Abstract: Floating platform structure comprising a deck section and a support section supporting the deck section. The floating structure is manufactured in the shape of a trussed girder having an upper chord and a lower chord which are connected with one another by girder members and having a vertical cross section substantially in the shape of a triangle having an apex pointing downwardly, the deck section of the platform structure being provided by the upper chords of the girder. The buoyancy means of the platform structure are found in the upper portions of the girder members and the ballast means in the lower portions of the girder members and optionally in the lower girder chord. The support section comprises groups of at least three girder members each, said members converging from the deck downwardly towards a common point and being fixedly connected with one another in a junction point in or adjacent the convergency point.

Abstract: A boat having an external float pivotally fixed to the boat. Through linkage, the motion of the float relative to the boat resulting from wave motion drives a dual cylinder pump. The pump admits water from the body of water in which the boat is suspended and pressurizes that water for direction aft as a means for propulsion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a container for the ground material removed by a ground working device, for example, a mud plough or a suction device from the bottom of a watercourse. Such a container is known in the form of a compartment trough moved by the tugboat of the mud plough or the hopper barge. A disadvantage of such a container is that it is heavy and hence transportable only with difficulty while it is expensive and cannot be emptied by a simple procedure. The invention has for its object to obviate these disadvantages and provides to this end a container of the kind set forth in the preamble constructed in the form of a flexible bag that can be connected with the ground working device.

Abstract: A device that enhances the feel of a sailboat tiller when such tiller is manually attended, and that maintains any preselected position of such tiller when it is left unattended.Novel clamping members are laterally disposed relative to one another on the transom portion of a sailboat, and releasably secure opposite ends of an elongate, elastomeric cord such that the cord lies tautly in a horizontal plane against such transom when no external force other than such clamping members is imparted thereto.A combination wedge and roller element is fixedly secured to the underside of a conventional tiller, and either the roller or the wedge engages the cord, thereby elongating the cord, when the invention is in use. The roller element engages the cord when the tiller is attended to improve the feel of such tiller, and the wedge element engages the cord when the tiller is unattended, to thereby hold the tiller against substantial movement.

Abstract: A mooring device having a plurality of functional positions of adjustment. The device facilitates the docking of a boat by obviating the need to disembark from the boat as the boat approaches a pier or wharf. Specifically, the apparatus includes an elongate, flexible arm member having a line-retaining member formed at the distal free end thereof that presents the mooring lines to the boat operator while such operator remains on the boat. The arm projects from a novel hemispherical in configuration base member having a plurality of circumferentially and angularly spaced bores provided therein and such base member is further rotatable about an axis of symmetry so that the positions that the apparatus may assume are virtually unlimited.

Abstract: An inboard outboard drive having a structural part which passes through an opening in the hull of a boat. A mounting shield for supporting the structural part is at its inner portion provided with symmetrical receiver grooves into which the support flanges on the structural part may be selectively inserted in either one of two reversed positions and has in an outer portion an asymmetrically located flange for securing to the hull. The shield may according to need be put on the inner or outer side of the hull, depending on which of them is more even than the other.

Abstract: Anchor for connecting or attaching a buoyant device that exerts an upward force on an anchor. The anchor comprises a base body which is positioned on the bottom and is maintained in that position by its own weight and/or auxiliary means, which base body has guiding elements for a second body to which that upward force is applied. The coupling between both bodies comprises a chamber bounded by both bodies which chamber can be connected to a source of underpressure.

Abstract: Working sails are simultaneously furled and bagged by providing at the head of the sail a collapsed bag which is open at its foot end and has two forward edges each slidably attached to, e.g., a bolt rope on a different side of the luff, and by remote operations pulling the bag downwardly to furl the sail from leech to luff and to enclose the furled sail.

Abstract: A sailing rig for use on a sailboat comprising a sail formed in the shape of two approximately ellipsoidal portions with a free-standing mast being rotatable on its vertical axis, the mast being curved near its top from the vertical axis of rotation of the mast so that the sail, when the sailboat is close-hauled, folds around the mast and when the sailboat runs before the wind, the sail unfolds and opens to fly free of the mast.

Abstract: A wingsail assembly in which the pivoting mounting is situated in line with a strengthened portion of the sail assembly such as a strengthened leading edge of a sail element while still retaining the alignment of the axis of pivoting and the center of pressure. A sail assembly is also described in which a locating mechanism, typically in the form of wire stays, a mechanical linkage or a hydraulic system, is arranged to act on opposite sides of a balancing mass, carried by a boom attached to the wingsail assembly and arranged to locate the mass in an approximately horizontal plane. Where the wing or wing section is constructed from spars and ribs where the latter define the aerofoil section of the wing and lie in the direction of air flow, the ribs are conveniently formed from moulded GRP material and include flanges which in selected regions of the periphery of the rib subtend an angle of greater than 90.degree.

Abstract: A hand maneuverable sailing rig includes a sail construction having a mast, a sail attached thereto and a bowed, wishbone boom encircling the mast and sail. The wishbone boom is attached to the mast and sail by stays and tie lines. The mast is pivotably supported on mast support means and the resulting sail construction is a highly maneuverable, wind-propelled device suitable for use with roller or ice skates, skateboards or sailboards.

Abstract: A boat steering assembly including a pedestal steering actuator for actuating steering movement, a rudder having a steering axis, and cables for transmitting steering movement from the pedestal steering actuator to the rudder. The assembly further includes an idler plate sheave assembly for guiding the cables from the pedestal steering actuator in a substantially vertical orientation to the rudder in a substantially horizontal orientation. The idler sheave assembly is mounted on bolts by adjustable nuts for adjustingly angulating the idler sheave assembly in relation to the rudder to guide the cables leading from the idler sheave assembly in a plane perpendicular to the steering axis of the rudder.

Abstract: A wingsail has two rigid symmetrical aerofoil section sail sections (10, 12) which are mounted one downstream of the other, the trailing sail section (12) being freely pivotally mounted to the center line of the leading sail section (10) so that its leading edge just clears the trailing edge of leading sail section.

Abstract: A fabric wind shield replaces conventional wind shields especially for use in boats having a central cockpit. The wind shield contains pockets on either side which are expandable to provide convenient and variable storage areas and on which windows are provided to permit visual determination of the contents.

Abstract: An underwater viewing device in the form of a generally rectangular, open topped, one-piece, transparent container having a flexible pad at the open top for the face of the user, ventilation openings formed through the upper front and rear walls of the device, and a pair of handles in the form of squeezable bulbs attached to tubing lengths extended into the forward, bottom area of the container. Periodic squeezing of the handles causes air to be drawn through the front vent, circulated to the rear of the container, and exhausted through the rear vent.

Abstract: Improved sailcraft have a plurality of rectangular sails of approximately equal size, each carried on a separate mast that is enveloped by the sail luff. A full-length batten is fitted to the leech of each sail. The leech of each sail may overlap the luff of the adjacent aft sail. Sheets run from each sail leech to starboard and port members of a pantograph moveably carried in an horizontal plane about at the vertical midpoint of the sails. Fore and aft movement of the pantograph members to vary the set of the sails may be linked to the movement of a rudder to provide automatic constant sailing direction relative to wind direction. The sailcraft can be a multihull type in which starboard and port hulls or pontoons are cantilevered to a central mast-supporting section for pivoting between an extended, sailing position and a retracted, transport position.

Abstract: A propeller shaft immobilizer having a substantially hollow, open ended rectangular lower base portion fixedly mounted to the floor portion of a boat. An upper support base portion is slidably mounted on the lower base portion to allow vertical movement of the upper base portion. Upper and lower engaging surfaces are movably mounted on the upper base portion and movable by hydraulic power to frictionally engage the propeller shaft to be immobilized.

Abstract: An inflatable hydroplane apparatus uses a pneumatic vehicle innertube with a flexible fabric cover including an annular flexible fabric positioned partly covering said innertube and forming a smooth bottom therefor. A handle strap is stitched to the cover for the rider to hold on to and a tow rope attaching strap is stitched to the bottom portion of the cover for attaching a tow rope from a boat for pulling the hydroplane. The innertube is inflated in the cover to form the hydroplane and deflated for storage.

Abstract: An adjustable roller furling spar includes an elongated base member which is securable on a sailboat and an adjustable periphery assembly which is attached to the base member and coextends a distance therewith. The periphery assembly is adjustable to define an effective winding cross-section of the spar which is variable along the longitudinal extent thereof and which is operable for windingly receiving a sail on the spar. By properly adjusting the periphery assembly, it is operable to compensate for irregular stretch in older sails when the spar is used for reefing so that even a badly stretched sail can be maintained in a substantially flat disposition.

Abstract: A flotation device such as a life buoy comprises a flotation member in the form of a buoyant body of foamed plastic material having a support surface extending about a perimeter thereof. A retrieval member is connected to the flotation member and is in the form of an elongated web. The web is connected to the flotation member in a manner such that it is positioned to be located in an operable position extending from its connection with the flotation member and a storage position extending about the support face.