High performance human powered displacement boat including user articulating surface skimming outriggers (amaroas), and beaching, docking, heavy water capability

Abstract

A high performance human powered boat is disclosed which centers around an articulating aiko and hand-actuated skimming planning outriggers. While the craft is in the static mode, flotation from amavons (combination of traditional ama and elevons) supply static buoyancy; while in interim speeds, amavons skim or plane across the water surface, In optimum performance, small retractable and variably applied skimmers or sweepers (similar to sweep stroke in rowing) control the roll of the craft on an as-needed basis. All of the planning both intermediate and with sweepers is done with potentially less drag than with traditional aikos and displacement amas.

1 . A boat platform or package or system comprising
 a long slender displacement hull (Ka'ale) that buoyantly supports itself, the operator, and the gear   wherein very high speeds can be attained at very low drag,   wherein said hull may be so narrow as to not be stable on its own,   a seat and a pedal drive,   a steering means such as a rudder, tiller post, arm operatively connected to either extension rod or   remote cable, hydraulic hose   or the like leading to operators' hand, and hand control(s),   a system of aikos or cross support structure and, combination of amavons or integrated float and planing means to support and stabilize the hull, wherein there could be less drag from the planning functions of the amavon than with traditional amas (outriggers) due to the dynamic skimming creating lift as opposed to friction from constant surface area of traditional amas,   wherein said amavons are rotatively, pivotally connected to said aikos,   wherein said float/amavons each contain planing devices that when skimmed over the water surface at speed provide lift to stabilize the narrow hull, as well as adequate flotation to support hull when craft is not moving   
     
     
         2 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  wherein said planing means include stepped surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The boat platform, package of  1  wherein there is an actuated planing device of appropriate proportions for the particular speed range that can be applied heavily, lightly, or completely retraced on an as-needed basis. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 3  wherein the planing means gets actuated by pulling back on lever with handgrip, and rotative torque gets transferred through an outer pivoting sleeve to a small and/or adjustable planing device in order to apply righting force to the boat. 
     
     
         5 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 2  wherein said amavons planing surfaces are multiple stepped, and ideally shaped for planing and ideally sized for appropriate range of their speed. 
     
     
         6 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  wherein it is idealy suited for human power. 
     
     
         7 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  wherein it is ideally suited for pedal power. 
     
     
         8 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  wherein it is ideally suited for recumbent cyclists. 
     
     
         9 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  wherein it is ideally suited for upright cyclists. 
     
     
         10 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  wherein it is ideally suited for multiple riders. 
     
     
         11 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  wherein superstructure essentially including seat, aiko structure, pivoting amavons and the like, is connected to hull with a substantially horizontal hinge on one side, locking means on the other allowing hull to be rotated out sideways and wherein an otherwise deep draught propeller, drive, and the like can be side-retracted and wherein propeller and drive can be cleared of weeds, and boat can be beached and/or or operated or secondarily operated in shallow water. 
     
     
         12 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 4  wherein the pivot axis of the outer pivoting sleeve while aiming through the center of lift of said planing devices contains live-rotating outer aiko structure extending upward, then out to amavons, then down again to amavon connection points (as is seen in traditional aikos) wherein pivoting aiko structure as well as pivoting axis and support of pivoting sleeve is clear of the water and moderate wave, especially in low speeds while craft is tilted most. 
     
     
         13 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 12  wherein rotating sleeve support and axis is particularly high at the base/trunk and wherein axis can be aimed downward from inboard to outboard as easily as having it remain horizontal, and wherein the particularly high axis and rotating sleeve support will allow for large waves to pass beneath and/or break moderately through sleeve and axis. 
     
     
         14 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 12  wherein rotating axis is maintained through a crooked up arch-shaped framing means that contains bearing means at base pivot, extends upward, then down again from inboard to outboard to contain second pivot bearing means and wherein rotating sleeve of  claim 12  is an arched frame with inner and outer bearing mount hoops, split if need be, and wherein the same general outer aiko structure as in  claim 12  continues outboard from this assembly and wherein this assembly has non-material axis and wherein it is porous and will allow for large breaking waves to wash or ventilate through the assembly as opposed to hitting against substantial part of it. 
     
     
         15 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  that consists of an essentially long and projecting wide craft that is shaped like a plus sign in plan view and wherein there is a vertical hinge in the aiko structure, such structure being fixed in place while craft is in operation, but can be folded back so the craft is shaped like a T in plan view, and wherein the operator can pull up along side a dock and easily enter and exit the craft from and to the dock. 
     
     
         16 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  wherein the boat is split and parted into two main sections, top and bottom, with a third section parted as a “drop-in” insert for the bow wherein a proven faster performing however severely negative draft double-part bow-form with optional ski above can be made in to a single final hull part by coming in from four directions, none of which have any negative draft. 
     
     
         17 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 16  wherein there can be options and ranges of forms, especially with the bow insert ranging from an “open bird's mouth” with a slight strut or foil at the leading edge to a solid insert with a depression on either side, and a range from a large ski to no ski molded at top. 
     
     
         18 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 5 , except wherein the planing surfaces are the undersides of foils that when crashing through waves, the foils would penetrate the water instead of slap against it, wherein incoming waves would ventilate through as opposed to slapping lerge surfaces, and wherein the amavons would give up lifting forces gradually instead of abruptly when the hull is in a trough of a wave in a hogging condition, but would also contain adequate amounts of buoyancy to perform their function at static mode, and wherein hydrofoils would provide hydrofoil lift in transitional speed ranges. 
     
     
         19 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 18 , except that amavon is even more porous yet wherein the sides of the amavon constituting a hydrofoil strut are vented or multiply vented wherein all the functions mentioned in  claim 18  would still hold, and additionally, side-incoming waves could be ventilated instead of crashing or slapping against side of amavon. 
     
     
         20 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 12  wherein the outer aiko structure is large air lifting airfoils wherein actuation of hand grip orients lift from air before actuation of smaller planning devices, wherein air influenced righting moments will have even less drag than water influenced ones, and wherein the large volume lightweight forms will provide for additional buoyancy resources. 
     
     
         21 . The boat platform, package or system of  claim 1  wherein the amavon is shaped like a traditional ama and functions for mid speed range lift by displacement means and has a the higher performance planning device or sweeper integrated into it that planes in high performance mode