Abstract: A telescopic pedestal for electronics, such as fish-finders, that advantageously elevates the fish-finder to a convenient height above the deck level and gives the fisherman the ability to view and operate the device while fishing in a standing position, yet lower it so as conveniently position the fish-finder to be out of the way for travel or when not in use.

Abstract: An aluminum hull boat includes a running pad formed through an extrusion process. The running pad includes a lower planing element at least a portion of which is in contact with the water when the boat is at planing speed, and opposed sidewalls which attach the running pad to the boat's undersurface. The extrusion process efficiently produces a running pad that is highly rigid and uniform with relatively sharp outer edges that allow water migrating from beneath the running pad to break cleanly off and away from the running pad, thereby eliminating hydrodynamic drag and improving the boat's performance characteristics.

Abstract: An aluminum hull boat includes a running pad formed through an extrusion process. The running pad includes a lower planing element at least a portion of which is in contact with the water when the boat is at planing speed, and opposed sidewalls which attach the running pad to the boat's undersurface. The extrusion process efficiently produces a running pad that is highly rigid and uniform with relatively sharp outer edges that allow water migrating from beneath the running pad to break cleanly off and away from the running pad, thereby eliminating hydrodynamic drag and improving the boat's performance characteristics.

Abstract: A channeled air planing apparatus improves low speed performance of boats without adversely affecting high speed performance. The apparatus includes structural elements for channeling air to a transverse step adjacent a running surface. Air channeled to the transverse step eliminates low pressure at the step caused by flow of water past the step, which in turn enhances low speed performance by lowering the bow of the boat and reducing drag on wetted propulsion equipment and other aft boat structure. In a preferred embodiment, the channeled air planing foil includes a lower hydrofoil member attached to a setback area of the boat by a pair of substantially parallel sidewalls aft and above the boat's running surface. When the boat is at rest, a channel defined by the lower hydrofoil element and sidewalls contains water. As the boat moves forwardly through the water during takeoff, water is evacuated from the channel and replaced with air which ventilates the transverse step.

Abstract: An outboard or stern marine drive assembly includes a skeg that is detachably secured to the lower gear case. The skeg plane is laterally off-set from the vertical plane that passes through the propeller thrust axis. One embodiment of the thin, high-strength steel skeg is secured by a "T" section along the top edge of the skeg to mesh longitudinally with a corresponding T slot in the gear case wall. In another embodiment, the skeg is flush mounted to a boss surface cast integrally with the shell wall of the gear case.

Abstract: A detachable hydro-planing foil for a marine outboard propeller drive comprises a plate having leading edges that are substantially backswept symmetrically from a plate centerline and trailing edges that are arced in a forward concavity substantially symmetrically from the centerline. Laterally of the centerline, the plate terminates with plate tips that are down turned with a negative dihedral of between about 25.degree. and about 45.degree.. The forward concavity of the trailing edges sweeps the trailing edge forward of the forward propeller rotational plane.

Abstract: Transitional time through the transplaning speed realm of a high speed sport/utility boat is reduced by narrow, concave planing tabs secured along the inside bottom surface of after-sponsons in alignment with the hull lifting strakes. Such planing tabs originate from the lower transom plane with an abrupt, 1 to 3 inch, step above the intersection edge of the hull bottom surface with the lower transom plane. From the lower transom plane, the planing tab length is terminated at or shortly past the boat propeller plane.

Abstract: An improved V-bottom hull for sport/utility boats is formed with intermediate lifting strakes along the aft half of the hull bottom. Such intermediate strakes are positioned laterally along the boat bottom between the planing pad step and the chine. These intermediate strakes are proportioned to provide a strake riser face width that is about 1 in. or greater and a horizontal tread width of the strake of less than about 3 in. An included angle between the tread surface and the riser face is preferably between about 95.degree. to about 110.degree.. The riser face intersection with the adjacently higher bottom surface panel is faired with a longitudinal fillet.

Abstract: The specification discloses a modified V-hull for a boat in which an elongate pad forms the lowermost portion of the hull. At positions toward the front of the pad, it has a transverse cross-sectional rounded V-shape across its width, but at the back of the pad, the transverse cross-section is almost flat. The pad has a gradually increasingly acute V-shape in transverse cross-section from the back to the front of the pad, and the pad is linear along linear tracks extending from about the longitudinal center (the keel line) of the elongate pad rearwardly at a track angle with respect to the longitudinal center of the pad. The track angle remains approximately constant from about the back to the front of the pad. Also, the pad is linear at its rear end along an infinity of tracks extending from a point on the pad's longitudinal centerline about three feet from the back of the pad to any point on the back of the pad.

Abstract: A boat hull comprising a generally elongated body portion and port and starboard elongated sponsons disposed along the opposite side margins of the body portion and defining elongated running surfaces, the sponsons terminating at respective locations forward of the transom means but aft of the transverse midplane of the hull. A central sponson depends from the body portion centrally of the port and starboard sponsons and defines a further elongated running surface that extends from a location forwardly of the aft terminal ends of the port and starboard sponsons to the approximate location of the transom means. The sponsons, in combination with the body of the hull, define tunnels on opposite sides of the central sponson. These tunnels are open at their respective forward and aft ends for the flow of fluid therealong.