Patent ID: 8123579

Claim:
A method of protecting a surface wave energy converter (WEC) against damage by submerging the WEC, said WEC comprising a float including a first component overlying a second component, said first and second components being secured to each other, and said first component enclosed by a wall having a hole therethrough providing access to said first component, the method comprising: floating said float such that, under normal wave conditions, with the waves having crests and troughs, the float moves generally in phase with the waves on the surface of a body of water with said hole being generally disposed above the surface of the water such that the water flowing into said first component during wave crests drains from the first component during wave troughs and for which condition the WEC is designed to generate power; and, submerging the float under storm conditions for protecting the WEC against damage including the step of developing a force for initially only partially submerging the float and said hole for allowing more water to enter said first component than is drained from said first component for reducing the amount of force required to thereafter fully submerge the WEC.