초록 ▼

A watercraft immobilizing apparatus and system for a marine vessel to passively defend against an attacking engine-powered watercraft includes a towed array of entanglement lines. The entanglement lines can be provided on and administered from removable/replaceable storage cartridges mountable on an

A watercraft immobilizing apparatus and system for a marine vessel to passively defend against an attacking engine-powered watercraft includes a towed array of entanglement lines. The entanglement lines can be provided on and administered from removable/replaceable storage cartridges mountable on and/or deployed via davits, outriggers, paravanes, and/or weighted submersible rollers to foul and immobilize propellers and engine cooling water intakes of encroaching watercraft.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A watercraft immobilizing apparatus deployable from a marine vessel, said apparatus comprising a plurality of separate entanglement lines configured to extend from and be towed by said vessel in surrounding water, said entanglement lines being configured to stream at least one of at and below the

1. A watercraft immobilizing apparatus deployable from a marine vessel, said apparatus comprising a plurality of separate entanglement lines configured to extend from and be towed by said vessel in surrounding water, said entanglement lines being configured to stream at least one of at and below the surface of said water about at least one assailable face of said vessel so as to become entangled in a propulsion system of an approaching watercraft. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one cartridge configured to retain and administer said entanglement lines. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said at least one cartridge is replaceable. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said at least one cartridge is mountable on at least one outrigger of said vessel. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising at least one submersible dual roller structure suspended from said at least one outrigger configured to direct and maintain said entanglement lines generally parallel to said vessel at least one of at and below said water surface adjacent to said at least one cartridge. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one end of said dual roller structure includes a fin to prevent said entanglement lines from fouling a propeller of said marine vessel. 7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one aft submersible dual roller structure suspended from the stern bulwark of said vessel to direct and maintain said entanglement lines at least one of at and below said water surface behind said vessel adjacent to said at least one cartridge. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said at least one aft submersible dual roller structure is expandable to cover the full transom of said vessel by segment extensions to said at least one cartridge. 9. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising weighted spreader bars configured to hold each of said entanglement lines for each of said at least one cartridge in a submerged pattern. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said weighted spreader bars include fins for improved stability. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein ones of said weighted spreader bars located at the stern of said vessel are attached to adjacent ones of said weighted spreader bars. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said entanglement lines are deployable at least one of along the port and starboard sides and behind the stern of said marine vessel. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said entanglement lines are weighted for neutral buoyancy. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said entanglement lines are formed from at least one of wire, nylon, and a biodegradable material. 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein individual ones of said entanglement lines include at least one further sub-line extending therefrom. 16. A watercraft immobilizing system for a marine vessel, said system comprising at least one outrigger positioned proximate at least one assailable face of said vessel; at least one cartridge mounted on said at least one outrigger; said at least one cartridge being configured to hold and to administer a plurality of lines; at least one submersible dual roller structure suspended below said at least one outrigger; said at least one roller structure being configured to receive and to direct said lines to stream adjacent to said at least one cartridge in a surrounding body of water at least one of at or below the surface of said water so as to become entangled in and foul a propulsion system of an approaching watercraft, said lines being constructed to break free of said vessel upon becoming entangled in said propulsion system. 17. The system of claim 16, further comprising at least one stern mounted cartridge and at least one aft submersible dual roller structure suspended from structure at said stern of said vessel to receive and to direct said lines from said at least one stern mounted cartridge to stream below said water surface behind said vessel. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein ones of said at least one submersible dual roller structure associated with ones of said at least one outrigger located at said stern of said vessel are connected to said at least one aft submersible dual roller structure to form a unit. 19. The system of claim 17, wherein said at least one aft submersible dual roller structure is expandable to cover the full transom of said vessel by means of segment extensions to said at least one stern mounted cartridge. 20. The system of claim 16, wherein ends of said at least one dual roller structure include fins to prevent said lines from fouling a propeller of said marine vessel. 21. The system of claim 16, wherein ends of each of said lines for said at least one cartridge are held in a submerged pattern by at least one weighted spreader bar. 22. The system of claim 16, wherein said at least one outrigger includes a pair of stern outriggers and a pair of forward outriggers; said forward outriggers including a port side outrigger and a starboard side outrigger; each of said stern and forward outriggers deploying said at least one cartridge and said at least one submersible dual roller structure. 23. The system of claim 16, wherein said lines are formed from at least one of wire, nylon, and a biodegradable material. 24. A vessel, comprising the watercraft immobilizing apparatus according to claim 1. 25. A vessel, comprising the watercraft immobilizing system according to claim 16. 26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein secondary entanglement lines extend from said entanglement lines in intervals of not more than five feet. 27. A method for immobilizing a watercraft comprising the step of deploying the watercraft immobilizing apparatus as claimed in claim 1. 28. A watercraft immobilizing system for a marine vessel, said system comprising a first mounting unit positioned proximate at least one assailable face of said vessel and coupled to a floating apparatus via at least one transverse link; and a second mounting unit positioned proximate at least one of a forward portion and an aft portion of said vessel, said second mounting unit coupled to said floating apparatus via at least one boom, said at least one boom coupled to a plurality of separate entanglement lines to direct said entanglement lines to stream at least one of at and below the surface of the surrounding water so as to become entangled in a propulsion system of an approaching watercraft. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein said floating apparatus is a floated paravane. 30. The system of claim 29, wherein said paravane includes at least one fin. 31. The system of claim 28, wherein said at least one transverse link is configured to couple said first mounting unit to said floating apparatus via a bridle. 32. The system of claim 28, wherein said at least one boom is at least one of a wire and a chain. 33. The system of claim 28, wherein said at least one boom includes eyes for coupling to said entanglement lines. 34. The system of claim 28, wherein said at least one boom supports at least one storage roller for directing said entanglement lines. 35. The system of claim 28, wherein said at least one boom is coupled to said vessel via at least one of a traveling block of said vessel, a folding bowsprit of said vessel, and a hard connection to the hull of said vessel. 36. A vessel, comprising the watercraft immobilizing system according to claim 28. 37. A marine vessel defense system, comprising the watercraft immobilizing apparatus of claim 1. 38. A marine piracy prevention system, comprising separate entanglement lines attached to sides of a first marine vessel, said lines being storable and deployable via at least one boom, said lines being configured to foul a propulsion system of a second marine vessel when said lines are deployed in water about both said first marine vessel and said second marine vessel. 39. The watercraft immobilizing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said separate entanglement lines are configured to break free of said vessel upon becoming entangled in said propulsion system. 40. The watercraft immobilizing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said separate entanglement lines are deployable from at least one outrigger of said vessel.