초록 ▼

An improved multi-hull gas cushion supported marine vehicle that is, in its preferred embodiment, capable of transition to airborne surface effect operation is presented. This marine vehicle, known as SeaCoaster, has optional elongated knife shaped bows that slice into waves, very fine entry and low

An improved multi-hull gas cushion supported marine vehicle that is, in its preferred embodiment, capable of transition to airborne surface effect operation is presented. This marine vehicle, known as SeaCoaster, has optional elongated knife shaped bows that slice into waves, very fine entry and low angle of divergence supporting gas cushions, water rejecting steps that extend high onto the sidehulls, and retractable water stabilizers to insure optimum performance in heavy seas. The retractable water stabilizers are in the form of inverted-T hydrofoils and/or small boat shaped members. Several variations of hydrofoil configurations are presented. It also has special, normally inverted-V shaped, gas cushion and wetdeck aft seals to insure minimum effect of wave impacts in those areas. The gas pressurization system normally includes powered blowers where a flap-like sealing device can be installed to seal gas leakage. This allows a gas pressurizing blower to either maintain cushion gas pressure for minimum draft or evacuate the gas cushion from minimum above water profile. The latter is valuable for patrol boat applications where a minimum radar signature is desired. Connecting ducts between gas cushions can include venturi\s that restrict pressure pulses in one gas cushion from traveling to another gas cushion. Retractable or fixed sidewings are optionally proposed to add aerodynamic lift when SeaCoaster is airborne. These sidewings may include outrigger hulls for added stability and improved aerodynamic efficiencies.

대표청구항 ▼

In an improved marine vehicle including a propulsion system and with multiple hulls where said multiple hulls are in mechanical communication, the improvement comprising: port and starboard sidehulls with each sidehull comprising an open bottomed recess that is artificially pressurized with gas from

In an improved marine vehicle including a propulsion system and with multiple hulls where said multiple hulls are in mechanical communication, the improvement comprising: port and starboard sidehulls with each sidehull comprising an open bottomed recess that is artificially pressurized with gas from at least one gas pressurization means to thereby form a weight supporting gas cushion when said marine vehicle is waterborne with boundaries of said recess at least partially defined by water contacting substantially rigid sidekeels and a recess aft seal and where, as seen in a calm sea surface water-line with the gas cushions pressurized and the marine vehicle waterborne and moving forward at high speed, the sidehulls are separated by a water clearing wetdeck and are individually substantially boat shaped with narrow bows forward that then diverge, by way of the water contacting substantially rigid sidekeels, and with said sidekeels transforming to more parallel sections over their aft portions and wherein an average total divergence angle of the water contacting sidekeels of said sidehull recess, as measured from the narrow bow to where the sidekeels become more parallel over their aft portions, is on average less than twenty-two degrees and where each of said sidekeels diverges on average over a minimum of one third of its water contacting length going aft from the narrow bow forward to where the sidekeels become more parallel over their aft portions.