Method and apparatus for reducing the wake wash of vessels in shallow waters
OwnerMats H. Feldtmanninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus involving forming a transition area along the bed of a body of water in which the natural water depth is altered, and operating a vessel in the course of passage through the transition area such that the vessel speed instantaneously changes from supercritical speed to subcritical speed while substantially avoiding the critical speed range.
Claims35
The method of reducing the level of wake wash produced by a vessel while passing through shallow water within a body of water having a bed and a natural water depth, comprising:
- (a) forming a transition area along the bed of the body of water within which the natural water depth is altered;
- (b) decelerating the vessel from supercritical speed to subcritical speed in the course of passage in a first direction through the transition area, and accelerating the vessel from subcritical speed to supercritical speed in the course of passage in the opposite, second direction through the transition area, while substantially avoiding the critical speed range of the vessel.
The method of reducing the level of wake wash produced by a vessel while passing through shallow water within a body of water having a bed and a natural water depth comprising:
- (a) forming a transition area along the bed of the body of water within which the natural water depth is altered;
- (b) controlling the vessel speed in the course of passage through the transition area to substantially avoid a depth Froude number corresponding to the critical speed range of the vessel.
Apparatus for reducing the level of wake wash produced by a vessel, while passing through shallow water within a body of water having a bed and a natural water depth, said vessel having a length and a width, said apparatus comprising:
- a transition area formed in the bed of the body of water, said transition area having a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls collectively defining a dredged pit, the water depth within said dredged pit being greater than the natural water depth of the body of water;
- said transition area having a length dimension defined by the distance between said opposed end walls, said length dimension being equal to in the range of about two to five times the length of the vessel;
- and
- said transition area having a width dimension defined by the distance between said opposed side walls, said width dimension being equal to in the range of about one to five times that portion of the width of the vessel which is submerged in the water.
Apparatus for reducing the level of wake wash produced by a vessel in the course of passage through shallow water within a body of water having a bed and natural water depth, said vessel having a length and a width, said apparatus comprising:
- a transition area formed along the bed of the body of water, said transition area including a ramp having a first end, a second end spaced from said first end, a top wall extending between said first and second ends, and opposed side walls located on either side of said top wall;
- said ramp having a height dimension, measured from the bed of the body of water in an upward direction, which increases from said first end to said second end, the water depth at said second end of said ramp being greater than the natural water depth of the body of water;
- said transition area having a length dimension defined by the distance between said first and second ends of said ramp, said length dimension being equal to in the range of about two to five times the length of the vessel;
- and
- said transition area having a width dimension defined by the distance between said opposed side walls, said width dimension being equal to in the range of about one to five times that portion of the width of the vessel which is submerged in the water.
Apparatus for reducing the level of wake wash produced by a vessel in the course of passage through shallow water within a body of water having a bed and natural water depth, said vessel having a length and a width, said apparatus comprising:
- a transition area formed in the bed of the body of water, said transition area including a ramp section adjacent to a dredged pit section;
- said ramp section of said transition area comprising:
- (i) a first end, a second end spaced from said first end, a top wall extending between said first and second ends, and opposed side walls located on either side of said top wall;
- (ii) said ramp having a height dimension, measured from the bed of the body of water in an upward direction, which increases from said first end to said second end, the water depth at said second end of said ramp being greater than the natural water depth of the body of water;
- (iii) said ramp having a length dimension defined by the distance between said first and second ends of said ramp, said length dimension being equal to the range of about two to five times the length of the vessel;
- and
- (iv) said ramp having a width dimension defined by the distance between said opposed side walls said width dimension being equal to in the range of about one to five times that portion of the width of the vessel which is submerged in the water;
- said dredged pit section of said transition area comprising:
- (i) a bottom wall, a first end wall coincident with said second end of said ramp section, a second end wall and opposed side walls;
- (ii) the water depth measured from said bottom wall to the surface of the water being greater than the natural water depth of the body of water.
The method of reducing the level of wake wash produced by a vessel while moving through shallow water within a body of water having a bed, a natural water depth and a transition area along the bed within which the natural water depth is altered, comprising:
- (a) decelerating the vessel from supercritical speed to subcritical speed in the course of passage in a first direction through the transition area, while substantially avoiding the critical speed range of the vessel;
- (b) accelerating the vessel from subcritical speed to supercritical speed in the course of passage in the opposite, second direction through the transition area, while substantially avoiding the critical speed range of the vessel.
The method of reducing the level of wake wash produced by a vessel while moving through shallow water within a body of water having a bed, a natural water depth and a transition area along the bed within which the natural water depth is altered, comprising:
- (a) controlling the vessel speed in the course of passage through the transition area in a first direction to avoid a depth Froude number corresponding to the critical speed range of the vessel;
- and
- (b) controlling the vessel speed in the course of passage through the transition area in the opposite, second direction to avoid a depth Froude number corresponding to the critical speed range of the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.