Abstract: A mounting system for attaching a transducer to a surface such as the transom of a boat hull is disclosed. The system consists of a mounting block, fasteners, and an item that the installer wishes to attach (such as a transducer or plate). The block is formed of corrosion-resistant material. The block has an adhesive layer that bonds the block to the surface; no fasteners are required to mount the block to the surface. The block has at least one T-shaped slot that retains corrosion-resistant fasteners, which anchor the transducer to the block when the fasteners are tightened. The adhesive layer is protected by a removable layer that is peeled away just prior to pressing the block on the transom surface.

Abstract: An adjustable pulley device which resides on a boat's anchor rope, which, when the anchor has been set offshore, allows an operator to pull the boat from shore to a pre-determined point on the anchor rope, and retrieve it. It comprises a housing with an integral pulley sheave and rope arresting mechanism in conjunction with a snap shackle which is tethered to the boat. To use the device, the snap shackle is snapped around the anchor rope between the sheave and the arresting mechanism on the device. As the boat approaches the shore, the anchor is put over side, and with the anchor set, the anchor rope slides through the device and shackle until the arresting mechanism is actuated. The device, now attached to the anchor rope, becomes the turning block which in conjunction with the shackle make up a pulley system to move the boat to and from shore.

Abstract: A composite iso-stress sail structure comprises a sail body having an expected iso-stress line, when in a chosen sail shape and under a loading within a chosen range of loadings. An iso-stress element is laminated to the sail body material to create an iso-stress portion at a corner of the sail body. An edge of iso-stress portion is shaped to be at least generally parallel to the iso-stress line. The iso-stress portion extends from the corner along at least one of the sides of the sail distances greater than 20% of the lengths of the sides, respectively.

Abstract: An integrated propulsion and guidance system for a vehicle includes an engine coupled to an impeller via a driveshaft to produce propulsive force. The impeller includes a hub and a plurality of blades, wherein one or more of the blades is pivotably mounted to the hub. A control system provides a control signal to the impeller to adjust the blade pitch of the pivotable impeller blades as the blades rotate about the hub. The change in blade pitch produces a torque on the driveshaft that can be used to control the heading of the vehicle. By varying the magnitude and phase of the control signal provided to the impeller, the torque can be applied in a multitude of distinct reference planes, thereby allowing the orientation of the vehicle to be adjusted through action of the impeller.

Abstract: The invention relates to a container for transporting fresh water by sea, comprising a flexible covering for receiving fresh water and a pulling device which is joined to the flexible covering and made of a tubular retaining body which is used for coupling bridle lines. A rapid filling and emptying of the container is achieved in such a way that the tubular retaining body is enclosed at least partially by the flexible covering and that filling and emptying openings in the tubular retaining body open directly into the space enclosed by the flexible covering. The present invention further relates to a method for filling or unloading such a container.

Abstract: A dive fin replacement heel strap for use on open-foot pocket dive fins having a mounting device on each side of the fin to secure the fins onto a user's foot. The strap is made of an elongate elastic material and has a predetermined width (W). It has a plurality of orifices of a predetermined opening size (D), positioned on the elongate elastic material. There is a tab on the end of the elongate elastic material. The tab has a solid flexible lip around its periphery which has a width greater than W and a height greater than D. There is an indent in the upper horizontal surface and in the lower horizontal surface of the elongate elastic material adjacent to the tab. The orifices are adapted to attached to a mounting device of a dive fin. The tab is adapted to pass through a mounting device of a dive fin and to pass through an orifice and lock in place thereat.

Abstract: An outboard motor includes a housing unit mounted on an associated watercraft. An engine is disposed above the housing unit. The engine defines a first exhaust passage communicating with a combustion chamber of the engine. The housing unit defines a second exhaust passage communicating with the first exhaust passage. The second exhaust passage communicates with outside through at least an underwater exhaust discharge port formed at a portion of the housing unit. An air intake device communicates with either the first exhaust passage or the second exhaust passage. The air intake device includes a one-way valve that allows air to enter the first or second exhaust passage and inhibits exhaust gases from moving beyond the one-way valve.

Abstract: An outboard motor in which a location on a hull of a throttle operating unit (81) such as a throttle lever and a location on the hull of an outboard motor main body accommodating therein an engine are positioned away from each other on the hull and in which a control inputted by a crew member to the throttle operating unit is mechanically transmitted to a throttle valve of the engine accommodated in the outboard motor main body so as to drive the throttle valve to be opened and closed, the outboard motor being characterized in that an electric air control valve (14) for increasing and decreasing the volume of intake air to the engine via a separate system from the throttle valve and a control unit including an actuator for controlling the opening and closing of the air control valve 14 are provided on the engine accommodated in the outboard motor main body, and in that an engine speed operating unit (44, 46) is provided by which the crew member directly inputs an air increase or decrease signal into the contr

Abstract: A vehicle adapted to operate on dry land, in soft terrain, and while floating. The vehicle includes a chassis formed by two interconnected pontoon sections sized such that the chassis and equipment will float. The pontoons are fitted with a track system providing propulsion to the vehicle. The chassis a plurality of spuds that are deployed to a position extending below the bottom of the pontoons so as to stabilize the vehicle for operations while floating.

Abstract: A marine craft includes a floating body, elements adapted to generate a center-board effect, in particular a center-board projecting beneath the floating body, and a rigging. The rigging includes at least a directional kite forming a canopy and a series of sheets controlling the canopy linked to the craft, the series of sheets including a main sheet and two directional sheets, and a substantially punctiform member for guiding the main sheet and for applying tractive force of the sheet on the craft. The rigging further includes elements for spatial orientation of the axis of the resultant elements the tractive force exerted by the rigging on the craft so as to almost completely eliminate the list whatever the moving speed of the craft and with the guiding and force-applying member located above the water level.

Abstract: The invention is comprised of a Quick Anchoring Equipment system (30) which permits underwater connection and disconnection of anchoring lines (2) to anchoring devices that are already fixedly attached to the bottom of the sea. The Quick Anchoring Equipment (30) consists of chain cable, cables, hooks and buoys specifically organized and configured, which, are attached at the submerged end of the anchoring line (2), which makes it possible with a single support boat (5), together with a remote operated vehicle (6), to carry out this whole anchoring lines (2) operation fundamental to floating platforms (1). The invention also includes the method to install and uninstall the Quick Anchoring Equipment (30).

Abstract: An outboard motor has an under cover forming a lower part of an engine room in which an engine is installed. The under cover has a pair of right and left cover members detachably connected together along opposing vertical edges thereof; an opening formed in at least one of the cover members for allowing access to the engine. The opening is vertically spaced from an upper edge of the under cover and extends contiguously from the vertical edge of the at least one cover member. A lid made of elastic material is attached to an outer surface of the under cover so as to close the opening of the under cover, the lid being elastically deformable to open and close the opening.

Abstract: An assembly has a foldable frame member that has a folded and an unfolded orientation, a sheet material covering portions of the frame member when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation, and one or more floatation devices. The floatation devices can be attached to any number of locations, including but not limited to the sheet material, the top of the sheet material, the bottom of the sheet material, and the periphery of the frame member.

Abstract: A portable pedal driven propulsion device for a small watercraft in which power from crank operated pedals is transmitted to a pivotally mounted gearbox on the outside of the watercraft adjacent the operator. A longitudinal drive shaft is connected, at one end, to the gear box and, at the other end, to a propeller so that the drive shaft and propeller can be moved selectively between a raised inoperative position and a lowered operative position.

Abstract: A marine propulsion system is provided with a transom housing, an intermediate housing, and a drive shaft housing which are rotatable relative to each other. A gearcase is provided which is rotatable, about a drive shaft axis, relative to the drive shaft housing. By selectively rotating the housings relative to each other, the gearcase can be raised or lowered without changing the angle of the drive shaft relative to a horizontal plane. In addition, the gearcase can be trimmed or tilted to a wide variety of angles relative to the transom housing 70.

Abstract: A barge for replacing foam blocks that support floating docks. The barge is provided with a float sinker that removably attaches to the barge via a boom. The float sinker can be moved from side to side via the boom and can be rotated. The float sinker has clamp arms with movable flat plates for releasably grasping foam blocks. The float sinker has hollow chambers that can be flooded as a means of pulling the blocks downward in the water and has means for expelling the water from the chambers to allow the blocks to rise to the surface of the water. Controls are provided on the deck of the barge for operating the barge and for remotely operating the float sinker from the barge.

Abstract: An anchor includes an anchor shank, a fluke disposed on the leading terminal side of the anchor shank as folded back therefrom, and a buoyancy part disposed on the leading terminal side of the anchor shank. The buoyancy part has a buoyant force that causes the leading terminal side of the anchor shank to rise upward and the basal terminal side thereof to contact the water bottom when the anchor is positioned on the water bottom, allows the leading terminal part of the fluke to remain in contact with the water bottom under its own weight, and enables the fluke to retain a posture for forming a given inserting angle relative to the water bottom.

Abstract: An airflow control mechanism is provided to control the flow of air through an opening formed in a portion of a cowl of an outboard motor. The airflow control mechanism is configured to be moveable between a first position and the second position to affect the magnitude of air flowing through an air passage defined as being the space between the opening formed in the cowl and an exit through which the air can leave the cavity of the cowl. The airflow control mechanism can control the flow of air as a function of an operating characteristic of the engine, such as its operating speed, the load on the engine, or the operating temperature of the engine.

Abstract: A watercraft comprises two air-intake boxes 5, 8 mounted in air-intake pipes 6, 9 of the engine 1. The air-intake box 5 is provided on one side of the engine 1 and located lower than a waterline of the watercraft and the air-intake box 8 is provided on the other side of the engine 1 and located higher than the waterline. End portions of the air-intake pipes 6, 9, which are located downstream in air flow in the air-intake boxes 5, 8, are connected to upper portions of the air-intake boxes, respectively. The air-intake pipe 6 is provided with a throttle valve 7. An air-suction valve 12 is adapted to suction air from upstream of the throttle valve 7 and deliver it to the vicinity of an exit of an exhaust port. The air suction valve 12 is provided with a noise absorbing member.

Abstract: A motor for driving a propeller is disclosed which has a drive shaft (10) which is coupleable to a propeller shaft (20) by bevel gears (12 and 14) so as to rotate the shaft (20) to in turn rotate propeller blades P of an outboard motor. The drive shaft (20) has an internal concentric shaft (30) which enables the adjustment of the pitch of the propeller blades P by mounting the propeller blades P for rotation about a pitch axis and coupling the mounting (72?) via an integral bevel gear (104) to a bevel gear (102) on the shaft (30). A phase adjustment mechanism (40) is provided for rotating the shaft (30) relative to the shaft (20) to in turn rotate the propeller blades P around the pitch axis to change the pitch of the propeller blades P. The phase adjustment mechanism comprises ring gears (48 and 50), together with planet gears (48) in engagement with a gear on the shaft (30) and planet gears (46) in engagement with a gear (26) on the shaft (20).