Patent ID: 7699011

Claim:
A personal watercraft comprising: a hull; a sub-deck disposed on the hull, the sub-deck defining at least one first opening therein, the hull and sub-deck together forming a hull and sub-deck (HSD) assembly; an engine disposed in the HSD assembly; a propulsion system connected to the hull and operatively connected to the engine; a deck disposed above the sub-deck, the deck having a pedestal; a straddle-type seat disposed on the pedestal; a helm assembly operatively connected to the propulsion system and disposed at least in part forwardly of the straddle-type seat; a suspension member passing through the at least one first opening and disposed at least in part inside the HSD assembly, the suspension member having a first end pivotally connected to the deck, the suspension member having a second end pivotally connected to the HSD assembly, the suspension member having a fixed length; and a suspension element having a first end connected to one of the deck, the HSD assembly, and the suspension member, the suspension element having a second end connected to another one of the deck, the HSD assembly, and the suspension member.