Abstract: A jet boat includes a hull, a jet propulsion nozzle mounted to a rear of the hull, and an articulating keel attached at the rear of the hull. The articulating keel is connected to the jet propulsion nozzle via a connecting portion such that when the jet propulsion nozzle is turned, at least a portion of the articulating keel is turned with the jet propulsion nozzle. The jet propulsion nozzle turns about a first pivot axis extending vertically or substantially vertically, and the articulating keel turns about a second pivot axis extending vertically or substantially vertically. The first pivot axis of the jet propulsion nozzle is coaxial with the second pivot axis of the articulating keel.

Abstract: A watercraft is provided. The watercraft includes a cockpit. The watercraft further includes a stern-facing seat having a movable backrest. The seat is outside of the cockpit. An aquatic activity platform extends to a stern of the watercraft from the seat, and defines a foot rest for the seat. An engine is positioned substantially further towards a bow of the watercraft than the seat. A storage compartment has an opening positioned further towards the bow than the backrest of the seat. The backrest is movable to a first position to expose the opening and provide access to the storage compartment, and to a second position to conceal the opening.

Abstract: A snowmobile has a pair of steering skis. Each ski has an elongated primary section that has a bottom surface. The bottom surface extends generally horizontally and warps upward at a forwardly end. A keel section extends along the primary section. The keel section projects downwardly from the primary section. A pair of generally vertical sections extends along the primary section. Each generally vertical section has a generally vertical surface that extends upwardly from a side edge of the bottom surface of the primary section. In one embodiment, a pair of generally horizontal sections extends along the primary section. Each horizontal section has a generally horizontal surface that extends generally horizontally outward from a top end of the generally vertical surface of each generally vertical section.

Abstract: An all terrain vehicle has a pair of front wheels that support a frame assembly. An engine is supported by the frame assembly and a steering column is supported by the frame assembly at a location generally forward of the engine. A set of handlebars are connected to an upper portion of the steering column and a lower portion of the steering column is operatively connected to the pair of front wheels. A power steering assembly is disposed along a portion of the steering column. The power steering assembly is operatively connected to the steering column. The power steering assembly comprises a motor having a longitudinal axis that extends in a generally lateral direction and at least a portion of the motor overlies a portion of the frame assembly.

Abstract: An insert is provided for a liquid inlet at the top of a tank not having a fill pipe for preventing liquid from a nozzle spout of a diameter greater than a predetermined dimension from filling the tank, and allowing liquid from a nozzle of smaller diameter to fill the tank to very near the top. The insert has a mouth with a wide opening at the top and an opening at the bottom just large enough to receive a spout having that predetermined diameter. A throat having an internal diameter slightly greater than that predetermined dimension extends from the bottom opening. A valve closes the throat under the force of a spring and a grid prevents the nozzle spout from being inserted past the end of the throat. Connected to the valve is a structure that is engaged by the nozzle when said spout is inserted into the throat to open the valve and permit liquid from the spout to pass into the tank.

Abstract: A compact, highly efficient braking assembly for a snowmobile utilizes first and second plates, one of which swings relative to the other to actuate a wedging device therebetween when a brake control lever is actuated by an operator. The wedging device includes cooperating, adjacent, tapered slots on the confronting faces of the first and second plates and which confine a rolling spacer ball therebetween to urge the plates apart as the ball is forced from deep regions of the slots to more shallow regions during swinging of the moving plate. As one plate moves away from the other along a helical path, a pair of brake pads carried by the moving plate engages one side of a brake disc, forces the disc against a stationary pair of brake pads, cooperates with the stationary brake pads to grip the rotating brake disc therebetween and utilizes brake disc momentum to assist movement of the swinging plate toward braking position.

Abstract: An extension for the fill port of a fuel tank. The fuel tank has a wall and a fill port. The extension comprises a tube having an axis, an innermost end, and an outermost end. The tube is axially movable in the fill port with its innermost end inside the fuel tank and its outermost end outside of the tank and adapted to be closed by a closure. A peripheral flexible diaphragm has an inner and outer periphery, the diaphragm being imperforated between its peripheries. The outer periphery is sealingly attached to the wall and the inner periphery is sealingly attached to the tube adjacent to its outermost end so that the diaphragm makes a fluid sealing barrier between the tank and the tube to prevent escape of fluid from the fill port except through the tube. The diaphragm is shaped so as to flex and thereby enable the tube to move axially from the retracted to an extended position relative to the fill port.