Protective device for a boat and method of using same

Abstract

A protective device for a boat and a method of providing such a protective device which floats on a body of water are described, the protective device including a bottom portion which is arranged to be placed floatingly on or submergedly in the water underneath the hull of the boat, a top portion which is connected to the bottom portion, the top portion being constituted by a cloth-like material and being included at least as part of or being connected to a supporting device to be able to support at least a portion of the top portion in a distended position.

1 . A protective device for a boat which is floating in water, the protective device being made of a cloth-like material arranged to surround both the portion of the boat which is submerged in the water and the portion of the boat which is above a waterline, the protective device comprising:
 an elongate body comprising a top portion, a bottom portion connected to the top portion, and at least one closable opening, suitable for moving the boat into or out of the protective device,   the top portion comprising an inflatable supporting device that in an inflated state is arranged for keeping the top portion in a distended position independent of the boat at least when the closable opening is in a closed position, and that the bottom portion being arranged for enclosing a liquid within a lower portion of the protective device, said liquid providing ballast means for the protective device and also a liquid for carrying the boat within the protective device.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The protective device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable supporting device is constituted by one space which is defined by the top portion of the protective device and the surface of the liquid within the protective device. 
     
     
         5 . The protective device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable supporting device includes several elongated channels arranged in connection with the top portion. 
     
     
         6 . The protective device according to any one of claims  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable supporting device includes a double cloth which defines one or more chambers arranged to contain the gas. 
     
     
         7 . The protective device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable supporting device is inflated with air. 
     
     
         8 . The protective device according to  claim 4 , wherein the top portion is further provided with one or more mechanical supporting elements which are arranged to support at least a portion of the top portion in a distended position independently of the inflatable supporting device. 
     
     
         9 . The protective device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least one closable opening has, in its closed position, an inlet portion which is above the water. 
     
     
         10 . The protective device according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective device is further provided with a buoyancy means. 
     
     
         11 . The protective device according to  claim 10 , wherein the buoyancy means is formed by or is included at least as part of the supporting device which is above the water surface. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The protective device according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective device is provided with mooring openings, so that moorings of the boat may be passed through the openings substantially independently of the protective device. 
     
     
         14 . A method of providing a protective device for a boat on a water the protective device comprising an elongate body comprising a top portion, a bottom portion connected to the top portion, and at least one closable opening suitable for moving the boat into or out of the protective device, the method comprising: inflating an inflatable supporting device included in the top portion with air gas at overpressure in order thereby to support the top portion in a distended position independent of the boat and also providing a sufficient amount of liquid in the bottom portion to provide ballast to the protective device, the ballast being used for carrying the boat within the protective device. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , the method further comprising allowing air to leak through portions of the protective device while at the same time maintaining said overpressure by means of an air supplying means to providing ventilation of the air which is inside the protective device. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , the method further comprising connecting a fire retardant to the ventilation plant or operating the ventilation plant to evacuate air within the protective device upon the detection of smoke, heat or flames. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , the method further comprising placing a sensor arranged to detect changes in pressure inside the protective device. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , the method further comprising controlling the climate in the protective device by means of an air-conditioning plant. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , the method further comprising connecting a fire retardant to the air-conditioning plant or operating the air-conditioning plant to evacuate air within the protective device upon the detection of smoke, heat or flames. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 14 , the method further comprising supplying or replacing some or substantially all of the water in the bottom portion of the protective device with another liquid.