The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 10, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 11, 2000
Jonathan Servais, Kenosha, WI (US);
Bombardier Motor Corporation of America, Grant, FL (US);
Abstract
A watercraft having a turnable (i.e., pivotable) planing surface, preferably with at least one skeg projecting generally vertically downward from the planing surface. This structure is designed to provide improved steering performance of watercraft, particularly jet-powered boats, while minimizing drag. The turnable planing surface is formed by a bottom surface of a steering pad mounted beneath a jet propulsion unit. In one embodiment, the water jet propulsion unit is fixed (i.e., not turnable) and the skeg-bearing planing surface is turnable relative to the water jet propulsion unit. In another embodiment, the water jet propulsion unit is turnable relative to the hull centerline (e.g., in the manner of an outboard engine) and the skeg-bearing planing surface is fixed relative to the water jet propulsion unit (i.e., the skeg-bearing planing surface turns in unison with the jet propulsion unit). The planing surface may optionally have strake-like sides.