Abstract: A floating boat washing apparatus including a plurality of floats, at least two pair of rotating scrubbing brushes bearably carried and supported on support frames, a rotating bogie frame on which the support frames of the scrubbing brushes are bearably carried and a frame structure or comparable fixed construction on which the rotating bogie frame is mounted. The rotating bogie frame is mounted by means of support shafts articulated at both ends of a suspension triangle so that the bogie frame is rotatable around the transverse axis of the boat whereby the scrubbing brush pairs are movable in an upright position relative to each other.

Abstract: A watercraft comprises a hull having an upper surface, a lower surface, a bow and a stern. Spaced from the underside of the watercraft at the bow end is a pair of outwardly extending arms rotatably supporting discs. Likewise at the stern of the hull, a pair of arms rotatably supports an additional pair of discs. A multitude of such discs may additionally be provided with bearings. Alternatively, the discs may be mounted upon a ball joint arrangement for rotation and pivoting throughout a preselected range. Each disc is acutely angled from a horizontal reference plane. When the watercraft moves in a forward direction, the discs will rotate. As a result, the relative contact velocity between an underside portion of the discs and the water is substantially reduced as compared to a surface which is fixed to the watercraft. The contact friction is thereby reduced resulting in high speed capabilities of the craft with relatively low powered propulsion units.

Abstract: A watercraft carrier is secured to a large watercraft having a transom. The carrier includes a mounting structure secured to the transom and a platform structure including a pair of laterally spaced platform units extending parallel to the transom and substantially in a horizontal plane above the water line of the large watercraft. The platform units each similarly include a support bar. A plurality of rollers are secured in longitudinally spaced relation along the bar. The rollers are formed of a resilient material or resiliently loaded to conform to the bottom of the personal watercraft. The personal watercraft has an inclined bow or front end and is self-propelled causing it to move upwardly out of the water onto the platform units in a highly safe and reliable procedure. Power is applied to the personal watercraft to move the hull upwardly on the entrance end and then the power is increased to cause the watercraft to move rapidly onto and in essence pop out of the water onto the platform units.

Abstract: An improved, personal, submersible marine vehicle with a fluid-tight elongated hull having an open back and a removable cover. Within the hull is a battery compartment. A shrouded propeller and motor depend from the hull. A dense, rigid cellular foam section fills substantially all of the air space in the hull and surrounds the battery compartment. Electrical speed control means for the motor are embedded in the foam section so that the battery is shielded from contact with any source of spark in the electrical control means. Further, the foam section provides a substantially greater effective hull thickness than the actual thickness of the hull so that the vehicle can be safely used at far greater depths. Also, the foam section renders the vehicle substantially leak-proof.

Abstract: A high performance amphibious vehicle which includes a conventional hull, modified to mount a single steerable front wheel and two hydraulically driven rear wheels. The wheels are retractable between elevated positions above the hull waterline and lowered positions located below the hull. The rear wheels are powered by individual hydraulic motors that are connected to a pump in the hull, via hydraulic hoses that are routed through hollow tubular levers that support the wheels for adjustments between the retracted and lowered positions.

Abstract: A swim fin is disclosed that comprises a boot portion to receive the foot of a swimmer, a web portion, and a pair of side members. Each of the side members have an upper and lower arm and an upper and lower end. The lower ends of the side members are attached to opposite sides of the web portion while the upper ends of the side members attached to a leg engaging strap. A pivot means connects the side members to the boot portion and permits the side members and the web portion to rotate about the boot portion such that when the leg engaging strap is attached to the lower leg of a swimmer the web portion is pivoted to a position approximately parallel to the swimmer's lower leg.

Abstract: Device which is independent of the main propulsion system of a ship, and which can be used selectively as a passive rudder or as an active maneuvering mechanism, and consists of one or more blades, a wheel body, a transmission and one or more control units.When the wheel body is stationary, in response to commands from the control unit or units, the blades can be oriented separately by means of the transmission and can be coupled or uncoupled to set the required angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ship. In that case, the device acts as a passive rudder.When the wheel body is rotating, the position of the eccentrically located blade or blades is varied during a rotation of the wheel body so that a resulting thrust is generated on account of the hydrodynamic forces which act on the blade or blades. The direction of the thrust can be set in any desired direction by means of the control unit or control units and the sun wheel or the sun wheels of the transmission.

Abstract: The present invention provides a practical solution to the problem of failure of a pedal operated steering control for a fishing boat trolling motor. The emergency controller has a pair of links inner ends of which mount on the trolling motor support assembly and outer ends of which are secured to a rod. The rod is generally situated at its lower end parallel to a motor mount conduit which supports the electric drive motor and has a handle at its upper end for steering. When mounted on the trolling motor assembly, the emergency controller of the invention provides a simple steering means and may be so mounted while the fishing boat is in the water.

Abstract: An oscillation suppression device is provided for attenuating oscillation of an object to be controlled by a gyro torque of a control moment gyro having a flywheel rotating at a high speed. The oscillation suppression device includes an angular velocity detector for detecting an oscillation angular velocity of the object to be controlled. A control unit is connected to a gimbal shaft of the control moment gyro for controlling the angular velocity .theta. of the gimbal of the control moment gyro so as to absorb an external torque generated in the object to be controlled. The control unit operates in response to the oscillation angular velocity .PHI., which is detected by the angular velocity detector.

Abstract: A water-removal assembly for removing accumulated water from the bilge of a hull of a watercraft that includes a jet propulsion unit with an impeller. The water-removal assembly includes a water pickup provided in the engine compartment. A means for removing water from the engine compartment and preventing water from entering and syphoning into the engine compartment is connected to the water filter by a first conduit. The conduit connects the water removing and preventing means to a water discharge point in the jet propulsion unit so that water is pumped from the bilge. The water removing and preventing means includes a check valve that allows water to flow in one direction so that water is prevented from entering the bilge. A weep hole is provided in the water removing and preventing means to prevent syphoning from occurring in the water-removal assembly.

Abstract: A misting apparatus for a boat comprised of a length of tubing secured to a frame supporting a canopy on a boat. A pick up tube is removably secured to a distal end of the length of tubing. A plurality of sprayers are secured to the length of tubing in a position beneath the canopy. A pump is adapted to receive the length of tubing therethrough. The pump will draw sea water through the pick up tube to be sprayed out of the plurality of sprayers.

Abstract: A lightweight wake board binding having a thin bottom support plate. A heel receptacle and a top-of-the-foot retainer strap are secured to the top surface of the bottom support plate by a left and a right side plate stiffener member that substantially eliminates the flex in the bottom support plate produced by the person riding the wake board. The plate stiffeners have upstanding flanges adjacent their inner edges having elongated slots therein that receive a fastening strap for tightly securing the binding to the wearer's foot.

Abstract: The subject system includes a ramp subsystem and a mooring subsystem and is intended for use with multi deck ferry boats with ramp service directly to each deck. The ramp subsystem is carried on a float which is connected to the shore by a ramp hinged to the shore and to the float. A second ramp is hinged on the float and is adjustable to serve each deck of a multi deck boat in sequence. In an alternate embodiment there are as many decks on the float as there are decks on the boats and no adjustment is needed. The mooring subsystem involves mechanism which connects an end of the boat to the float and allows lateral translation of the boat relative to the float, enabling the boat to be moored at one location on the float for unloading and to be moved to a second location for loading. This allows for one boat to be loading while a second is unloading simultaneously.

Abstract: An improved steering assembly for personal watercraft governs the positioning of a steering nozzle through a cable affixed to a steering shaft attached to handlebars gripped by the rider/operator of the watercraft. The steering shaft is mounted to the hull in a retainer member relative to which it is rotatable. The handlebars are shielded from the shocks and bumps occurring while the watercraft travels on rough water by a shock absorber that is mounted between the retainer member and the handlebars. The improved steering assembly significantly increases riding comfort and reduces operator fatigue.

Abstract: High performance sailing yacht designs are disclosed based on a keelless sailing yacht concept having dynamic gravitational ballast which is laterally movable for heeling resistance which ballast replaces a function of the standard keel. A keelless yacht of this type is disclosed with an adjustable flap mounted on an elongated strut from which the ballast is suspended below the hull to generate a variable heel hydrodynamic control force independently of the counter-heeling effect achieved by the ballast. The foregoing features enhance the effects of disclosed improvements and modifications to hull design in having a duplex form, with upper and lower hull shapes, the lower of low drag shape, and of reduced section, while the upper hull extends laterally abeam from the lower hull to define reserve buoyancy, added accomodation, and surfaces adapted for hydroplaning when the yacht is at a controlled angle of heel.

Abstract: A maritime sail furling mechanism furls a sail around a rotating luff extrusion from an open to a furled position in a natural fashion while functioning under load. A novel bearing assembly, including upper and lower bearing portions, accommodates static and horizontal loads, and rotates with both the luff extrusion and the sail cable wire. The sail boat mainsail furling and unfurling device includes a rotatable cable with the luff extrusion, around which extrusion the mainsail is wound while the sailboat is under motor power. Each upper and lower bearing portion includes several cylindrical hollow members, one middle member of these members freely rotates as a collar about a circular array of tapered roller bearings placed with their tip ends at a center of a sunburst pattern cage. The tapered roller bearings rotate axially, but their spherical heads, located away from the center of the array, rotate about the circumferential collar.

Abstract: A shallow draft ski-toon boat featuring a multi-hulled bottom with water skis mounted thereto is disclosed and described, the ski-toon boat being capable of planing at lower velocities and utilizing substantially less engine power in comparison to conventional hulled boats.

Abstract: A marine vehicle comprising a hull, a deck supported by the hull, and a seat apparatus mounted on the deck. The seat apparatus includes a seat back "member with side supports" assembly whose members include a seat back, side supports, and a frame moveable and pivotal between a lower position wherein the seat back is tilted back 5-40 degrees, and a upper position wherein the seat back is generally vertical. The seat apparatus also includes a seat "bottom member" base assembly whose members include a seat base and a frame which are pivotal independent of the seat back assembly. The seat "bottom member" base assembly rotates between a generally sloped back from horizontal position to a generally vertical position. Also included in the seat apparatus are mechanisms for holding a seat back assembly and a seat "bottom" base assembly into their positions.

Abstract: A carbon fiber spar is provided which comprises a layer of carbon fiber forming a one-piece circumference and having an integral sail-attaching groove formed by a plastic insert bonded together with the layer of carbon fiber during curing so that the fiber layer forms a hollow for receiving the plastic insert in interlocking engagement.

Abstract: The present invention provides for controlling the temperature of a seat used in conjunction with inboard or outboard motor boats and craft. The invention extracts hot water from the circulating water pump of a motor boat engine and cool water from the high pressure side of the motor boat's intake water pump obtained from the floating medium, provides for controlling the mixture of hot and cool water and circulates the mixture through plastic water pads, returning the used water to the low pressure side of the motor boat's intake water pump. In such an arrangement, the temperature of the mixed water supplied to the water pads can be adjusted from the operating temperature of the motor boat engine to the temperature of floating medium.