Wakeboat draft measuring system and methods
AssigneeSkier's Choice, Inc.
InventorRichard L. Hartman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Wakeboat hull control systems and methods are provided to permit the accurate reproduction of a wake behind a wakeboat. The onboard wake control system receives data from a draft measuring system. Incorporation of the data from the draft measuring system permits accurate reproduction of a wake behind the wakeboat after a change in an onboard variable such as the number, weight or position of passengers, the weight or position of cargo and the position of trim tabs or amount/location of ballast.
Claims27
A wake control system for a wakeboat having a hull, said system comprising:
- at least one ballast tank carried by said wakeboat;
- the wake control system capable of controlling the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank and storing data associated with the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank;
- a fitting positioned within an opening in the hull, said opening in the hull located below the operational waterline of the hull;
- an open pipe attached to said fitting, said open pipe providing fluid communication between the exterior and interior of the hull;
- a shutoff valve positioned between said open pipe and said fitting;
- a draft measuring system carried by said pipe, said draft measuring system capable of generating a signal representative of a wake profile for said hull within the water, said signal received and stored by said wake control system.
A wake control system for a wakeboat having a hull, said system comprising:
- at least one ballast tank carried by said wakeboat;
- the wake control system capable of controlling the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank and storing data associated with the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank;
- a fitting positioned within an opening in the hull, said opening in the hull located below the operational waterline of the hull;
- an open pipe attached to said fitting, said open pipe providing fluid communication between the exterior and interior of the hull;
- a cap positioned on top of said pipe carried by said fitting, said cap including a pressure transducer configured to measure air pressure within said pipe and capable of generating a signal representative of the volume of water within said pipe, said signal received and stored by said wake control system.
A wake control system for a wakeboat having a hull, said system comprising:
- at least one ballast tank carried by said wakeboat;
- the wake control system capable of controlling the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank and storing data associated with the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank;
- a fitting positioned within an opening in the hull, said opening in the hull located below the operational waterline of the hull;
- an open pipe attached to said fitting, said open pipe providing fluid communication between the exterior and interior of the hull;
- a shutoff valve positioned between said open pipe and said fitting;
- two conductive strips on the exterior of said pipe;
- a conversion module configured to measure the capacitance between the two conductive strips and capable of generating a signal representative of the volume of water within said pipe, said signal received and stored by said wake control system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.