# US 11,077,919 B1 · Extendable multihull boat > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,919 B1 - Document ID: US11077919B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/429,932 - Filed: 2019-06-03 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-14 - Assignees: Quadratoon Company LLC - Applicants: Quadratoon Company LLC - Inventors: Michael Timothy O'Neal; Blaine Lawson; Michael Thomas Farmer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077919B1 ## CPC - B63B 1/14: the hulls being interconnected resiliently {or having means for actively varying hull shape or configuration (collapsible, foldable, inflatable or like vessels B63B7/00)} - B63B 29/02: Cabins or other living spaces; Construction or arrangement thereof - B63B 35/38: Rigidly-interconnected pontoons - B63B 3/48: Decks (planking B63B5/06) - B63B 35/34: Pontoons (floating bridges E01D15/14) - B63B 35/613: with tubular shaped flotation members - B63B 2001/145: {having means for actively varying hull shape or configuration} - B63B 2007/006: {comprising nestable elements} - B63B 2029/022: {Bathing platforms} - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) ## Abstract A lower deck for a watercraft is attached to and supported by an amidships hull, and an actuator slides the lower deck and amidships hull between a stowed position and an extended position on guide rails that are secured to the underside frame of the upper deck that is supported by abeam hulls. When fully extended, the lower deck remains attached to the watercraft while a portion of the lower deck's aft section and the aft end of the amidships hull remains beneath the upper deck. A pair of side beams respectively connect to a port side and a starboard side of the lower deck or the amidships hull. Sliding members, such as rollers and/or guide bars respectively connect to the guide rails, and the side beams respectively engage and slide on the sliding members. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An extendable multihull boat, comprising: an upper deck extending from a bow to a stern and comprising an underside frame; a pair of abeam hulls located beneath the upper deck and fixedly connected to the underside frame of the upper deck; a pair of longitudinally elongated guide rails positioned between the abeam hulls beneath the upper deck and fixedly connected to at least one of the underside frame of the upper deck and the abeam hulls; a lower deck located below the underside frame of the upper deck between the abeam hulls, wherein the lower deck longitudinally translates relative to the upper deck, the abeam hulls, and the elongated guide rails between a stowed position and a fully extended position, wherein the lower deck is positioned beneath the upper deck in the stowed position, and wherein a forward section of the lower deck extends forward of the bow of the upper deck in the fully extended position while at least a portion of an aft section of the lower deck remains underneath the upper deck in the fully extended position; an amidships hull located beneath and fixedly attached to the lower deck, wherein the amidships hull is longitudinally arranged between the abeam hulls and longitudinally translates with the lower deck relative to the upper deck, the abeam hulls, and the elongated guide rails between the stowed position and the fully extended position, and wherein the amidships hull provides buoyant support to the lower deck in the stowed position and in the fully extended position; and an actuator connected to the underside frame of the upper deck and engaging with at least one of the lower deck and the amidships hull, wherein the actuator moves the lower deck and the amidships hull between the stowed position and the fully extended position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The extendable multihull boat of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fasteners, wherein the fasteners hold the amidships hull in a fixed position relative to the lower deck when the amidships hull and the lower deck are in the stowed position and in the fully extended position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The extendable multihull boat of claim 1, wherein the amidships hull and the lower deck have a maximum range of travel between the stowed position and the fully extended position no greater than a length of the elongated guide rails. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The extendable multihull boat of claim 1, wherein the lower deck is comprised of a plurality of panels, wherein at least one of the panels has a closed position and an open position, wherein the amidships hull is further comprised of a storage hold, and wherein the closed position and the open position of the panels respectively covers and reveals the storage hold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The extendable multihull boat of claim 1, wherein the amidships hull provides buoyant support to the lower deck in the stowed position and in the fully extended position, and wherein an aft end of the amidships hull remains underneath the upper deck in the fully extended position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The extendable multihull boat of claim 5, wherein the amidships hull is comprised of at least one of a center pontoon, a pair of spaced apart pontoons, and a monohull. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The extendable multihull boat of claim 1, wherein the actuator is at least one of a telescoping linear actuator, a screw actuator, a worm gear actuator, and a rack gear actuator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The extendable multihull boat of claim 1, further comprising an aft end member connecting aft ends of the guide rails, wherein at least one of the aft end member and the guide rails connect the actuator to the underside frame of the upper deck. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The extendable multihull boat of claim 1, further comprising a pair of side beams and at least one of a pair of rollers and a pair of guide bars, wherein the pair of side beams are respectively connected to a port side and a starboard side of at least one of the lower deck and the amidships hull, and wherein at least one of the pair of rollers and the pair of guide bars are respectively connected to the pair of elongated guide rails, and wherein the pair of side beams respectively engage and slide on at least one of the pair of rollers and the pair of guide bars. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The extendable multihull boat of claim 9, further comprising a stop connected to at least one of the upper deck, the lower deck, the amidships hull, the guide rails, and the side beams, wherein the stop prevents the lower deck and the amidships hull from extending beyond and breaking away from the elongated guide rails. ### Claim 11 An extendable multihull boat, comprising: an upper deck extending from a bow to a stern and comprising an underside frame; a pair of abeam hulls located beneath the upper deck and fixedly connected to the underside frame of the upper deck; a pair of longitudinally elongated guide rails positioned between the abeam hulls beneath the upper deck and fixedly connected to at least one of the underside frame of the upper deck and the abeam hulls; a lower deck located below the underside frame of the upper deck between the abeam hulls, wherein the lower deck longitudinally translates relative to the upper deck, the abeam hulls, and the elongated guide rails between a stowed position and a fully extended position, wherein the lower deck is positioned beneath the upper deck in the stowed position, and wherein a forward section of the lower deck extends forward of the bow of the upper deck in the fully extended position while at least a portion of an aft section of the lower deck remains underneath the upper deck in the fully extended position; an amidships hull located beneath and fixedly attached to the lower deck, wherein the amidships hull is longitudinally arranged between the abeam hulls and longitudinally translates with the lower deck relative to the upper deck, the abeam hulls, and the elongated guide rails between the stowed position and the fully extended position, and wherein the amidships hull provides buoyant support to the lower deck in the stowed position and in the fully extended position; a pair of side beams respectively connected to a port side and a starboard side of at least one of the lower deck and the amidships hull; and a pair of sliding members selected from the group consisting of a pair of rollers, a pair of guide bars, and a combination thereof, wherein the pair of sliding members are respectively connected to the pair of elongated guide rails, and wherein the pair of side beams respectively engage and slide on the pair of sliding members. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The extendable multihull boat of claim 11, wherein the amidships hull provides buoyant support to the lower deck in the stowed position and in the fully extended position, and wherein an aft end of the amidships hull remains underneath the upper deck in the fully extended position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The extendable multihull boat of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of fasteners, wherein the fasteners hold the amidships hull in a fixed position relative to the lower deck when the amidships hull and the lower deck are in the stowed position and in the fully extended position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The extendable multihull boat of claim 11, further comprising an actuator connected to the underside frame of the upper deck and engaging with at least one of the lower deck and the amidships hull, wherein the actuator moves the lower deck and the amidships hull between the stowed position and the fully extended position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The extendable multihull boat of claim 14, wherein the actuator is at least one of a telescoping linear actuator, a screw actuator, a worm gear actuator, and a rack gear actuator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The extendable multihull boat of claim 15, further comprising an aft end member connecting aft ends of the guide rails, wherein at least one of the aft end member and the guide rails connect the actuator to the underside frame of the upper deck. ### Claim 17 An extendable multihull boat, comprising: an upper deck extending from a bow to a stern and comprising an underside frame; a pair of abeam hulls located beneath the upper deck and fixedly connected to the underside frame of the upper deck; a pair of longitudinally elongated guide rails positioned between the abeam hulls beneath the upper deck and fixedly connected to at least one of the underside frame of the upper deck and the abeam hulls; a lower deck located below the underside frame of the upper deck between the abeam hulls, wherein the lower deck longitudinally translates relative to the upper deck, the abeam hulls, and the elongated guide rails between a stowed position and a fully extended position, wherein the lower deck is positioned beneath the upper deck in the stowed position, and wherein a forward section of the lower deck extends forward of the bow of the upper deck in the fully extended position while at least a portion of an aft section of the lower deck remains underneath the upper deck in the fully extended position; an amidships hull located beneath and fixedly attached to the lower deck, wherein the amidships hull is longitudinally arranged between the abeam hulls and longitudinally translates with the lower deck relative to the upper deck, the abeam hulls, and the elongated guide rails between the stowed position and the fully extended position, and wherein the amidships hull provides buoyant support to the lower deck in the stowed position and in the fully extended position; and a plurality of fasteners, wherein the fasteners hold the amidships hull in a fixed position relative to the lower deck when the amidships hull and the lower deck are in the stowed position and in the fully extended position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The extendable multihull boat of claim 17, further comprising an actuator connected to the underside frame of the upper deck and engaging with at least one of the lower deck and the amidships hull, wherein the actuator moves the lower deck and the amidships hull between the stowed position and the fully extended position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The extendable multihull boat of claim 18, further comprising an aft end member connecting aft ends of the guide rails, wherein at least one of the aft end member and the guide rails connect the actuator to the underside frame of the upper deck. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The extendable multihull boat of claim 18, further comprising further comprising a pair of side beams and at least one of a pair of rollers and a pair of guide bars, wherein the pair of side beams are respectively connected to a port side and a starboard side of at least one of the lower deck and the amidships hull, and wherein at least one of the pair of rollers and the pair of guide bars are respectively connected to the pair of elongated guide rails, and wherein the pair of side beams respectively engage and slide on at least one of the pair of rollers and the pair of guide bars.