Abstract: Apparatus is provided for connecting to a floating structure the upper end of a pipe assembly disposed substantially vertically in an ocean and the like. The pipe can be an upwelling pipe in an ocean thermal energy conversion installation. Gimbal apparatus are coupled between the pipe and the structure concentrically about the pipe. The gimbal apparatus define two orthogonal gimbal axes about which the pipe can move relative to the structure. The gimbal apparatus carry essentially all of the load between the pipe and the structure. Ball joint apparatus are coupled between the upper end of the pipe and the structure to define the boundaries of a path of fluid flow between the pipe and the structure. The ball joint apparatus includes an element associated with the pipe and an element associated with the structure. The ball joint apparatus is centered in the intersection of the gimbal axes.

Abstract: A pair of opposed arms extend in spaced parallel arrangement to each other, each of which arms include relatively short handle portions and relatively long gripping portions. The inner or opposed gripping edge of each arm includes a plurality of jagged teeth formed by relatively deep notches in the opposed edges of the arms. The teeth and notches are provided throughout substantially the entire gripping portion. The notches extend into the surface of the arms a distance of at least one-half inch. The arms are joined together by a connection about a pivot point positioned intermediate the handle portion and the gripping portion. A compression spring extends between the handle portions for normally biasing the gripping portions toward a closed position. One of the handles of the device receives one end of a tether which is attached at the other end to the boat.

Abstract: A safety warning device for an ignition switch comprises a cup-shaped base member which is conveniently secured around the ignition switch and a cup-shaped cover member pivotally attached to the base member which is normally held in a closed position to preclude access to the ignition switch. A safety message is conspicuously displayed on the outer and inner faces of the cover member to warn an operator of necessary precautions to take prior to actuation of the ignition switch. The cup-shaped base and cover members also provide a weather-tight seal when closed to protect the ignition switch against contamination.

Abstract: A handle for a water ski towline comprises two shell-like halves with engagement and disengagement mechanism for detachably securing a pull strap that is secured to a connecting strap of a safety belt for water skiers secures the pull strap by means of an engagement finger that is engageable in a cut-out of the pull strap, the engagement finger being spring biased into a position engaged within the cut-out. According to a feature of the preferred embodiment, the entire engagement and disengagement mechanism is accommodatable within the shell-like halves, and the handle is inclined forwardly from its center at an angle of approximately 8.degree. to 12.degree. with respect to a line normal to a center line directed in the towing direction.

Abstract: A single-point mooring buoy comprises a column which is hingedly connected to an anchor and upstands from the anchor and has a frequency less than six seconds. At the upper end of the column is pivotally connected to a fully submerged buoyant body which has a frequency or period of movement greater than 16 seconds. In this way, the loads on the various portions of the mooring buoy are held as low as possible and the buoy undergoes little movement in spite of wave action even in the presence of waves of high energy.

Abstract: A threaded access cover plate construction for boat decks, comprising a threaded fitting which is adapted to be secured to the deck, and a screw closure receivable in the fitting. Both the fitting and the closure have cooperable buttress-type threads which are dimensioned such that there is a relatively loose fit between the two parts. The rim of the fitting is in the form of a resilient upstanding skirt constituted of deformable material, the skirt being capable of yielding at selected points, due to its engagement by a centering shoulder of the closure. The yielding of the skirt permits improved seating of the closure, by minimizing the effect of interference between high points at the regions of contact of the two parts. Accordingly, a highly leak-resistant seal is established, even when the fitting or the closure has become slightly warped, or the fitting has been stressed to some extent by virtue of its being secured to the deck.

Abstract: A floating dry dock for a boat comprising a tubular, boat-supporting platform made from a planar array of interconnected PVC conduit (or similar material) and a pair of vertical, buoyant, tubular side walls connected to the platform. The dock includes an atmosphere venting system with its outlet above the water surface at all times connected to the base conduit platform and a freely positionable pump in fluid communication with the platform conduit array, which allows for the pumping of water into and out of the platform tubular array, which controls the depth level of the platform. The vertical side wall conduits are sealed and filled with air to add positive buoyancy to the platform to prevent it from sinking beyond a desired level. The diameter of each conduit of the ballasting tubular array for the platform is selected to accommodate boats of varying displacements. In operation, the device can be stored by floating adjacent a sea wall or the like.

Abstract: A system for operating a lifting cable over the side of a ship at sea in ch a spar buoy having an adjustable lifting capacity is coupled to the ship by a rigid linkage which is free to pivot on an axis attached to the deck. The lifting cable is suspended from a first sheave which is mounted above a central, longitudinal channel in the spar buoy. The linkage is attached to the top of the spar buoy such that the spar buoy may rotate about an axis normal to the deck axis of the linkage and pivot on an axis normal to the longitudinal axis of the spar buoy. A second sheave is mounted on the deck axis so that the distance between the sheaves does not change as the linkage rotates on its axis. The lifting cable is fed from a winch on the ship over the sheaves and falls through the longitudinal channel. The invention operates to decouple the motion of the ship from the lifting cable so that the vertical motion of the cable is controlled by the motion of the spar buoy.

Abstract: A device for supporting and storing the mainsail of a sailboat on the boom thereof comprising one or more support members composed of a resilient material having resilient clamp apparatus at a median portion thereof adapted to be mounted in clamping engagement with the boom, and flexible arms extending therefrom adapted to support the mainsail as it is lowered and being sufficiently flexible to be folded around the sail and having apparatus at its ends adapted to be affixed to each other, thereby securing the sail to the boom in folded condition.

Abstract: A non-heeling sailing vessel having:a payload bearing first displacement hull with a pair of longitudinally spaced control surfaces rigidly mounted thereto in fixed alignment and extending downwardly therefrom into the water,a rigid support structure rigidly fixed to said hull and extending laterally,at least one upstanding sail rigidly mounted to the support structure, the sail being spaced laterally of and inclined toward the control surfaces for generation of a resultant force directed away from the control surfaces and upwardly in response to the wind,and,a second displacement hull mounted to the support structure intermediate the first displacement hull and the sail.

Abstract: A mooring arrangement for a boat includes resilient apparatus formed from a plurality of members which may be disposed telescopically in detachable relationship to one another. The resilient apparatus may be detachably secured by attachment apparatus on the dock for pivotable disposition relative to the attachment apparatus.A first cord is secured at one end of the dock by attachment apparatus. At a displaced position, the cord is detachably engaged by first securing apparatus on the resilient means. A second cord is also secured at one end by attachment apparatus on the dock and is attached at a displaced position to bumper apparatus. The second cord is adapted to be detachably retained by second securing apparatus on the resilient apparatus so that the bumper apparatus hangs downwardly from the resilient apparatus and biases the resilient apparatus downwardly.

Abstract: An assembly for cleaning ships' hulls of such marine growth as seaweed, shell etc. is disclosed. The assembly has a frame with rotating brushes, the frame being reciprocally pivotal over the hull in an arcuate direction by being connected to one end of an arm or the like. The other end of the arm is pivotally connected to a joint which forms a stationary point for the assembly.

Abstract: A hydro-jet drive for watercraft. A device is provided applicable for mounting in the hull of a boat by which a jet stream can be created and directed in any desired direction for movement of the boat accordingly. There is provided an elbow having an intake portion and a substantially horizontal discharge opening. The elbow is rotatable on an axis of rotation and contains a suitable motor driven impeller. A motor driven device is provided for rotating the elbow about the axis of rotation thereof for effecting discharge in an operator determined direction. The axis of rotation of the impeller is arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the elbow. The device is particularly adaptable for shallow draft vessels.

Abstract: The invention is an improvement in the construction of the sailboard portion of windsurfers wherein the usual hard-foam slab hull typical of surfboard construction is replaced by a slab of soft foam, the only rigid structure of the entire board being a pair of closely spaced fiberglass stringers longitudinally extended along the midline of the board, and mounts for the mast, daggerboard and fin, which mounts are sandwiched between the two longitudinal stringers which are embedded centrally in the soft foam slab.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a method for assembling hulls of vessels intended to carry bulk, liquid and gas cargo and comprising an aft end, a parallel middlebody and a fore end. The building berth comprises a main site composed of a rear area and front area and having at least one adjacent transverse lateral area. The parallel middlebody is assembled from two parts. The aft and fore ends are assembled in the lateral area. The two parts which make up the parallel middlebody, and the aft and fore ends then all joined into a hull.

Abstract: An ice cutting and breaking vessel is disclosed for providing a shipping channel through an ice layer. The bow of the vessel is provided with a plurality of reciprocating cutting blades for cutting the ice into slabs. The slabs of ice slide under the bow and are pushed under the surrounding ice layer by a wedge-shaped prow depending from the bow and by water discharged laterally from the prow. The vessel is also provided with an emergency ballast tank, located above the water line, which can be quickly emptied through large ports. A pair of grapnels with attached cables may also be provided which are shot from the vessel. When the grapnel hits the ice layer, it pierces the ice and becomes wedged under the ice layer. Using the cables to pull on, the vessel can then haul itself toward the grapnels.

Abstract: A floatation aid for swimmers, formed of a pair of relatively thin, resilient, buoyant, generally diamond shaped sheets of a size for arrangement upon and for extending over a substantial portion of the length of the front and rear surfaces of a human torso. Straps extend between the upper corners of the sheets over the wearer's shoulders. The lower corners of the sheets are interconnected by a crotch strap which includes a separate elongated strip of similar buoyant sheet material. A horizontal waist band extends around the middle of the wearer's body and the wider portion of the sheets and interconnects the adjacent sheet corners. The device provides limited floatation aid, but leaving the wearer's arms, shoulders and hip and leg areas uncovered and unrestricted for swimming type activities.

Abstract: Marine propulsion unit having a propeller assembly formed with exhaust gas passages through the propeller hub. An outer pipe is provided to encircle the propeller hub with a radial spacing and has a rear end extending beyond the rear end of the hub so that the exhaust gas is forced to flow, during a reverse movement, from the exhaust gas passage in the hub to the space between the hub and the outer pipe.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a stern drive unit including a stationary housing adapted to be fixed relative to a boat hull and a movable housing mounted on the stationary housing for pivotal movement about a tilt axis which is substantially horizontal when the stationary housing is fixed to the boat hull. The stern drive unit also includes a propulsion leg including a rotatably mounted propeller, an input shaft in the stationary housing transverse to the tilt axis, and an output shaft journaled in the movable housing and having an axis transverse to the tilt axis, generally intersecting the tilt axis, and connected to the propeller.

Abstract: A sail mounting frame extends upwardly from the hull of a boat and is constructed of a lower section and an upper section which rotate relative to each other about a first axis of rotation which extends generally vertically upwardly with respect to the hull of the boat. An overhung axle is rotatably journaled to the mounting frame upper section for rotation about a second axis corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the axle. A circular convex sail is supported by a correspondingly shaped support frame, which support frame is mounted on the free end of the axle for rotation of the sail about both the first and second axis of rotation.