Motor powered catamaran

Abstract

A twin-hulled water craft or catamaran preferably has rotationally molded plastics hulls ( 1 ) and pod ( 2 ) preferably with provision for fore and aft adjustment of the hulls with respect to the pod. The craft is hand-steered and preferably hand accelerated. Propulsion is via either an inboard or outboard motor with propeller or water-jet. The rider or riders sit low in the pod behind the steering control and above or before the motor. The hulls ( 1 ) are shaped to minimize spray in front of the rider and to allow easy outward sideways skidding. The construction seeks to improve the handling, stability and speed characteristics of this type of craft.

1 . A twin-hulled water craft, for operation on the surface of a body of water, comprising two hulls ( 1 ) each mounted to a pod ( 2 ) located between the two hulls, the pod including rider accommodation means for accommodating a rider of the craft and adapted to be provided with suitable motorised propulsion means to power the craft in use characterised in that the pod includes control means located forward of the rider accommodation means and adapted in use to be hand operated by the rider to enable steering of the craft via steering means with which the control means coacts, said control means also being operable to vary the speed of propulsion in use, the accommodation means including seating means ( 6 ) for the rider and the whole or substantially the whole of the length of each hull which is or may be underwater in use having no pod-facing or inward surface angled to produce a bow-wave directed to the opposite hull in use and each such part of the length having its outward surface shaped to facilitate sideways outward skidding of that hull in use.  
     
     
         2 . A twin-hulled water craft as claimed in    claim 1    characterised in that the seating means ( 6 ) provides an openable lid of a compartment.  
     
     
         3 . A twin-hulled water craft as claimed in    claim 1    or    claim 2    characterised in that the seating means ( 6 ) provides fore and aft directed bench seating for 2 riders.  
     
     
         4 . A twin-hulled water craft as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the control means includes handlebar-type steering and a hand accelerator.  
     
     
         5 . A twin-hulled water craft as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that part of the steering means is located beneath the seating means ( 6 ).  
     
     
         6 . A twin-hulled water craft as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the pod ( 2 ) and hulls ( 1 ) are each separately moulded in plastics.  
     
     
         7 . A twin-hulled water craft as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the hulls ( 1 ) are attached to the pod ( 2 ) in a manner allowing fore and aft positioning movement with respect to the pod ( 2 ).