# US 8,783,203 B1 · Two-piece modular boat > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,203 B1 - Document ID: US8783203B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/402,950 - Filed: 2012-02-23 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-23 - Applicants: Danny C. Woods - Inventors: Danny C. Woods - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783203B1 ## CPC - B63B 7/04: sectionalised (sectionalised water sports boards B63B32/53; sectionalised canoes, kayaks or the like B63B34/23) - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) ## Abstract A boat comprising a two-piece construction which consequently conserves space during storage and transportation is herein disclosed. The apparatus splits in half to allow the forward half hull to be stored within the aft half hull portion. When joined, the apparatus appears and performs as a conventional small one-piece flat boat. Each half hull portion resembles a conventional shape; however comprises an additional centrally-located bulkhead portion, thereby forming a pair of completely watertight half hulls. Said half hulls are then attached securely via mating features and locking pins to form a rigid boat structure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modular boat assembly, comprising: a forward half hull portion, comprising a fore starboard wall, a fore port wall, a fore front wall, a fore floor wall, and a rear bulkhead; an aft half hull portion, comprising an aft starboard wall, an aft port wall, an aft rear wall, an aft floor wall, and a fore bulkhead, said aft half hull portion comprising a width slightly larger than said forward half hull portion; a boat joining means for conjoining and securing said forward half hull portion to said aft half hull portion, comprising: a pair of posts located aft of said rear bulkhead and extending rearward from said fore starboard wall, said fore port wall, and said fore floor wall, each having bottom end portions spanned by a bottom post and a top end having an aperture; a pair of channels located fore of said fore bulkhead and extending forward from said aft starboard wall, said aft port wall, and said aft floor wall, each having bottom end portions spanned by a bottom channel and a top end having an aperture; and, a pair of fasteners; and, a removable seat assembly attachable to said forward half hull portion and said aft half hull portion and covering said boat joining means; wherein said forward half hull portion further comprises a downwardly-tapering unitary structure; wherein said assembly is convertible between a constructed version and a deconstructed version; wherein said rear bulkhead of said forward half hull portion and said fore bulkhead of said aft half hull portion conjoin when said pair of posts and said bottom post are inserted into said pair of channels and said bottom channel, respectively, to achieve said constructed version; wherein said fasteners are inserted within aligned apertures of said pair of posts and said pair of channels to secure said assembly in said constructed version; wherein said boat joining means is a waterproof construction; and, wherein said forward half hull portion and said removable seat assembly is adaptable to be stored within said aft half hull portion when said assembly is in said deconstructed version. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pull handle located at an outer surface of said fore front wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of fore parallel stiffeners located at inner surfaces of said forward half hull portion and spanning between said fore front wall and said rear bulkhead; and, a plurality of aft parallel stiffeners located at inner surfaces of said aft half hull portion and spanning between said fore bulkhead and said aft rear wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a floatation enclosure extending across and integrated into a bow portion of said forward half hull portion; wherein said flotation enclosure is adapted to receive a quantity of buoyant material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a mounting panel attached to an inner surface portion of said aft rear wall; wherein said mounting panel is adapted to affix an outboard motor thereto. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pair of gusset plates affixed to top outer corner junctions of said aft starboard wall and said aft port wall with said aft rear wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein said removable seat assembly further comprises: a seating panel, comprising a “U”-shaped structure; a pair of cut-out portions; and, a pair of joint attachment brackets each adjacent to one of said pair of cut-out portions; wherein said pair of cut-out portions are removably positioned about a top of said pair of channels, such that said pair of joint attachment brackets abut said pair of channels and said apertures of each of said pair of joint attachment brackets are aligned with said apertures of said pair of channels and said pair of posts; wherein said seating panel covers said pair of channels, said fore bulkhead, and said aft bulkhead when said assembly is in said constructed version; and, wherein said pair of fasteners secure said seating panel to said assembly when in said constructed version. ### Claim 8 A modular boat assembly, comprising: a forward half hull portion, comprising a fore starboard wall, a fore port wall, a fore front wall, a fore floor wall, and a rear bulkhead; an aft half hull portion, comprising an aft starboard wall, an aft port wall, an aft rear wall, an aft floor wall, and a fore bulkhead, said aft half hull portion comprising a width slightly larger than said forward half hull portion; a boat joining means for conjoining and securing said forward half hull portion to said aft half hull portion, comprising: a pair of posts located aft of said rear bulkhead and extending rearward from said fore starboard wall, said fore port wall, and said fore floor wall, each having a bottom end portions spanned by a bottom post and a top end having an aperture; a pair of channels located fore of said fore bulkhead and extending forward from said aft starboard wall, said aft port wall, and said aft floor wall, each having a bottom end portions spanned by a bottom channel and a top end having an aperture; and, a pair of fasteners; a removable seat assembly attachable to said forward half hull portion and said aft half hull portion and covering said boat joining means; and, at least one auxiliary seat assembly each selectively removably attached to an auxiliary seat attachment means; wherein said assembly is convertible between a constructed version and a deconstructed version; wherein said rear bulkhead of said forward half hull portion and said fore bulkhead of said aft half hull portion conjoin when said pair of posts and said bottom post are inserted into said pair of channels and said bottom channel, respectively, to achieve said constructed version; wherein said fasteners are inserted within aligned apertures of said pair of posts and said pair of channels to secure said assembly in said constructed version; wherein said boat joining means is a waterproof construction; wherein said auxiliary seat attachment means attaches said at least one auxiliary seat assembly to said either said forward half hull portion or said aft half hull portion; and, wherein said forward half hull portion and said removable seat assembly is adaptable to be stored within said aft half hull portion when said assembly is in said deconstructed version. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein said forward half hull portion further comprises a downwardly-tapering unitary structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, further comprising a pull handle located at an outer surface of said fore front wall. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, further comprising: a plurality of fore parallel stiffeners located at inner surfaces of said forward half hull portion and spanning between said fore front wall and said rear bulkhead; and, a plurality of aft parallel stiffeners located at inner surfaces of said aft half hull portion and spanning between said fore bulkhead and said aft rear wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, further comprising a floatation enclosure extending across and integrated into a bow portion of said forward half hull portion; wherein said flotation enclosure is adapted to receive a quantity of buoyant material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, further comprising a mounting panel attached to an inner surface portion of said aft rear wall; wherein said mounting panel is adapted to affix an outboard motor thereto. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, further comprising a pair of gusset plates affixed to top outer corner junctions of said aft starboard wall and said aft port wall with said aft rear wall. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The assembly of claim 10, wherein said removable seat assembly further comprises: a seating panel, comprising a “U”-shaped structure; a pair of cut-out portions; and, a pair of joint attachment brackets each adjacent to one of said pair of cut-out portions; wherein said pair of cut-out portions are removably positioned about a top of said pair of channels, such that said pair of joint attachment brackets abut said pair of channels and said apertures of each of said pair of joint attachment brackets are aligned with said apertures of said pair of channels and said pair of posts; wherein said seating panel covers said pair of channels, said fore bulkhead, and said aft bulkhead when said assembly is in said constructed version; and, wherein said pair of fasteners secure said seating panel to said assembly when in said constructed version. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, wherein said auxiliary seat attachment means further comprises a pair of support brackets affixed to opposing and aligned inner surfaces and spanning a distance between a pair of stiffeners of either said fore starboard wall and said fore port wall or said aft starboard wall and said aft port wall. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The assembly of claim 16, wherein said at least one auxiliary seat assembly further comprises: an auxiliary seat panel having a channel-shaped cross-section sized to span an inner width of either said forward half hull portion or said aft half hull portion; a pair of first hooks located on one short side of said auxiliary seat panel and extending outwardly therefrom; a pair of locking bracket assemblies located on an opposing short side from said pair of first hooks, each further comprising: a bracket track affixed to a bottom surface of said auxiliary seat panel; a locking bracket extension slidingly engaged within said bracket track, further comprising a second hook extending outwardly therefrom; a slot located within said locking bracket extension; and, a locking bracket fastener insertingly received through said slot; wherein said pair of first hooks is selectively placed on an underside surface of one of said pair of support brackets; wherein said auxiliary seat panel is placed on an upper side surface of each of said pair of support brackets; wherein said pair of locking bracket assemblies are selectively motioned laterally so as to enable said second hooks to be placed on an underside surface of an opposing one of said pair of support brackets; and, wherein said locking bracket fastener fastens a desired lateral position of said locking bracket extension within said bracket track of each of said pair of locking bracket assemblies.