Air assisted ship

In an improved marine vehicle with at least two supporting hulls having gas cushion recesses built into their undersides, said supporting hulls in mechanical communication by means of connecting hull structure, said gas cushion recesses acting to restrain pressurized gas cushions formed when pressurized gas is supplied to said pressurized gas cushions by artificial gas pressurization means when the improved marine vehicle is waterborne, the improvement comprising:

• said recesses at least partially defined by recess aft gas cushion seals and sidekeels, said connecting hull structure at least in part airfoil shaped with an upper surface that is, on average as seen m a longitudinal cross section, curvilinear and thicker at its longitudinal mid-point than its aft portions, and an air directing wing disposed above surfaces of said connecting hull structure and wherein at least portions of gas supplied to said artificial gas pressurization means is obtained from one or more transversely oriented gas openings in upper surfaces of said connecting hull structure whereby said transversely oriented gas openings are, at least in their majority, positioned aft of said longitudinal mid-point of said connecting hull structure.

In an improved marine vehicle with at least two supporting hulls having gas cushion recesses built into their undersides, said supporting hulls in mechanical communication by means of connecting hull structure, said gas cushion recesses acting to restrain pressurized gas cushions formed when pressurized gas is supplied to said pressurized gas cushions by artificial gas pressurization means when the improved marine vehicle is waterborne, the improvement comprising:

• said gas cushion recesses at least partially defined by recess aft gas cushion seals and sidekeels, said connecting hull structure at least in part airfoil shaped with an upper surface that is, on average as seen in a longitudinal cross section, curvilinear and thicker at its longitudinal mid-point than its aft portions, and wherein which further comprises one or more transversely oriented gas openings in upper surfaces of said connecting hull structure wherein said gas opening supplies gas to an air propulsor.

In an improved marine vehicle with at least two supporting hulls having gas cushion recesses built into their undersides, said supporting hulls in mechanical communication by means of connecting hull structure, said gas cushion recesses acting to restrain pressurized gas cushions formed when pressurized gas is supplied to said pressurized gas cushions by artificial gas pressurization means when the improved marine vehicle is waterborne, the improvement comprising:

• said gas cushion recesses at least partially defined by recess aft gas cushion seals and sidekeels, said connecting hull structure at least in part airfoil shaped with an upper surface that is, on average as seen in a longitudinal cross section, curvilinear and thicker at its longitudinal mid-point than its aft portions, and wherein there are vertically oriented recesses inset into outside surfaces of the supporting hulls.