Patent ID: 7316193

Claim:
A vessel comprising: at least one hull structure for partially submerged flotation in a body of water, wherein the hull structure comprises: a main hull body; and at least two elongated hollow ballast devices fixed rigidly with the main hull body and extending in a laterally spaced fore and aft orientation substantially the full lengthwise extent of the main hull body, each of the ballast devices having fore and aft openings and comprising water relief holes such that: each ballast device is at least partially submerged in and occupied by the body of water when in a resting condition of the vessel; and each ballast device is predominantly emptied of the water when the vessel is moving over the water so as to elevate the ballast devices in the water to travel over the water in a planed condition and to elevate the main hull body at an air space above the body of water, the ballast devices forming a seal with respect to the body of water when the vessel is moving over the water to channel air through the air space substantially only in a fore-to-aft direction and substantially preventing air from escaping laterally from the air space relative to the direction of movement.