Powered kayak-like boat

Abstract

A motor driven personal watercraft, including a multi-portion hull, an internal combustion engine, and a fuel tank. The upper portion includes a recessed cockpit region configured to accommodate a seat for a user and a storage container/area. The lower portion includes a user interface configured to provide controllable steering for said personal watercraft. A second user interface is connected to the motor allows the user to control motor's output. The motor is a low profile internal combustion engine having a height of less than about seven inches, and fits within the volume defined by the upper and lower portion when in their operational configuration.

1 . A powered personal watercraft comprising: 
 a multi portion, substantially rigid, hull;    an internal combustion engine;    a fuel containment component; and    at least one electrical component;    said substantially rigid hull includes an upper portion and an interfacing lower portion, wherein the interfacing upper and lower portions each include an interfacial area;    said upper portion includes: 
 a recessed cockpit region accommodating: 
 a seat for a user; and at least one of:  
 an integral substantially hermetically sealable storage container; and  
 an open topped storage recess;  
 
   said lower portion includes: 
 a first user interface configured to provide controllable steering for said personal watercraft;  
 a second user interface operatively connected to said power source and configured to control power for said personal watercraft; and  
   at least one aperture;    a primer bulb accessible by a user on the personal watercraft;    a sealing component applied to at least one of the interfacial areas of the upper and lower portions;    a plurality of latches;    a front portion, said front portion including a plurality of apertures, said apertures are sized to accommodate threaded bolts, when the threads are engaged with a threaded receiver the resulting bias serves to create a seal between the upper and lower portions;    said internal combustion engine includes: 
 an engine block;  
 a compression chamber;  
 an ignition system;  
 a fuel delivery system; and  
 an exhaust system,  
   said internal combustion engine having a height of less than seven inches, and said upper portion and said lower portion defining a volume sufficient to accommodate the internal combustion engine, fuel tank and at least one electrical component, and said lower portion including at least one aperture.    
   
   
       2 . The personal powered watercraft of clam  1 , wherein said engine has a height of about 6.5 inches and produces about 325 PSI thrust.  
   
   
       3 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1  wherein said internal combustion engine provides thrust such that the personal watercraft with a 180 pound load moves at least 25 MPH on calm water.  
   
   
       4 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1  wherein said internal combustion engine has an output of at least 37 horsepower.  
   
   
       5 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1  wherein said internal combustion engine has approximately a 330 cc displacement, has only one cylinder, is water cooled, has a weight of about 45 pounds and dimensions of approximately 6.5 inches in height by 10 inches in width.  
   
   
       6 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the personal watercraft substantially rigid, multi-portion hull is made of at least one of the following: 
 rotationally molded plastic;    fiberglass;    engineered elastomer;    carbon fiber; and    composite of at least one of: 
 fiberglass,  
 carbon fiber, and  
 Kevlar brand engineered elastomer.  
   
   
   
       7 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the craft includes a seat allowing for the user to sit on top of the personal watercraft.  
   
   
       8 . The personal watercraft of  claim 7 , further including hand controls which control at least one of power or steering and disposed within close proximity of the seat.  
   
   
       9 . The personal watercraft of  claim 7 , further including different foot holds—to accommodate different height riders.  
   
   
       10 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , further including a hull which has a “V” shaped bottom toward the front of the watercraft which tapers to a flatter bottom toward the back of the watercraft.  
   
   
       11 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , further including a hull with a pointed bow and substantially obtuse transom.  
   
   
       12 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , further including a sensing switch configured to sense the absence of a rider and provide an appropriate response.  
   
   
       13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , further including an aperture in the lower hull portion wherein the aperture is a bilge pump outlet.  
   
   
       15 - 16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded bolt and receiver combination also serves as a securing means for a front fairing which deflects water from the cockpit.  
   
   
       18 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1  wherein the fuel containment component is aluminum and includes a plurality of baffles.  
   
   
       19 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1  wherein the fuel containment component is mounted near the bow of the watercraft and said fuel containment component includes a fuel delivery conduit which passes through the top of said hull proximal to the bow.  
   
   
       20 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1  wherein the watercraft includes a rudder and said rudder is operable using a steering control.