Hydrofoil boat
OwnerAlain THEBAULTinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydrofoil boat (100), having a “T” foil comprising an underwater mast (41) and an elongated horizontal hydrofoil (47) The draft and underwater beam of the boat can be reduced by sliding the mast upwards and rotating the hydrofoil from the normal transverse orientation to a fore-and-aft direction.
Claims11
Watercraft (100), having an underwater appendage comprising an underwater mast (41) and an elongated hydrofoil (47) centrally connected to the lower end of the mast (41), wherein the hydrofoil is oriented transversally in a first configuration to generate lift, characterized in that the hydrofoil (47) is rotatable about a vertical axis such that the hydrofoil (47) can be turned towards a longitudinal plane (L) of the watercraft (100) in a second configuration.
The watercraft of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydrofoil (47) and the underwater mast (41) are connected rigidly.
The watercraft of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydrofoil (47) has control surfaces (48) whose inclination can be set by a control system.
The watercraft of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising, abaft the underwater appendage, a rudder (51) having an underwater horizontal stabilizer (57), wherein the rudder is slidable vertically to reduce a draft of the watercraft.
The watercraft of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the underwater appendage and/or the rudder have a propulsion pod (43, 53) comprising an electric motor and a propeller (45, 55).
The watercraft of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hydrofoil (47) is aligned with the longitudinal plane (L) of the watercraft in the second configuration, and a total angle of rotation of the hydrofoil (47) between the first configuration and the second configuration is essentially 90°.
The watercraft of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hull has a longitudinal tunnel (11) and the hydrofoil (47) enters in the tunnel (11) in the second configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.