Pontoon having a cross section with a non-uniform diameter and boat having same

#1. Field of the Invention

#The invention relates to floatation devices, and more particularly to pontoons for floating boats and boats having pontoons.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#FIG. 1 a side elevation view of a boat made in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 2 a perspective view of the pontoon boat of FIG. 1, showing the boat in water with people aboard;

#FIG. 3 a bottom plan view of the pontoon boat of FIGS. 1 and 2;

#Pursuant to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pontoon is provided that is tapered. The pontoon has a cross section with a smaller diameter at one portion of the pontoon than another portion in order to accommodate uneven load distribution along the includes a raised sun deck 56 behind the captain's chair 44 for sitting or lying in the sun. Finally, an engine 58 is mounted on the stem 24 of the boat 20 and supplies power to a propeller 60.

#Two pontoons 32 are provided in the illustrated embodiment, oriented generally parallel to one another and extending longitudinally of the boat 20. One or more additional pontoons 32 can be added. For example, a third pontoon 32 can be added between two pontoons 32, which can be located along outer sides of the boat 20. Pontoons 32 may be fabricated form a material such as aluminum or any other material commonly used in pontoons. Each pontoon 32 has a non-uniform diameter so as to have greater load bearing capacity at the portion(s) of the boat 20 where the load is more heavily distributed. That portion is the stem 24 in the illustrated embodiment. In a preferred embodiment, each pontoon 32 includes an elongated body 62 having a lower wall 64 that is partially cylindrical in shape and an upper wall 66 that is generally flat, as is best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. The body 62 is dimensioned and configured to provide variable buoyant force to a boat 20 along at least a majority of a length of the boat. Each pontoon 32 is attached to the lower surface 30 of the deck 26 at the generally flat, upper wall 66 of the body 62. When the pontoon boat 20 is in use, at least a portion of the partially cylindrical, lower wall 64 is submerged in water.

#Each pontoon 32 has a front end 68, which is located at or near the bow 22 of the 20 boat 20, and a rear end 70, which is located at or near the stem 24 of the boat 20. In a preferred embodiment, the front end 68 of the body 62 of each pontoon 32 is connectable to a nose cone 72 at a first seam 74. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, the nose cone 72 has a frustoconical shape, with a truncated front apex 76 and a rear base 78 length of the boat. In a particular preferred embodiment, the pontoon is narrower at the front and wider at the rear end of the pontoon. Hence, the pontoon can accommodate a load distribution that is skewed towards the greater stem of the boat. The pontoon may include a generally cylindrical body that may have an elongated portion cut away or omitted to define an elongated flat wall that is attachable to a lower side of a deck of the boat. A pontoon boat having a non-uniform diameter pontoon is also provided.