US 4,295,236 AGranted

Pontoon boat

AssigneeAdvanced Marine Concepts, Inc.

InventorLonnie W. Upchurch

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Abstract

A relatively small watercraft typically used by one or two persons includes a pair of spaced and usually parallel pontoons, each of which consists of an elongated body of closed-cell foamed plastic such as polystyrene. A load-distribution truss is provided on top of each of the foamed cell bodies, for transferring vertical loads to said bodies. A personnel station extends generally between the two spaced pontoons and above said pontoons. The personnel station includes a chair and a floorboard, and is sufficiently narrow so as to restrict personnel on the station to a central portion of the watercraft. A structural frame of tubular members or the like may be selectively connected to the pontoons, or the frame may be permanently connected to them. In one embodiment wherein the structure frame and the pontoons are only temporarily connected, a plurality of eye bolts and specially positioned slots are utilized so that the eye bolts need never be removed from the watercraft. The watercraft also includes a generally puncture-resistant skin of polyethylene which surrounds each of the foamed plastic bodies and protects those bodies from being abraded or attacked by chemicals, etc.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A relatively small watercraft for one or more persons, comprising:

(a) a pair of spaced and generally parallel pontoons, each of which consists of an elongated body of closed-cell foamed plastic, with the body having a longitudinal axis and a length of at least 2 meters and having a generally square cross-section as viewed in a transverse direction;
(b) a load-distribution truss provided on top of each of the foamed cell bodies for transferring vertical loads, and said trusses having a length and width so as to distribute loads across the top of the foamed cell bodies in an approximately uniform manner;
(c) a personnel station adapted to carry at least one person above and generally between the two spaced pontoons, and said station having a width which is sufficiently narrow so as to restrict the center of gravity of personnel on said station to a space which lies internally of the longitudinal axes of the pair of pontoons;
(d) a structural frame for transferring loads from the personnel station to the load-distribution trusses, with at least some of said loads being transferred through a plurality of bolts;
and
(e) a waterproof and generally puncture-resistant skin for each of the pair of pontoons, with a given skin being installed between the structural frame and the load-distribution truss of a respective pontoon in such a way that the structural frame is external and the load-disribution truss is internal of said given skin.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.