Watercraft with wave deflecting hull

Abstract

The invention is directed to a watercraft hull design that comprises a hull having a bow, stern, top, and bottom. A wedge-shaped wave spreading system is located at a forward portion of the craft. The wave-contacting surface planes of the wave spreading system are positioned substantially perpendicular to the plane of smooth water. The bottom edge of the wave spreading system is positioned near the level of smooth water when the watercraft is at cruising speed. The wave spreading system has a forward apex which forms a substantially perpendicular or vertical leading wedge to the plane of water. Since the apex and planes of the wave spreader are substantially perpendicular to the water, oncoming waves encountered by the wave spreader will tend to be deflected horizontally. Accordingly, the watercraft will more easily “cut through” waves instead of riding over them. Located rearwardly of the wave spreader, an internal hull prow is spaced from the wave spreading system, creating an air space therebetween. The air space extends from the rearward surface of the wave spreader to the front of internal hull prow, creating a buffer zone or dampening space to further minimize any wave action not detected by the spreading system.

1 . A watercraft comprising:
 a hull having a bow, a stern, a port side, and a starboard side,   the hull having two outer hull portions and a center hull portion, having a volume of space therebetween, wherein each hull portion is formed with a bottommost portion formed as a substantially flat ski type surface,   the outer and center hull portions having a front portion comprising a wedge shaped structure forming a forward apex and two side walls extending rearwardly from the apex; and   wherein waves impinging upon the front portion of each hull portion are spread laterally away from the watercraft and into the volume of space between the outer hull portions; and   wherein the volume of space is at least as great as the volume of laterally spread waves.   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising wave slicing structures extending from a bottom of the front portion of said substantially flat ski type surface of the hull portions, said wave slicing structure comprising a substantially triangular shaped structure having a forward apex and two transitioning side walls extending rearwardly from the apex comprise a leading edge substantially perpendicular to said substantially flat ski surface with the sides transitioning to a substantially horizontal position adjacent to said substantially flat ski type surface. 
     
     
         3 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the separate wave spreading structure is formed as a wedge shaped structure having a front apex and sidewalls extending rearwardly from the apex. 
     
     
         4 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hull portions each have a substantially flat ski type bottom surface that extends to the front of the hull portion. 
     
     
         5 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a wave slicing structure extending from a front portion of the substantially flat ski type bottom surface of each hull portion. 
     
     
         6 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the wave slicing structure associated with each hull portion comprises a substantially triangular shaped structure having a forward apex and two transitioning sidewalls extending rearwardly from the apex, wherein said wave slicing structure generates a vortex with a water surface. 
     
     
         7 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the center hull portion has a length which is approximately 5 to 25% greater than the outer hull lengths. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the volume of laterally spread waves is channeled through the volume of space between the hull portions, the volume of space providing a relief zone between hull portions at the stern of the watercraft. 
     
     
         9 . A watercraft comprising:
 a hull having a bow, a stern, a port side, and a starboard side   the hull having two outer hull portions and a center hull portion positioned between the outer hull portions, the hull further having a volume of space between each of the two outer hull portions and the center hull portion,   wherein the hull portions are formed with a bottommost portion formed as a substantially flat ski type surface, and having a wave spreading structure including a front portion comprising a wedge shaped structure from a forward apex and two side walls extending rearwardly from the apex; and   wave slicing structures extending from a bottom of the front portion of said substantially flat ski type surface of the hull portions, said wave slicing structures comprising a substantially triangular shaped structure having a forward apex and two transitioning side walls extending rearwardly from the apex.   
     
     
         10 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the wave slicing structure associated with the each hull portion generates a vortex with a water surface. 
     
     
         11 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the center hull portion has a length which is approximately 5 to 25% greater than the outer hull lengths. 
     
     
         12 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the center hull portion includes a separate wave spreading structure with an internal prow spaced from the wave spreading structure, the internal prow positioned at approximately 50 to 90% of the length of the hull extending from the stern. 
     
     
         13 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the wave spreading structure associated with the center hull portion forms a cavity in front of the internal prow. 
     
     
         14 . The watercraft as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the volume of waves impinging upon the front portion of the outer hull portions is spread laterally away from the watercraft and into the volumes of space between the outer hull portions and the center hull portion and the volume of waves impinging upon the front portion of the center hull portion is spread approximately equally into each of the volumes of spaces;
 wherein the volumes of space are at least as great as the volume of laterally spread waves.   
     
     
         15 . A monolithic watercraft hull comprising a hull having a bow, a stern, a port side, a starboard side, and a bottom; with at least two outer hull portions at the port and starboard sides, the at least two outer hull portions having a substantially flat ski type bottommost surface, and a wave spreading structure disposed at the forward ends, the wave spreading structure comprising a wedge shaped structure having a forward apex and two side walls extending rearwardly from the apex, wherein the side walls are positioned with a lower edge disposed just above the smooth water level when the craft is in operation, and the forward apex being a substantially vertically oriented wedge surface with the height of the forward apex extending out of flat water to a height above any expected waves so as to deflect oncoming waves away from the wave spreading structures and the hull portions disposed rearwardly thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The watercraft hull as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising at least one center hull portion having a substantially flat ski type bottommost surface, and a wave spreading structure positioned at the forward end. 
     
     
         17 . The watercraft hull as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the center hull portion includes a separate wave spreading structure with an air space is formed between the wave spreading structure and the front surface of the hull portion intermediate the bow and stern. 
     
     
         18 . The watercraft hull as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the wave spreading structure of the center hull portion extends forwardly of the wave spreading structure of the outer hull portions. 
     
     
         19 . The watercraft hull as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising wave slicing structures extending from the bottom of the front portion of said substantially flat ski type surface of each hull portion. 
     
     
         20 . The watercraft hull as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the wave slicing structures comprise a leading edge substantially perpendicular to said flat ski type surface with sides that transition to a substantially horizontal position adjacent to said substantially flat ski type surface.