Watercraft having a closed coolant circulating system with a heat exchanger that constitutes an exterior surface of the hull

A watercraft for travelling along a surface of a body of water, said watercraft comprising:

• a hull having an exterior surface;
• an engine positioned within the hull;
• the engine having a heat absorbing portion positioned to allow heat transfer thereto;
• a propulsion system operatively connected to the engine;
• a closed coolant circulating system in fluid communication with the engine heat absorbing portion;
• a first plate-like heat exchanger having a fluid path, including an inlet port, and an outlet port, defined therein, and a heat exchanging exterior surface;
• a second plate-like heat exchanger having a fluid path, including an inlet port, and an outlet port, defined therein, and a heat exchanging exterior surface;
• the closed coolant circulating system including the fluid paths of the first and second heat exchangers;
• the first heat exchanger mounted to the hull on a port side thereof such that the heat exchanging exterior surface constitutes a portion of the port side exterior surface of the hull;
• and
• the second heat exchanger mounted to the hull on a starboard side thereof such that the heat exchanging exterior surface constitutes a portion of the starboard side exterior surface of the hull;
• wherein the heat exchanging fluid paths of the first and second heat exchangers communicate in parallel within the closed coolant circulating system.

A watercraft for travelling along a surface of a body of water, said watercraft comprising:

• a hull having an exterior surface with a recess formed therein;
• an engine positioned within the hull;
• the engine having a heat absorbing portion positioned to allow heat transfer thereto;
• a propulsion system operatively connected to the engine;
• a closed coolant circulating system in fluid communication with the engine heat absorbing portion;
• at least one plate-like heat exchanger having a fluid path defined therein;
• the at least one heat exchanger also having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a heat exchanging exterior surface;
• the closed coolant circulating system including the fluid path of the at least one heat exchanger;
• the at least one heat exchanger being mounted in the recess such that the heat exchanging exterior surface is flush with portions of the exterior surface of the hull adjacent thereto.