Powered kayak-like boat

Abstract

A motor driven personal watercraft, includes 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 interfacing upper portion and lower portion, wherein the interfacing upper and lower portions each include an interfacial area;   said upper portion includes:
 a recessed cockpit region configured to accommodate at least one of:
 a seat for a user; 
 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 provide controllable power for said personal watercraft; and
 at least one aperture; 
 
   said internal combustion engine includes:
 an engine block; 
 a compression chamber; 
 an ignition systern; 
 a fuel delivery systern; 
 an exhaust systern; and 
   said internal combustion engine having a height of less than about 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  claim 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 
 an 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 bottom which has a “V” shaped hull 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 a sensing switch configured to sense the absence of a rider and provide an appropriate response. 
   
   
       13 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , further including a primer bulb accessible by a user on the personal watercraft. 
   
   
       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 . The personal watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the top and lower portions each include a sealing component applied at least to the interfacial area of the top and lower portions. 
   
   
       16 . The personal watercraft of  claim 15 , wherein the upper portion is secured to the lower portion with a plurality of latches. 
   
   
       17 . The personal watercraft of  claim 15 , wherein the upper portion includes a front portion and said front portion includes 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, 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 a bow of the kayak and said fuel containment component includes a fuel delivery conduit which passes through said upper portion 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.