Water sports towing vessel and method
AssigneeCorrect Craft IP Holdings, LLC
InventorsWilliam N. Snook, Borden M. Larson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Wakeboarding performance is improved using a vessel having an operator station located generally amidships, a vertical support unit fitted across a beam of the vessel near the operator station, and adjustable ballast. An upper portion of the vertical support is at a height substantially above a level of the operator station, and a container is onboard and proximate the starboard and port sides, wherein water from a body of water within which the vessel is operating is directed into the container for weighing down a stern of the vessel to provide the ballast so as to modify a wake created for a wakeboarder or the like being towed by the vessel using a tow rope attached to the upper portion of the vertical support.
Claims21
A water sports vessel comprising:
- an operator station located generally amidships between opposing starboard and port sides;
- a vertical support unit fitted across a beam of the vessel proximate the operator station, the vertical support unit having an upper portion at a height substantially above a level of the operator station, the vertical support adapted for securing a tow rope thereto;
- a tow rope receiver carried by the upper portion of the vertical support unit for attaching a tow rope thereto and towing a performer therefrom;
- at least one container onboard the vessel and proximate the starboard and port sides thereof;
- and
- a fluid line positioned for directing water into the at least one container from a body of water within which the vessel is operating for weighing down a stern of the vessel so at to modify a wake created thereby;
- wherein the at least one container comprises an enclosed container having an opening therein for venting air thereto;
- and
- further comprising a valve operable with the opening for controlling air venting to the at least one container.
A water sports vessel comprising:
- an operator station located generally amidships between opposing starboard and port sides;
- a vertical support unit fitted across a beam of the vessel proximate the operator station, the vertical support unit having an upper portion at a height substantially above a level of the operator station, the vertical support adapted for securing a tow rope thereto;
- a tow rope receiver carried by the upper portion of the vertical support unit for attaching a tow rope thereto and towing a performer therefrom;
- at least one container onboard the vessel and proximate the starboard and port sides thereof;
- and
- a fluid line positioned for directing water into the at least one container from a body of water within which the vessel is operating for weighing down a stern of the vessel so at to modify a wake created thereby;
- wherein the at least one container comprises starboard and port containers;
- and
- wherein each of the starboard and port containers comprise an elongated first portion fitted beneath starboard and port quarter gunwales, respectively, of the vessel.
A water sports vessel comprising:
- an operator station located generally amidships between opposing starboard and port sides;
- a vertical support unit fitted across a beam of the vessel proximate the operator station, the vertical support unit having an upper portion at a height substantially above a level of the operator station, the vertical support adapted for securing a tow rope thereto;
- a tow rope receiver carried by the upper portion of the vertical support unit for attaching a tow rope thereto and towing a performer therefrom;
- at least one container onboard the vessel and proximate the starboard and port sides thereof;
- and
- a fluid line positioned for directing water into the at least one container from a body of water within which the vessel is operating for weighing down a stern of the vessel so at to modify a wake created thereby;
- wherein the vertical support unit comprises a generally U-shaped support structure;
- and
- wherein the generally U-shaped support structure comprises:
- a first U-shaped support structure fitted across the beam of the vessel at a point forward the operator station;
- a second U-shaped support structure fitted across the beam of the vessel at a point aft the operator station and substantially above the level of the operator station;
- and
- at least one rigid bar attached between the forward and aft U-shaped structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.