Patent ID: 7311057

Claim:
A surface effect craft comprising: a supporting deck structure; a propulsion mechanism in mechanical communication with the supporting deck structure for providing forward movement of the surface effect craft; a first and a second guiding member disposed at a left hand side and a right hand side of the supporting deck structure, respectively, and in mechanical communication therewith, the first and the second guiding member being oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the supporting deck structure and extending downward a predetermined distance from a bottom of the supporting deck structure for channeling air under the bottom of the supporting deck structure during forward movement of the surface effect craft; a lift adjust mechanism in mechanical communication with the supporting deck structure; a single lift control member disposed under the supporting deck structure between the first and the second guiding member, the lift control member being pivotally movable mounted to a front portion of the supporting deck structure and extending along at least half the length of the supporting deck structure, the lift control member being movable between a first position with the rear end of the lift control member being at a maximum distance to the bottom of the supporting deck structure and a second position with the rear end of the lift control member being at a minimum distance to the bottom of the supporting deck structure for controllably interacting via its bottom side with the channeled air, the lift adjust mechanism for pivotally moving the lift control member.