Laminate structure and boat hull made therefrom

An open-hulled aluminum boat having a predetermined, unstrained outer shape, comprising:

• a watertight, deformable aluminum outer hull;
• a resilient and flexible foam layer preformed prior to positioning within the outer hull and adhered to an inward side of the outer hull, the resilient foam layer having a sufficiently low compressive modulus to substantially dampen boat vibrations and absorb energy through the outer hull when the outer hull is deformed from its unstrained shape and release the energy to the outer hull when the stress is removed, to force the outer hull to return to its unstrained shape;
• and
• an inner rigid sheet out of rigid structural connection with the outer hull, the inner rigid sheet being adhered to an inward side of the resilient foam layer and vibrationally isolated from the outer hull, the combined resilient foam layer and inner rigid sheet providing sufficient structural support for the outer hull under normal loading during use, whereby an open-hulled boat can be manufactured without cross-supports extending between and fastened to the hull sides.

An open-hulled aluminum boat having a predetermined, unstrained outer shape, comprising:

• a watertight, deformable aluminum outer hull layer;
• a resilient and flexible foam layer preformed exterior of and prior to positioning within the outer hull layer and adhered to an inward side of the outer hull layer, the resilient foam layer having sufficiently low compressive modulus to substantially dampen boat vibrations and absorb energy through the outer hull layer when the outer hull layer is deformed from its unstrained shape and release the energy to the outer hull layer when the stress is removed, to force the outer hull layer to return to its unstrained shape;
• a supporting foam layer adhered to an inward surface of the resilient foam layer, the supporting foam layer having a hardness and thickness selected to provide the desired passenger comfort or hull rigidity;
• and
• an inner rigid sheet out of rigid structural connection with the outer hull layer for movement relative thereto, the inner rigid sheet being adhered to an inward side of the supporting foam layer and vibrationally isolated from the outer hull layer.

A rigid, self-supporting open-hulled aluminum boat, comprising:

• a watertight, deformable aluminum hull having bottom and side outer panels extending between a bow and a transom;
• a plurality of preformed resilient and flexible foam layers, each of the resilient foam layers being adhered to an inward surface portion of one of the bottom or side outer panels;
• and
• a plurality of contiguous inner rigid sheets, each of the rigid sheets being adhered to an inward surface of a resilient foam layer and vibrationally isolated from the aluminum hull out of direct mechanical engagement therewith, each of the foam layers having a sufficiently low compressive modulus to substantially isolate the inner rigid sheets from concentrated forces impinging on the outer hull panels during normal usage.

A rigid, self-supporting open-hulled aluminum boat, comprising:

• a watertight, deformable aluminum hull having bottom and side outer panels extending between a bow and transom;
• a plurality of preformed resilient and flexible foam layers, each of the resilient foam layers being adhered to an inward surface portion of one of the bottom or side outer panels;
• a plurality of preformed contiguous supporting foam layers, each of the supporting foam layers being adhered to an inward surface of a resilient foam layer;
• and
• a plurality of contiguous inner rigid sheets, each of the rigid sheets being adhered to an inward surface of a supporting foam layer and vibrationally isolated from the aluminum hull out of direct mechanical engagement therewith, the resilient foam layer having a sufficiently low compressive modulus to substantially isolate the inner rigid sheets from concentrated forces impinging on the outer hull panels during normal usage.

A method for constructing an open-hulled aluminum boat having a predetermined, unstrained outer shape, comprising:

• providing a watertight, deformable aluminum outer hull;
• providing a resilient and flexible foam layer preformed exterior of and prior to positioning within the outer hull, the resilient foam layer being selected with a sufficiently low compressive modulus to substanially absorb the energy of concentrated forces deforming the outer hull from its unstrained shape during normal usage;
• adhering the resilient foam layer to an inward side of the outer hull, the resilient foam layer dampening boat vibrations and absorbing energy through the outer hull when the outer hull is deformed from its unstrained shape and releasing the energy to the outer hull when the stress is removed, thereby forcing the outer hull to return to its unstrained shape;
• providing an inner rigid sheet;
• and
• adhering the inner rigid sheet to an inward side of the resilient foam layer in vibrational isolation from the outer hull and out of direct mechanical engagement with the outer hull, the inner rigid sheet being movable relative to the outer hull, the combined resilient foam layer and inner rigid sheet providing sufficient structural support for the outer hull under normal loading during use, whereby an open-hulled boat can be constructed according to this method without cross-supports extending between and fastened to the hull sides.