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 constructed and arranged to generate power and heat;
• a propulsion system operatively connected to said engine and being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along the surface of the body of water using the power generated by said engine;
• a closed coolant circulating system containing a supply of coolant that is caused to flow through said coolant circulating system during operation of said engine, said circulating system having an engine heat absorbing portion through which said coolant flows, said engine heat absorbing portion being positioned with respect to said engine such that at least a portion of the heat generated by said engine is absorbed by said heat absorbing portion and the coolant flowing therethrough;
• and
• at least one heat exchanger formed from a heat conductive material and having a fluid path defined therein with an inlet port and an outlet port, said heat exchanger having a heat exchanging exterior surface and being mounted to said hull such that the heat exchanging exterior surface constitutes a portion of the exterior surface of said hull that is normally disposed below the surface of the body of water when said watercraft is in an upright position;
• said inlet and outlet ports being respectively communicated to said engine heat absorbing portion such that said heat exchanging fluid path constitutes a portion of said coolant circulating system with said coolant flowing into said heat exchanging fluid path from said heat absorbing portion via said inlet port and from said fluid path back to said heat absorbing portion via said outlet port, said heat conductive material of said heat exchanger allowing the heat absorbed from said engine by said coolant to dissipate from said coolant to the body of water via said heat exchanging exterior surface as said coolant flows through said heat exchanging fluid path, and
• further comprising another closed coolant circulating system containing a supply of another coolant that is caused to flow through said another coolant circulating system during operation of said engine, said another circulating system having an engine heat absorbing portion through which said another coolant flows, said engine heat absorbing portion being positioned with respect to said engine such that at least a portion of the heat generated by said engine is absorbed by said engine heat absorbing portion and the another coolant flowing therethrough;
• and
• wherein said heat exchanger has another fluid path defined therein separate from said fluid path and with an inlet port and an outlet port, said another fluid path forming a portion of one of a plurality of additional fluid circulating systems other than said coolant circulating system;
• said inlet and outlet ports being respectively communicated to said engine heat absorbing portion such that said another fluid path constitutes a portion of said another coolant circulating system with said another coolant flowing into said another fluid path from said heat absorbing portion via said inlet port and from said another fluid path back to said heat absorbing portion via said outlet port, said heat conductive material of said heat exchanger allowing the heat absorbed from said engine by said another coolant to dissipate from said another coolant to the body of water via said heat exchanging exterior surface as said another coolant flows through said another fluid path.

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

• a hull having an exterior surface;
• an engine constructed and arranged to generate power and heat;
• a propulsion system operatively connected to said engine and being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along the surface of the body of water using the power generated by said engine;
• a closed coolant circulating system containing a supply of coolant that is caused to flow through said coolant circulating system during operation of said engine, said circulating system having an engine heat absorbing portion through which said coolant flows, said engine heat absorbing portion being positioned with respect to said engine such that at least a portion of the heat generated by said engine is absorbed by said heat absorbing portion and the coolant flowing therethrough;
• and
• at least one heat exchanger formed from a heat conductive material and having a fluid path defined therein with an inlet port and an outlet port, said heat exchanger having a heat exchanging exterior surface and being mounted to said hull such that the heat exchanging exterior surface constitutes a portion of the exterior surface of said hull that is normally disposed below the surface of the body of water when said watercraft is in an upright position;
• said inlet and outlet ports being respectively communicated to said engine heat absorbing portion such that said heat exchanging fluid path constitutes a portion of said coolant circulating system with said coolant flowing into said heat exchanging fluid path from said heat absorbing portion via said inlet port and from said fluid path back to said heat absorbing portion via said outlet port, said heat conductive material of said heat exchanger allowing the heat absorbed from said engine by said coolant to dissipate from said coolant to the body of water via said heat exchanging exterior surface as said coolant flows through said heat exchanging fluid path,
• wherein said heat exchanger has a plate-like configuration with an upwardly facing surface and downwardly facing surface, and said plate-like heat exchanger is a ride plate mounted at an underside stern portion of said hull along a centerline thereof, and
• wherein said heat exchanger and said hull define an impeller tunnel having a rearward discharge opening at the stern and a forward intake opening spaced forwardly of said discharge opening, said propulsion system including an impeller assembly secured to said hull within said tunnel, said impeller assembly having an impeller with a plurality of blades, said impeller being connected to said engine so as to rotate under power from said engine such that said impeller draws water into said tunnel through said intake port and discharges the drawn water out from said tunnel through said discharge port in a pressurized stream to propel said watercraft, and
• wherein said impeller assembly comprises one or more fluid paths extending from an inner periphery of said impeller assembly to an external periphery thereof, said one or more fluid paths being constructed and arranged such that a portion of the water flowing through said impeller assembly during operation of the propulsion system is directed onto said upwardly facing surface of said heat exchanger, said heat conductive material of said heat exchanger allowing a portion of the heat absorbed from said engine by said coolant to dissipate from said coolant to the body of water via the water directed onto said upwardly facing surface as said coolant flows through said heat exchanging fluid path.

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

• a hull having an exterior surface;
• an engine constructed and arranged to generate power and heat;
• a propulsion system operatively connected to said engine and being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along the surface of the body of water using the power generated by said engine;
• a closed coolant circulating system containing a supply of coolant that is caused to flow through said coolant circulating system during operation of said engine, said circulating system having an engine heat absorbing portion through which said coolant flows, said engine heat absorbing portion being positioned with respect to said engine such that at least a portion of the heat generated by said engine is absorbed by said heat absorbing portion and the coolant flowing therethrough;
• and
• at least one heat exchanger formed from a heat conductive material and having a fluid path defined therein with an inlet port and an outlet port, said heat exchanger having a heat exchanging exterior surface and being mounted to said hull such that the heat exchanging exterior surface constitutes a portion of the exterior surface of said hull that is normally disposed below the surface of the body of water when said watercraft is in an upright position;
• said inlet and outlet ports being respectively communicated to said engine heat absorbing portion such that said heat exchanging fluid path constitutes a portion of said coolant circulating system with said coolant flowing into said heat exchanging fluid path from said heat absorbing portion via said inlet port and from said fluid path back to said heat absorbing portion via said outlet port, said heat conductive material of said heat exchanger allowing the heat absorbed from said engine by said coolant to dissipate from said coolant to the body of water via said heat exchanging exterior surface as said coolant flows through said heat exchanging fluid path,
• wherein the heat exchanging exterior surface of said heat exchanger is recessed in the hull to be flush with portions of said exterior surface of said hull immediately adjacent thereto wherein the hull has a downwardly facing recess and the heat exchanger is mounted within the recess to conform to the exterior surface of the hull, wherein the recess is a single recess positioned in a central portion of the hull, further comprising a ride plate coupled to the hull, wherein the recess is spaced from the ride plate.

A watercraft comprising:

• a hull having an exterior surface with a tunnel formed therein, wherein at least a portion of the hull is submerged in a body of water;
• an engine that generates power supported by the hull;
• a propulsion system positioned in the tunnel and operatively connected to the engine to propel the watercraft across the body of water using the power generated by the engine;
• a circulating system containing a supply of coolant that flows through the circulating system during operation of the engine, wherein the circulating system includes an engine heat absorbing portion, which is positioned adjacent portions of the engine that generate heat during operation to facilitate heat transfer to the coolant, and a heat exchanger, which is positioned at the exterior surface of the hull and forms the bottom of the tunnel to facilitate heat transfer from the coolant to the body of water,
• wherein the heat exchanger forms a ride plate that is at least partially formed from a heat conductive material and has a coolant fluid path defined therein with an inlet port and an outlet port in communication with the engine heat absorbing portion, wherein the ride plate includes a two-piece member having the coolant fluid path defined therebetween, with each piece extending the full width of the tunnel.

A watercraft comprising:

• a hull having an exterior surface with a tunnel formed therein, wherein at least a portion of the hull is submerged in a body of water;
• an engine that generates power supported by the hull;
• a propulsion system positioned in the tunnel and operatively connected to the engine to propel the watercraft across the body of water using the power generated by the engine;
• a circulating system containing a supply of coolant that flows through the circulating system during operation of the engine, wherein the circulating system includes an engine heat absorbing portion, which is positioned adjacent portions of the engine that generate heat during operation to facilitate heat transfer to the coolant, and a heat exchanger, which is positioned at the exterior surface of the hull and forms the bottom of the tunnel to facilitate heat transfer from the coolant to the body of water,
• wherein the heat exchanger forms a ride plate that is at least partially formed from a heat conductive material and has a coolant fluid path defined therein with an inlet port and an outlet port in communication with the engine heat absorbing portion, further comprising fasteners that connect the ride plate to the hull, wherein the fasteners extend through the ride plate and the hull such that the ride plate overlaps the 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 constructed and arranged to generate power and heat;
• a propulsion system operatively connected to said engine and being constructed and arranged to propel said watercraft along the surface of the body of water using the power generated by said engine;
• a closed coolant circulating system containing a supply of coolant that is caused to flow through said coolant circulating system during operation of said engine, said circulating system having an engine heat absorbing portion through which said coolant flows, said engine heat absorbing portion being positioned with respect to said engine such that at least a portion of the heat generated by said engine is absorbed by said heat absorbing portion and the coolant flowing therethrough;
• and
• at least one heat exchanger formed from a heat conductive material and having a fluid path defined therein with an inlet port and an outlet port, said heat exchanger having a heat exchanging exterior surface and being mounted to said hull such that the heat exchanging exterior surface constitutes a portion of the exterior surface of said hull that is normally disposed below the surface of the body of water when said watercraft is in an upright position;
• said inlet and outlet ports being respectively communicated to said engine heat absorbing portion such that said heat exchanging fluid path constitutes a portion of said coolant circulating system with said coolant flowing into said heat exchanging fluid path from said heat absorbing portion via said inlet port and from said fluid path back to said heat absorbing portion via said outlet poll, said heat conductive material of said heat exchanger allowing the heat absorbed from said engine by said coolant to dissipate from said coolant to the body of water via said heat exchanging exterior surface as said coolant flows through said heat exchanging fluid path,
• wherein said heat exchanger has a plate-like configuration with an upwardly facing surface and downwardly facing surface, and said plate-like heat exchanger is a ride plate mounted at an underside stern portion of said hull along a centerline thereof, and
• wherein said heat exchanger and said hull define an impeller tunnel having a rearward discharge opening at the stern and a forward intake opening spaced forwardly of said discharge opening, said propulsion system including an impeller assembly secured to said hull within said tunnel, said impeller assembly having an impeller with a plurality of blades, said impeller being connected to said engine so as to rotate under power from said engine such that said impeller draws water into said tunnel through said intake port and discharges the drawn water out from said tunnel through said discharge port in a pressurized stream to propel said watercraft, and
• wherein said impeller assembly comprises one or more fluid paths extending from an inner periphery of said impeller assembly to an external periphery thereof, said one or more fluid paths being constructed and arranged such that a portion of the water flowing through said impeller assembly is directed onto said upwardly facing surface of said heat exchanger, said heat conductive material of said heat exchanger allowing a portion of the heat absorbed from said engine by said coolant to dissipate from said coolant to the body of water via the water directed onto said upwardly facing surface as said coolant flows through said heat exchanging fluid path, wherein the propulsion system includes a plurality of nozzles extending from the impeller assembly that create the one or more fluid paths that direct water from the propulsion system onto a top surface of the at least one heat exchanger.

A watercraft comprising:

• a hull having a tunnel defined by a cavity formed therein, the tunnel having a width that is transverse to a centerline of the watercraft;
• an engine disposed within the hull;
• a propulsion system positioned at least in part within the tunnel and operatively connected to the engine;
• a circulating system including a heat exchanger forming a ride plate extending across the width of the tunnel.

A ride plate suitable for mounting to a bottom hull portion of a watercraft over a tunnel formed in the bottom hull portion, the watercraft including a power source having a circulating system, the ride plate comprising:

• a heat exchanging body being a rigid plate having a fluid path defined therein;
• the fluid path being adapted to be in fluid communication with the circulating system of the watercraft when the ride plate is mounted thereto;
• and
• the ride plate being sized to extend across an entire width of the tunnel.