushion, the improvement comprising: water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the improved surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea with its gas cushion pressurized, forward of an average of longitudinal positions of forward water contacting portions of a gas cushion forward seal member by at least five percent of a waterline length of the improved surface effect ship and wherein said gas cushion forward seal member is, at least primarily, of a non-moveable, in relation to a hull the improved surface effect ship, structure and disposed, at least in part, between the port and starboard bow members and wherein inboard sidewalls of said port and starboard sidehulls are at least partially truncated going aft of the port and starboard bow members to thereby reduce wetted area of the improved surface effect ship.