FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to a personal watercraft (PWC) conversion assembly and, more particularly, to a PWC conversion assembly having a collar assembly which attaches to a PWC and further attaches to an inflatable U-shaped tube, thereby converting the PWC into a personal water cruiser.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Personal watercrafts, or PWCs, generally entered the market as single user standup machines wherein the user would stand in the hull of the machine. These PWCs generally included a combustion engine and a jet pump drive to power the PWC, and these small PWCs were very maneuverable machines that were unstable and exposed the user to considerable water splashing and tipping, as well as the elemental weather conditions. PWCs then developed into more stable sit-down versions which were built for one or more passengers, wherein the user of this type of machine would generally sit on a center mounted seat which extended from the hull of the machine. While these types of PWCs were generally more stable than the older versions, the user was still subjected to the elements and riding conditions as noted above.
Nowadays, PWCs are used to make short day trips, but they are generally illegal to operate near sunrise and sunset times, as they do not have the proper light fixtures, and it is generally illegal to operate a standard PWC with navigation lights. A PWC operator generally has to wear a life preserver rather than have a life preserver on board to be in compliance with the law. The present invention allows for the conversion of a PWC to a personal water cruiser, which acts more like a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) which would allow for extended trips away from the launch site, allow for use with navigation lights at all times, and also allow for the occupant to be in compliance by having a life preserver on board rather than on their person. In this way, the present invention converts the PWC into an RIB type formation which is self-supporting and multi-functional as it protects the occupants from the elements, such as the sun, wind, rain, salt water, waves, heat, and cold. With a general PWC having to be off the water at particular times, it is difficult to be able to use the machine on a regular basis for enjoying cruising to dinner at a different location, watching sunsets on the water, or hanging out with crowds of boats on special occasions and at activities where other boats and the like can tie up overnight. The present invention allows a PWC owner to have these capabilities using their current PWC.
The present invention provides a conversion assembly which increases the buoyancy and stability of a PWC while protecting the motorist from the elements. Other conversion assemblies are known in the art, but do not provide the increased buoyancy, stabilization, and customization of the present invention. Other such conversion assemblies also do not provide the versatility and protection from the elements like the present invention as further described below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of the present invention includes a collar assembly adapted to receive a personal watercraft comprising an arcuate frame member having a closed front section and an open rear section defining a personal watercraft receiving area. A foam collar is operably coupled to an interior side of the frame member which is adjacent the personal watercraft receiving area. The foam collar further comprises a channel adapted to receive a hull line of a personal watercraft. The collar assembly further comprises a foam reinforcement member operably coupled to an exterior side of the frame member, wherein the foam reinforcement member comprises a channel adapted to receive the frame member. Another aspect of the present invention includes a personal watercraft conversion assembly for use with a personal watercraft comprising a collar assembly having an arcuate frame member with a closed front section and an open rear section. The frame member further includes first and second sides disposed between the front and rear sections in a generally laterally spaced-apart relationship defining a personal watercraft receiving area. A foam collar is operably coupled to an interior side of the frame member disposed adjacent the personal watercraft receiving area. The foam collar further comprises a channel adapted to receive a hull line of a personal watercraft. A buoyant foam reinforcement member is operably coupled to an exterior side of the frame member and the foam reinforcement member further comprises a channel adapted to receive the frame member. An inflatable tube is disposed about the foam reinforcement member and is operably coupled to the frame member.
Yet another aspect of the present invention includes a personal watercraft conversion assembly for use with a personal watercraft comprising a collar assembly having an arcuate frame member with a closed front section and an open rear section. The frame member further includes a first side and a second side disposed between the front and rear sections in a generally spaced-apart relationship defining a personal watercraft receiving area. The frame member further includes an exterior side and an interior side wherein the interior side is disposed adjacent the personal watercraft receiving area. The frame member has a substantially C-shaped cross section defining a channel. A foam collar is substantially disposed in the channel of the interior side of the frame member, and the foam collar further comprises a channel adapted to receive a hull line of a personal watercraft. A buoyant foam reinforcement member is operably coupled to the exterior side of the frame member, and the foam reinforcement member comprises a channel adapted to receive the frame member. An inflatable tube is disposed about the foam reinforcement member and is operably coupled to the frame member.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a personal watercraft conversion assembly as coupled to a personal watercraft according to embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the personal watercraft conversion assembly of FIG. 1, with the personal watercraft removed;
FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of a personal watercraft conversion assembly;
FIG. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of a personal watercraft conversion assembly;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the personal watercraft conversion assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5A is a cross section of a frame member;
FIG. 5B is a cross section of a foam collar;
FIG. 5C is a cross section of a frame member as coupled to a foam collar and reinforcement members;
FIG. 5D is a perspective view of a collar assembly;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a foam reinforcement member;
FIG. 6A is a cross section view of a foam reinforcement member;
FIG. 6B is a rear elevational view of a personal watercraft conversion assembly;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a personal watercraft conversion assembly;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a personal watercraft conversion assembly;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a collar assembly;
FIG. 9A is a fragmentary perspective view of a collar assembly;
FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a personal watercraft conversion assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of a personal watercraft conversion assembly of yet another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For the purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIG. 1. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be construed as limiting, unless expressly stated otherwise.
Referring to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a personal watercraft (PWC) conversion assembly of the present invention as coupled to a PWC 12. The PWC conversion assembly 10, as shown in FIG. 1, generally comprises a rear platform 14, a rear plate 16 (FIG. 2), a generally U-shaped inflatable tube 18 coupled to a collar assembly 20 which has a windshield 22, a tower assembly 24, and a mast 26 mounted thereon. As shown in FIG. 1, the collar assembly 20 is operably coupled to the U-shaped inflatable tube 18 on an exterior side and operably coupled to the PWC 12 on an interior side. As shown in FIG. 1, the U-shaped inflatable tube and the collar assembly, which is also generally U-shaped, circumvent the PWC 12 along the side and front portions of the PWC 12. The rear plate 16 is operably coupled to the collar assembly 20 and further coupled to the rear platform 14, such that the PWC is fully circumscribed by the PWC conversion assembly, as shown in FIG. 1. It is also noted that the PWC 12 of FIG. 1 is a representation of a generic PWC known in the art. PWCs of this type are sold under the brand names Jet Ski®, Wave Runner®, Sea Doo® and others. While a generic PWC 12 is shown in FIG. 1, it is contemplated that the PWC conversion assembly 10 can be customized to fit any suitable PWC as further described below.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the PWC conversion assembly 10 is shown with the PWC 12 removed. With the PWC removed, a PWC receiving area 28 can be seen, as defined by the collar assembly 20 and further described below. With the PWC removed, a foam collar 30 is also revealed. The foam collar 30 generally defines the innermost portion of the collar assembly 20, and it is the foam collar 30 which actually contacts the PWC in assembly. The foam collar 30 wraps around the PWC by covering the front and side portions of the PWC.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a PWC conversion assembly 10 is shown with the platform 14 and rear plate 16 removed. A PWC 12 is shown as nested within the collar assembly 20 of the PWC conversion assembly 10. Specifically, as further describe below, the PWC 12 comprises a hull line 13 disposed about the PWC 12. Such a hull line is known in the art and provides a basic bumper feature for the PWC. As shown in FIG. 3, the hull line 13 of the PWC 12 is engaged with a channel 32 formed in the foam collar 30. In this way, the channel 32 is adapted to receive the PWC 12 and the channel 32 of the foam collar 30 can be customized to correlate to the specific hull line configuration of the PWC used in conjunction with the PWC conversion assembly 10. The foam collar 30 can easily be removed from the collar assembly and replaced with a foam collar of another configuration for mounting the PWC conversion assembly 10 to a different PWC. As further shown in FIG. 3, the platform 14 has connecting members 34 in the form of tubes which are adapted to mount through apertures 36 disposed in the four corners of the rear plate 16, such that the connecting members can engage rigid reinforcement members 38 disposed within peripheral open channels of the foam collar 30 disposed above and below channel 32 as further described below.
Referring now to FIG. 4, the PWC 12 to be used with the PWC conversion assembly 10 is shown removed from the PWC conversion assembly 10. In assembly, the PWC 12 will be aligned along its specific hull line configuration, as indicated by hull line 13, with the custom foam channel 32 disposed in the foam collar 30 fabricated for that PWC. As shown in FIG. 4, the foam channel 32 is generally positioned about the middle of the foam collar 30 and is disposed fully about the length of the collar assembly 20.
Referring now to FIG. 5, the PWC conversion assembly is shown broken into various elements. The collar assembly 20 is shown broken into essentially internal components 20a and external components 20b. The internal components 20a are shown in FIG. 5 as two-part components as now described. The internal components 20a comprise an arcuate collar frame member 40 which consists of right and left sides 40a, 40b. An assembled version of frame member 40 is shown in FIG. 5D. As shown in FIG. 5A, frame parts 40a, 40b that make up the collar frame member 40 have a generally C-shaped cross section comprising a top wall 42, a bottom wall 44, and a side wall 46. The frame components 40a, 40b have first ends 48 and second ends 50, as well as a curved portion 52, shown in FIG. 5. Curved portion 52 is disposed near the first or front end 48, such that, when the collar frame assembly components 40a, 40b are attached at the front end 48, as shown in FIG. 5D, they form an arcuate frame member 40 having a closed front section 48a and an open rear section 50a, thereby defining a PWC receiving area 28. In this way, the frame member 40 has a front side 40a and a second side 40b disposed between the front closed section 48a and the open rear section 50a in a generally lateral spaced-apart relationship defining a PWC receiving area 28. The generally C-shaped cross section of the collar frame member components 40a, 40b form a channel 54 (FIG. 5A) or an interior side of the components 40a, 40b adjacent the PWC receiving area 28. A foam collar 30 is disposed in channel 54 in assembly. As shown in FIG. 5, the foam collar 30 (in this embodiment) is comprised of two parts 30a, 30b and generally has a curved configuration similar to that of the collar frame member components 40a, 40b. As described above and further shown in FIG. 5B, the foam collar components 30a, 30b have a channel 32 disposed generally about the middle of the foam collar for receiving the hull line of a PWC. As shown in FIG. 5B, a cross section view shows the foam collar 30 has a top wall 56, a bottom wall 58, a rear wall 60, and a front wall 62. As shown in FIG. 5B, the front wall 62 houses the foam channel 32 for receiving the hull line of a PWC, as well as open channels 64 and 66 disposed above and below channel 32 which, in FIG. 5B, are arcuate open channels for receiving rigid reinforcement members 38. As shown in FIG. 5C, the foam collar 30 is substantially disposed within the channel 54 of the collar frame member 40 on the interior side of the collar frame member 40. The rigid reinforcement members 38 are shown in FIG. 5C disposed in the channels 64, 66 of the foam collar 30. As shown in FIG. 5, the rigid reinforcement members 38 are also generally arcuately shaped to match the configuration of the arcuate collar frame member 40.
As shown in FIG. 5D, the collar frame member 40, the foam collar 30, and the reinforcement members 38 all come together to form the internal components of the collar frame assembly 20a. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 5D, the internal components of the collar assembly 20a includes a connecting bracket 68 which joins the first or front ends 48 of the collar frame member components 40a, 40b to create the arcuate frame member configuration. In this way, the arcuate frame member 40 has a closed front section 48a and open rear section 58a, thereby defining a PWC receiving area 28. The connection of the collar frame member components 40a, 40b using connecting bracket 68 is further shown in FIGS. 9 and 9A and described in more detail below.
FIG. 5 also shows external components 20b of the collar assembly 20. The external portion of the collar assembly 20b generally comprises a foam reinforcement member 70 which is operably coupled to a U-shaped inflatable tube 18 that is not a part of the collar assembly 20. The foam reinforcement member 70, as shown in FIG. 6, has a generally U-shaped configuration with a closed front portion 72 and an open rear portion 74. The U-shaped configuration of the foam reinforcement member 70 defines an internal frame member receiving area 76.
As shown in FIG. 6A, a cross section of the foam reinforcement member 70 has a top wall 78 and a bottom wall 80. The foam reinforcement member 70, makes up the external component of the collar assembly 20b, and further comprises an internal side 82 having a channel 84 disposed thereon for receiving the external side of the frame member 40. The foam reinforcement member 70 further comprises an external side 86 having an arcuate shaped channel 88 for receiving the U-shaped inflatable tube assembly 18.
Referring now to FIG. 6, a PWC conversion assembly 10 is shown with the rear platform (14) removed and the outline of a PWC (12) indicated with dotted lines. As shown in FIG. 6, the U-shaped inflatable tube assembly 18 is received in the collar assembly 20 at the arcuate channel 88 of the external side wall 86 of the foam reinforcement member 70. The arcuate frame member 40 is shown received in the channel 84 disposed on the internal side 82 of the foam reinforcement member 70. The foam collar 30 is shown disposed in the C-shaped channel 54 of the internal side of the collar frame member 40, and reinforcement members 38 are received in the upper and lower open channels 64, 66 of the foam collar 30. Further, the hull line 13 of the PWC 12 is shown disposed in the channel 32 of the foam collar 30.
As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7, the PWC conversion assembly 10 is shown with the PWC removed. As shown in FIG. 7, the frame member 40 has the foam reinforcement member 70 disposed on an external side and the foam collar 30 disposed on an internal side. The rigid reinforcement members 38 are shown disposed in the upper and lower channels of the foam collar 30. A rear plate 16 is shown operably connected to second ends 50 of the collar frame member, thereby closing off the rear portion 50a of the collar assembly 20. The tower assembly 24 is shown in FIG. 7 as connecting to the collar frame member 40 by L-shaped connecting brackets 90, which connect to the collar frame member 40 on a first end 92 and are generally disposed on the top surface 78 of the foam reinforcement member 70 on a second end 94 to which the tower assembly 24 is also connected.
Referring again to FIG. 7, the PWC conversion assembly 10 further comprises an attachment system for attaching the U-shaped inflatable tube 18 to the collar frame member 40. As shown in FIG. 7, the attachment assembly 96 comprises a first end 98 that attaches to the U-shaped inflatable tube 18 and a second end 100 which attaches to the collar frame member 40. The first end 98 and the second end 100 are connected to each other via a grommet strip 102. In assembly, the grommet strip 102 fits into a slot which extends through the foam reinforcement member 70 and opens at either end to the collar frame assembly 40 and the U-shaped inflatable tube 18. Grommet strip 102 will fit through a slot disposed on the side wall 46 of the collar frame member 40. Thus, the second end 100 of the attachment assembly 96 disposed on the grommet strip 102 will go through the slot on side wall 46 of the collar frame member 40 and be retained there by a retainment member (not shown) which will go through an aperture (not shown) disposed on the grommet strip 102. The PWC conversion assembly 10 will employ a plurality of attachment assemblies 96 and is design to securely hold the U-shaped inflatable tube 18 to the collar frame member 40, thereby positively capturing components of the collar assembly 20 and adding to the overall structural rigidity of the collar assembly 20.
Referring now to FIG. 8, the rear platform 14 is shown with a top cover removed to reveal a storage area 104 which, in this embodiment, is made up of three compartments 104a, 104b, and 104c separated by dividers 106. The cover (not shown) of the rear platform can be a fully removable cover or a hinged cover which remains attached to the rear platform 14 in assembly, allowing the occupant to access the storage area 104. As shown in FIG. 8, the rear platform 14 has a front wall 108 which connects with the rear plate 16 of the PWC conversion assembly 10 using fasteners 110 which, in this embodiment, are bolt-style fasteners. The rear platform 14 further comprises connecting members 34 which, in this embodiment, are in the shape of rigid tube structures which engage the rigid reinforcing members 38 in assembly to provide rigidity and strength to torque forces which act on the rear platform 14. The connecting members 34 are contemplated to be of a smaller diameter than the rigid reinforcing members 38, such that the connecting members 34 can be slideably received within the rigid reinforcing members 38, thereby increasing the strength of the connection between the rear platform 14 and the PWC conversion assembly 10. As further shown in FIG. 8, the rear platform 14 can further comprise a railing system 112 having a banister portion 114 coupled to supports 116, thereby making the rear platform 14 a more suitable location for storing cargo.
Referring now to FIG. 9, the connecting bracket 68 is shown in this embodiment connecting collar frame components 40a, 40b at their front ends 48 using joiner plates 118a and 118b, which are connected to the respective front ends 48 of collar frame components 40a, 40b. In assembly, the joiner plates 118a and 118b are attached to ends 48 of the frame collar components 40a, 40b by welding or other like attachment procedure known in the art, and the joiner plates 118a, 118b are further attached to the rigid reinforcing members 38 as shown in FIG. 9A. In assembly, the joiner plates 118a, 118b are configured to be disposed on either side of a middle anchor plate 120, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 9A. The plates 118a, 118b and 120 are attached to one another using fasteners 124. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 9A, the anchor plate 120 has a protrusion at its front end with a mounting aperture 122 disposed thereon. In use, the mounting aperture 122 can be used to tow or anchor the PWC conversion assembly as well as the PWC retained therein. As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting bracket 68 can further comprise an anchor plate 120 having a mast support section 126 for mounting the mast 26 of the PWC conversion assembly 10 (see FIG. 1).
Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, a PWC conversion assembly 210 is shown having a running canvas assembly 128 attached thereto, wherein the running canvas assembly 128 comprises a top member 130, side members 134, and a windshield member 132. In this way, the running canvas assembly 128 further protects the motorist from the outside elements. In assembly, the running canvas assembly 128 attaches to the tower assembly 24 and may include any number of supports 136 attached to the collar assembly 20 to support the running canvas assembly 128.
Referring now to the embodiment in FIG. 11, a PWC conversion assembly 30 is shown in another embodiment wherein the PWC conversion assembly 10 comprises a mooring tent 140 which fully encloses the motorist within the PWC conversion assembly 30. In this version, the mooring tent assembly 140 comprises a top member 142, side members 144, a rear member 145, and a front windshield member 148. The mooring tent 140 can be supported by a number of supports 154 which, as shown in FIG. 11, can be attached to the rear platform 14 or to the collar assembly 20 (not shown). The mooring tent assembly 140 can further comprise tie-down members 156 which connect specific portions of the mooring tent assembly 140 to support members 154 or other frame components, such as the anchor plate 120 of the connecting bracket 68. As shown in FIG. 11, the side members 144 of the mooring tent assembly 140 include windows 146 as well as a door 150. It is contemplated that the windows 146 can be comprised of a plastic roll-up material, a canvas roll-up material, or a screen which allows airflow into the area protected by the mooring tent assembly 140. As shown in FIG. 11, the mooring tent further includes a skirt feature 152 which is part of the side members 144, which extends the mooring tent assembly 140 over the U-shaped inflatable tube 18 to help ensure that water does not penetrate the mooring tent assembly 140. In this way, the mooring tent assembly 140 provides the ultimate in motorist protection from the elements, as well as a safe location to stay as the motorist so chooses. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the mooring tent assembly 140 is further outfitted with mooring lights 158 attached to both the top member 142 of the mooring tent assembly 140 as well as to the mast 26 disposed at the front end of the PWC conversion assembly 310. While the assemblies 210 and 310 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 include a canvas style assembly to protect the occupant, it is further contemplated that the present invention can be used with a hard top assembly rather than a canvas assembly.
Regarding the preferred materials used in connection with the PWC conversion assembly 10 as shown in FIG. 5, it is contemplated that the collar frame components 40a, 40b can be constructed from aluminum, such as 6063-T1 aluminum having a 0.35 inch thickness with the top wall 42 and bottom wall 44 being approximately 3 inches in width and the side wall 46 being approximately 8 inches, thereby forming an approximately 8 inch substantially C-shaped channel 54 for receiving the foam collar 30. Foam collar 30 may be comprised of a special molded foam which is customized to match the hull line of the PWC to be used in connection with the PWC conversion assembly 10. The molded foam can be a closed cell foam that is either beaded or cross-linked, commercially available from Pregis Inc. of Deerfield, Ill. The foam collar 30 is designed to fit within the channels 54 of the frame member 40, such that, in assembly, the foam collar 30 will contact the PWC and thereby be compressed against the PWC and the aluminum collar or frame member 40. In assembly, the PWC is positively captured by the compression of the frame member 40 and the foam collar 30 to provide a secure engagement of the PWC in the PWC conversion assembly 10. The foam reinforcement member 70 is designed to be a buoyant structurally closed cell foam commercially available from GT Industries of Chesterfield, Mich. The closed cell foam not only provides added buoyancy to the PWC conversion assembly 10, but also creates a walking platform, splash blocker, and filler between the aluminum frame member 40 and the inflatable tubes 18 around the port, starboard, and bow of the boat. The closed cell foam reinforcement member 70 also creates additional support for the inflatable tubes 18 and makes the PWC conversion assembly 10 unsinkable due to its high degree of buoyancy. The rigid reinforcement members 38, which contact the foam collar 30 in assembly provide support and rigidity for the collar assembly 20 and can be made from 0.19 inch thick 6063-T1 aluminum tubes having an outer diameter of approximately 1.75 inches. The joiner plates 118a, 118b, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 9A, are contemplated to be comprised of 0.25 inch thick 6063-T1 aluminum with the anchor plate 120 being comprised of a similar aluminum structure. The rear plate 16 is contemplated to be comprised of 0.5 inch thick 6063-T1 aluminum as well. The windshield 22, as shown in FIG. 1, is contemplated to be comprised of an acrylic material known in the art, such that, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the windshield 22 will protect the operator from wind, rain, waves, and other riding conditions, therefore, giving the operator increased protection on extended trips.
In accordance with the present invention, the PWC 12, as shown in FIG. 1, is disposed within a PWC receiving area 28, as shown in FIG. 2. With the PWC receiving area 28 configured as shown in FIG. 2, the entirety of the PWC hull is in the water while coupled to the conversion assembly 10. This is the way the PWC is designed to operate at peak performance. In operation, as the PWC 12 and the PWC conversion assembly 10 “plane out”, the inflatable U-shaped tube 18 is either mostly or completely out of the water, such that it does not create extra water drag or hinder the performance engineered into the hull of the PWC. Therefore, the present invention allows the PWC to operate and maneuver as it was designed and intended with minimal disruption from the PWC conversion assembly.
The PWC conversion assembly of the present invention can be used with a variety of accessories to increase the comfort level of the user. The PWC can include a marine radio, GPS unit, satellite radio, depth finders, fishing pole holders, lift rings, cleats, a cooking grill, and even a bed, which can be attached to the rear platform. Additional accessories can include a cruise control system, stereo and DVD players, extra gas tanks, custom seats, and sea bags, which can be stored in the rear platform for keeping clothes dry during operation. The windshield, such as windshield 22 shown in FIG. 1, can provide a dash area where a marine radio, GPS unit, satellite radio, depth finders, and the like can be stored for use by the PWC user. A wiring harness (not shown) can provide power to such accessories by linking into the PWC's existing power and recharging systems. The tower structure 24 can house antennas, radar, running lights, and navigational lights. Like a standard RIB, the PWC conversion assembly allows for a PWC to have other accessories, such as a ski hook and driving lights for using the PWC at times when the PWC alone is generally not allowed to be on the water. These times include near sunrise and just before sunset. Further, the PWC conversion assembly can be used to house heating and air conditioning units for extended stays within the mooring canvas set up, such as that shown in FIG. 11. Further, the PWC conversion assembly can be used to create a rescue vehicle or safety inspection vehicle, which would assist authorities doing on-site inspections. The PWC conversion assembly can be outfitted with police lights, sirens, and supporting equipment for use in safety rescue missions. The increased buoyancy of the PWC unit is realized by the closed foam technology incorporated in the collar assembly 20 (FIG. 2). The collar assembly 20 provides a stable platform to walk around the entire hull of the PWC and the inflatable U-shaped tube 18 provides a bumper for tying up to other boats and also facilities in docking and mooring the vehicle.
Some benefits of the present invention include a much more buoyant assembly which makes for a much safer and more stable vehicle having similar features to an RIB. The present invention allows the user to more safely tie up to docks, seawalls, and other boats as the inflatable tube assembly 18 surrounds three sides of the PWC and acts as a large bumper. Again, the PWC can be used without time restraints, having navigational lights outfitted thereto, and the user is not required to wear a life preserver when using the PWC with the PWC conversion assembly. Further, the additional buoyancy of the PWC when used in conjunction with the PWC conversion assembly allows for the storage of heavier items, such as camping gear, extra gas, and other like supplies which might be used during an extended day trip. The PWC of the present invention further provides better wave fighting capabilities as compared to a standard PWC. With the increased buoyancy and stability of the present invention, one or two people on the PWC can more easily respond to their environment and maneuver about the vehicle as necessary.
It will become apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications to the preferred embodiment of the invention as described herein can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
