Wakeboat draft measuring system and methods
AssigneeSkier's Choice, Inc.
InventorRichard L. Hartman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Wakeboat hull control systems and methods are provided to permit the accurate reproduction of a wake behind a wakeboat. The onboard wake control system receives data from a draft measuring system. Incorporation of the data from the draft measuring system permits accurate reproduction of a wake behind the wakeboat after a change in an onboard variable such as the number, weight or position of passengers, the weight or position of cargo and the position of trim tabs or amount/location of ballast.
Claims37
A wake control system for a wakeboat having a hull, said system comprising:
- at least one trim tab attached to said wakeboat;
- at least one ballast tank carried by said wakeboat;
- the wake control system capable of controlling the position of said at least one trim tab and the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank and storing data associated with the position of said at least one trim tab and the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank;
- a fitting positioned within an opening in the hull, said opening in the hull located below the operational waterline of the hull;
- an open pipe attached to said fitting, said open pipe providing fluid communication between the exterior and interior of the hull;
- a shutoff valve positioned between said open pipe and said fitting;
- a draft measuring system carried by said pipe, said draft measuring system capable of generating a signal representative of a wake profile for said hull within the water, said signal received and stored by said wake control system.
A wake control system for a wakeboat having a hull, said system comprising:
- at least one trim tab attached to said wakeboat;
- at least one ballast tank carried by said wakeboat;
- the wake control system capable of controlling the position of said at least one trim tab and the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank and storing data associated with the position of said at least one trim tab and the fluid level within said at least one ballast tank;
- a fitting positioned within an opening in the hull, said opening in the hull located below the operational waterline of the hull;
- an open pipe attached to said fitting, said open pipe providing fluid communication between the exterior and interior of the hull;
- a cap positioned on top of said pipe carried by said fitting, said cap including a pressure transducer configured to measure air pressure within said pipe and capable of generating a signal representative of the volume of water within said pipe, said signal received and stored by said wake control system.
A method for accurately reproducing a wake behind a wakeboat comprising:
- providing a wakeboat, said wakeboat having a hull fitted with a draft measuring system, at least one trim tab and at least one ballast tank, said at least one trim tab and at least one ballast tank controlled by an onboard wake control system;
- establishing a first wake behind said wakeboat;
- measuring the draft of the hull using said draft measuring system, said draft measuring system generating a signal representative of the measured draft;
- transmitting the signal representative of the measured draft to said onboard wake control system;
- storing the value of said measured draft in said onboard wake control system;
- changing at least one of the following variables:
- number of passengers on said wakeboat, the weight of all passengers on said wakeboat, the weight of cargo on said wakeboat, the position of passengers on said wakeboat, the position of cargo on said wakeboat, the angle of said at least one trim tab, the volume of liquid within said ballast tank;
- following the change in at least one of the variables, using said draft measuring system and said wake control system to reproduce said first wake.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.