Steering control for watercraft

Abstract

The invention provide an adjustable steering mechanism for a watercraft. The watercraft has a hull including a main body, an upper wall engaging the hull and cooperating therewith to defme an engine compartment for housing an engine. The engine has an output shaft arranged to drive a water propulsion device of the watercraft The upper wall has a top surface and a bottom surface. The bottom surface facing forwardly towards engine compartment. A first steering means extends through the upper wall and is in communication with a steering mechanism of the watercraft. The first steering means also coupled to a steering shaft and handle. The steering shaft and handle are journalled for rotation about a first axis with respect to a rotation member. The rotation member being rotatably affixed to the top side of the upper wall opposite the engine compartment thereby allowing the rotation of the rotation member and the steering shaft and handle in a forward and rearward direction about a second axis generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the watercraft and the first axis and whereby the steering shaft and handle is independently rotatable with respect to the rotation member about the first axis.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A watercraft having a hull including a main body, an upper wall engaging said hull and cooperating therewith to define an engine compartment for housing an engine having an output shaft arranged to drive a water propulsion device of said watercraft, said upper wall having a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface facing forwardly towards said engine compartment, a first steering means extending through said upper wall and in communication with a steering mechanism of said watercraft, said first steering means also coupled to a steering shaft and handle, said steering shaft and handle journalled for rotation about a first axis with respect to a rotation member, said rotation member being rotatably affixed to said top side of said upper wall opposite said engine compartment thereby allowing the rotation of said rotation member and said steering shaft and handle in a forward and rearward direction about a second axis generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said watercraft and said first axis and whereby said steering shaft and handle is independently rotatable with respect to said rotation member about said first axis.  
     
     
         2 . A watercraft of  claim 1  further including releasable locking means for locking said rotation member at an angle of rotation selected by the operator of said watercraft.  
     
     
         3 . A watercraft of  claim 2  wherein said releasable locking means allow said rotation member to be locked at predetermined positions.  
     
     
         4 . A watercraft of  claim 2  wherein said releasable locking means are located between said top surface of said upper wall and below said steering shaft and handle.  
     
     
         5 . A watercraft of claim I further including stopper means for limiting the travel of said rotation member in a forward and rearward direction.  
     
     
         6 . A watercraft of  claim 1  wherein said rotation member includes at least one fixed portion pivotally coupled with at least one rotating portion and said steering shaft and handle rotatably affixed to said rotation portion.  
     
     
         7 . A watercraft of  claim 6  further including spring means affixed to said fixed portion and said rotating portion for counterbalancing said rotation member and said steering shaft and handle.  
     
     
         8 . A watercraft of  claim 1  further including a cover member attached to said upper wall at least partially enclosing and encasing at least a portion of said rotation member.  
     
     
         9 . A watercraft of  claim 1  further including a display panel affixed to said top side of said upper wall on a side opposite said engine compartment wherein said display having a face with an upper edge and a lower edge.  
     
     
         10 . A watercraft of  claim 9  further defining a plane substantially perpendicular to said face and extending through said lower edge.  
     
     
         11 . A watercraft of  claim 1  further including a pad assembly having a front end and a rear end wherein said pad assembly is affixed to rotate and pivot with said steering shaft and handle in a forward and rearward direction.  
     
     
         12 . A watercraft of  claim 11  wherein at a forward rotation of said rotation member said front end of said pad assembly is positioned rearwardly of said plane.  
     
     
         13 . A watercraft of  claim 11  wherein at a forward rotation of said rotation member said front end of said pad assembly is positioned forwardly of said plane.  
     
     
         14 . A watercraft of  claim 11  wherein said steering shaft and handle and pad assembly further includes a throttle lever rotating about a third axis substantially vertical during at least a portion of the rotation of said rotation member.  
     
     
         15 . A watercraft of  claim 14  wherein said third axis is substantially vertical when said steering shaft and handle are rotated in a rearward direction.  
     
     
         16 . A watercraft of  claim 1  further including a switch box attached to said steering shaft and handle wherein said switch box including a rearward face.  
     
     
         17 . A watercraft of  claim 16  wherein when said steering shaft and handle is rotated in a rearward direction said rearward face is substantially vertical.  
     
     
         18 . A watercraft of  claim 16  wherein when said rearward face is substantially vertical during at least a portion of the rotation of said rotation member.  
     
     
         19 . A watercraft of  claim 1  further including a universal joint coupling said first steering means to said steering shaft and handle and said universal joint is positioned above said top side of said upper wall.  
     
     
         20 . A watercraft of  claim 19  further including a cover member attached to said top side of said upper wall at least partially enclosing at least a portion of said rotation member and said universal joint.  
     
     
         21 . A watercraft of  claim 20  wherein said cover includes a longitudinally extending slot and said steering shaft and handle extend through said slot allowing forward and rearward rotation of said steering shaft and handle.  
     
     
         22 . A watercraft of  claim 21  further including a pad affixed to rotate and pivot with said steering shaft and handle.  
     
     
         23 . A watercraft of  claim 22  wherein said pad includes a generally arcuate bottom side a front edge and a rear edge.  
     
     
         24 . A watercraft of  claim 23  wherein at least a portion of said pad is positioned above said cover.  
     
     
         25 . A watercraft of  claim 20  wherein said cover further includes a generally arcuate top side.  
     
     
         26 . A watercraft of  claim 25  wherein said steering shaft and handle is rotatable about said universal joint and said front edge of said pad is positioned forward of said universal joint when said steering shaft and said handle and said pad are rotated in a forward direction.  
     
     
         27 . A watercraft of  claim 1  further including a sealing member in said upper wall to seal said first steering means extending through said upper wall.  
     
     
         28 . A watercraft of  claim 27  wherein said steering shaft is coupled to said rotation member by at least two bearings.  
     
     
         29 . A watercraft of  claim 28  wherein said first steering means is coupled to said steering shaft at a position on said steering shaft between at least two bearings.  
     
     
         30 . A watercraft of  claim 29  wherein said first steering means extends substantially horizontally.  
     
     
         31 . A watercraft of  claim 29  wherein said first steering means extends substantially vertically.  
     
     
         32 . A watercraft of  claim 1  further including bearing means affixed to the top side of said upper wall for rotatably supporting said first steering means.  
     
     
         33 . A watercraft of  claim 32  further including a support bracket support bracket for reinforcing said bearing means and said support bracket being located on a bottom side of said upper wall.  
     
     
         34 . A watercraft of  claim 33  further including releasable locking means.  
     
     
         35 . A watercraft of  claim 34  further including a cover member attached to said top side of said upper wall at least partially enclosing said bearing means and said releasable locking means.  
     
     
         36 . A watercraft having a hull including a main body, an upper wall engaging said hull thereby creating an engine compartment for housing an engine of said watercraft, a seating means located on a side of said upper wall opposite said engine compartment, a first steering means extending through said upper wall and in communication with a steering mechanism on said watercraft, said first steering means also coupled to a second steering means, said second steering means rotatably affixed to a rotation member, said rotation member being affixed to a side of said upper wall opposite said engine compartment thereby allowing the rotation of said rotation member and said second steering means about an axis generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said watercraft and locking means for releasably locking the rotation member.  
     
     
         37 . A watercraft of  claim 36  further including rotation limiting means for limiting the travel of said rotation member in a forward and rearward direction.  
     
     
         38 . A watercraft of  claim 36  wherein said rotation member includes at least one fixed portion pivotally coupled with at least one rotating portion and said second steering means is rotatably affixed to said rotation portion.  
     
     
         39 . A watercraft of  claim 36  wherein said rotation member includes at least one fixed portion pivotally coupled with at least one rotating portion and said second steering means rotatably affixed to said rotation portion.  
     
     
         40 . A watercraft of  claim 39  further includes spring means affixed to said fixed portion and said rotating portion for counterbalancing said rotation member and said second steering means.  
     
     
         41 . A watercraft of  claim 40  further including a cover member attached to said upper wall at least partially enclosing and encasing at least a portion of said rotation member.  
     
     
         42 . A watercraft of  claim 36  further including a gauge panel affixed to said upper top side of said wall on a side opposite said engine compartment.  
     
     
         43 . A watercraft of  claim 36  further including a pad and handle bar assembly connected to said second steering means wherein said pad and handle bar assembly are affixed to rotate and pivot with said second steering means.  
     
     
         44 . A watercraft of  claim 43  wherein at a forward rotation of said rotation member said pad and handle bar assembly at least partially cover said gauge panel.  
     
     
         45 . A watercraft of  claim 43  wherein said pad and handle bar assembly further includes a throttle lever rotating about at axis substantially vertical during at least part of the rotation of said rotation member.