Personal watercraft with brakes

Abstract

A personal watercraft, such as a jet ski, is equipped with a hull, an engine and propulsion and a ride plate assembly attached to the bottom section of the hull. The ride plate assembly includes a fixed plate and a lower plate or flap hingedly mounted to the fixed plate to occupy continuously adjustable varying angular positions relative to the fixed plate. A manually operated control mechanism, controlled by an operator, adjusts the angular positioning of the flap within a predetermined range. It is an important characteristic of the continuously adjustable flap that within the range in which its angular positioning relative to the fixed plate and to the water can be changed, an initial and moderate change in angular positioning results in more hydrodynamic lift to act on the watercraft, and therefore in increased speed of the watercraft. However, beyond a certain value, further deflection of the flap results in significant braking action. In another embodiment of the watercraft of the invention braking of the watercraft is accomplished by mechanically braking the shaft which connects the engine with the propulsion. This is accomplished by placing mechanically or hydraulically actuated brake pads in operative engagement with the rotating shaft, or with a rotating disc fixedly mounted to the shaft. The brakes slow down rotation of the propulsion and therefore the entire watercraft, significantly faster than mere release of the throttle would, as it is done in the prior art.