US2972322A - Boat - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1961 K. PARKER ETAL 2,972,322

. BOAT Filed Feb. 9, 1959 INVENTORS. KENNETH PARKER JOHN NOREK Qua/772M ATT Y.

boat.

United States Patent BOAT Kenneth Parker, Janesville, Wis., and John Norek, Newport Beach, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Gilman Engineering 8: Manufacturing Company, Janesville, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Feb. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 792,200 I 3 Claims. (Cl. 114-126) This invention relates to boat hull structures and in particular to the rear or stern portion of a hull, including the transom thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a hull structure which diminishes the pushing effect of a following sea.

It is another object to provide a hull structure which balances and stabilizes the boat during short, choppy wave conditions such as during simultaneous outgoing tide and incoming wind.

A further object is to provide a hull structure which protects the propellers, the boat sides, and the transom from damage by bumping against docks or other objects.

It is still another object to provide a hull structure which protects persons from propellers and propeller shafts, when persons are in the water about the boat.

A still further object is to provide a hull structure which permits a person to securely place his foot or feet near the water, as in landing a large fish, or in helping a swimmer aboard, or in alighting from the boat to a low pier or other object.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following descrip tion and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a boat embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the transom portion of the boat; and

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the rear portion of the Referring to the drawings, there is shown a boat 4, floating in the water, riding at the calm, standstill, normal load water line WL of the boat. The hull of the boat includes the bottom 16, the sides 6 and 7, and the transom 5.

The transom 5 of the boat is V-shaped, comprising a pair of flat surfaces 5b and 5c, which slope rearwardly from the rear ends of the sides 6 and 7 as seen best in Fig. 3, and which meet midway the width of the stern at 5a. The surfaces 5b, So also slope upwardly and rearwardly from the rear of the bottom 16 of the boat, as seen best in Fig. l.

One or more propellers, such as propellers 8 and 9,

are provided for propelling the boat. Propeller shafts 10 and 11 are connected respectively to propellers 8 and 9 and are held by supports 12 and 13. A rudder 14 is provided for directing the movement of the boat.

A stabilizer 15 in the form of a shelf-like ledge is disposed on the hull parallel to and just above the normal load water line WL. The stabilizer 15 projects from each side of the hull and from the transom, extending along the sides rearwardly from a point ahead of the exposed portions of the propeller shafts, at approximately amid ships, to and across the transom. The stabilizer 15 pro jects outwardly from the transom, and from the sides in the vicinity of the propellers, at least four inches and preferably about six inches. This provides sufficient area for the foot stepping function and for the balancing 2,972,322 Patented Feb, 21, 1961 and stabilizing function as well as providing sufficient projection distance for the bumper-guard function. The stabilizer 15 tapers, gradually diminishing in width in the forward direction, and may be only an inch or less in width where the stabilizer terminates, as at amidships. The stabilizer is positioned just above the normal load water line, i.e. being within twelve inchesthereof, thereby being in position to function effectively as a'stabilizer or balancer as explained herein.

The invention is highly advantageous in boats of the eighteen to thirty-six foot class, but may also be advantageously employed with boats of lesser or greater length.

The invention diminishes the pushing eifeot of a following sea, which, in pushing against the transom of a boat, usually tends to lift the stern portion of the boat and lower the stem, bow, or prow portion of the boat. The V-shaped and sloping transom 5 divides the following waves and directs them down against the top of stabilizer 15, tending to lower the stern and raise the bow, to thus counteract or compensate for the usual eifect of a following sea. This also prevents the stern portion from rising sufiiciently to bring the propellers out of the water and thus prevents the engines from racing. In this way the invention stabilizes the boat and reduces pitching. The V-shaped transom divides and directs the following waves against the top of stabilizer 15, not only at the transom 5, but also along the rearmost portions of the sides 6, 7, thus also balancing dissipating some of the wave force, thereby further minimizing the following sea eifect.

The stabilizer 15 also acts as a balancer or stabilizer under short, choppy wave conditions such as during the occurrence of an outgoing tide and incoming wind, and minimizes both pitching and rolling under such conditions.

The stabilizer 15 also acts as a bumper guard and protects the propellers and the boat sides and the transom from injury, as from'collisions with docks, floating objects, and the like.

The stabilizer 15 also acts as a splash board or spray guard, keeping splashed or sprayed water out of the interior of the boat.

I The stabilizer 15 protects persons, who may be swimming in the vicinity of the rear portion of the boat, or who may have fallen overboard in this vicinity, from injury by the propellers or the propeller shafts, by keeping the persons further away, at a safe distance.

The stabilizer 15 also serves as a step or platform for a persons foot, during certain activities conducted from the rear half of the boat, and especially at the transom, such as landing fish, or helping a swimmer aboard, or alighting from the boat to a low dock or other landing.

The stabilizer 15, in combination with the V-shaped and sloping transom, materially diminishes the eifect of a following sea and the pitching and rolling due to short, choppy wave conditions, and serves to steady or stabilize the boat under most rough wave conditions.

We claim:

1. In a propeller driven boat, a horizontal stabilizer disposed on the hull parallel to and just above the normal load water line, said stabilizer extending along each side of the boat from a point forwardly of the propeller t0 and across the transom of the boat, said transom being V-shaped and comprising a pair of surfaces sloping rearwardly from the rear ends of the boat sides and meeting midway the width of the stern, said surfaces also sloping upwardly and rearwardly from the rear of the parallel toand just above said-water line, said stabilizer extending along each .side of .the boat from a point forwardly of the projecting portion of said shaft to and across the transom of the boat, said transom being V- shaped and comprising a pair of surfaces slopingvrear i wardly from'the rear ends of theboat sides and meeting.

midway the width of the stern, said surfaces also slopingupwardly and rearwardly from the rear of the bottornof the boat.

3. In a boat, a V-shaped transom comprising a pair of surfaces sloping rearwardlyfrom the rear ends of the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Muschler Oct. 31, 1933 Hyde June 29, 1909 Wieland July 18, 1911 Prosser Oct. 14, 1913 Finley Feb. 10, 1942 Higgins Feb. 13, 1945 Anderson Nov. 27, 1951 Canazzi May 4, $1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1905

Images