Wakesurfing boat and hull for a wakesurfing boat

Abstract

A wakesurfing boat includes a hull. A bottom of the hull defines a W-shape in cross-section, the W-shape including a central inverted V-shaped portion. A ballast system includes a plurality of sets of ballast tanks. The boat has a plurality of modes: a cruising mode with ballast tanks empty, a first portion of the bottom in contact with the water, a stern-down trim θ 1 ; a ballasted static mode with ballast tanks filled with ballast water, the hull displacing more water, a larger portion of the bottom in contact with the water, a bow-down trim θ 2 ; and a dynamic surfing mode with ballast tanks filled with ballast water, an intermediate portion of the bottom in contact with the water, and an intermediate trim θ 3 . A wake wave, generated in the dynamic surfing mode is larger than a wake wave generated in the cruising mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wakesurfing boat operable in a body of water, comprising:
 a hull comprising a bow, a stern, a port bulwark, a starboard bulwark, a bottom, a length L, and a beam B; and   a ballast system supported by the hull, the ballast system comprising a plurality of ballast tanks, configured to alternatively and selectively receive and discharge ballast water, in order to trim the hull, in one of a plurality of modes, including:   (i) a cruising mode, wherein the ballast tanks are substantially empty, the hull is moving through the body of water, the hull has at least a first weight, displacing at least a first amount of displaced water corresponding to the first weight, and a first portion of the hull bottom is in contact with the body of water;   (ii) a ballasted static mode, wherein the ballast tanks are filled or at least partially filled with ballast water, the hull is static in the body of water, the hull has at least a second weight greater than the first weight, displacing at least a second amount of displaced water corresponding to the second weight, the second amount of displaced water being greater than the first amount of displaced water, and a second portion of the hull bottom is in contact with the body of water, the second portion being greater than the first portion; and   (iii) a dynamic surfing mode, wherein the ballast tanks are filled or at least partially filled with ballast water, the hull is moving through the body of water, the hull has at least the second weight, displacing at least the second amount of displaced water, and a third portion of the hull bottom is in contact with the body of water, the third portion being intermediate the first portion and the second portion;   wherein in the cruising mode, the hull has a first trim θ 1  down by the stern;   wherein in the ballasted static mode, the hull has a second trim θ 2  down by the bow; and   wherein in the dynamic surfing mode, the hull has a third trim θ 3  intermediate the first trim and the second trim.   
     
     
         2 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom is configured as a central inverted V in cross-section, with the central inverted V commencing at the bow and extending to the stern. 
     
     
         3 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 2 , wherein the central inverted V defines a plurality of apex angles α 1  . . . α n  at preselected positions extending from the bow to the stern. 
     
     
         4 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 1 , wherein a length to beam ratio (L/B) of the hull is less than or equal to 3.0. 
     
     
         5 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 1 , wherein the ballast tanks comprise a plurality of sets of dual tanks, each of the ballast tanks of each set being positioned on the hull at generally symmetrical locations with respect to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 5 , wherein the sets of dual tanks are configured such that, when selected tanks are filled or at least partially filled with the ballast water in the dynamic surfing mode, the hull is trimmed with a plurality of trim angles θ 4  . . . θ n . 
     
     
         7 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 1 , wherein the hull bottom extends from the starboard bulwark to the port bulwark, and from the bow to the stern, the bottom in its entirety being configured as a W in cross-section, including port and starboard nadirs, and a central apex, wherein the central apex of the W defines a central inverted V, the central inverted V extending from the bow to the stern. 
     
     
         8 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 1 , wherein when the hull operates in the body of water in the cruising mode, it generates at least one wake W 1  having a first wake height W h1 . 
     
     
         9 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 8 , wherein when the hull operates in the body of water in the dynamic surfing mode, it generates at least one wake wave W 2  having a second wake wave height W h2  that is greater than the first wake height W h1 . 
     
     
         10 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 1 , wherein the hull is self-propelled. 
     
     
         11 . The wakesurfing boat of  claim 10 , further comprising a pair of inward-rotating propellers. 
     
     
         12 . A hull for a wakesurfing boat, comprising:
 a bow;   a stern;   port and starboard bulwarks;   a length L and a beam B;   a bottom extending from the bow to the stern, and from the port bulwark to the starboard bulwark, the bottom in its entirety being configured substantially as a W in cross-section, including port and starboard nadirs and a central apex, wherein the central apex defines a central inverted V portion extending from the bow to the stern, the central inverted V portion having an apex angle α changing at preselected positions between the bow and the stern; and   a trim and displacement altering system selectively altering a trim and an amount of water displaced by the hull, including a plurality of ballast tanks and ballast water, thereby providing the hull with a plurality of modes, including:   (i) a cruising mode, with the hull moving through the body of water, the ballast tanks substantially empty, displacing at least a first amount of displaced water, a first portion of the bottom being in contact with a body of water, and creating at least one first wake W 1  in the body of water, the first wake having a first wake height W h1 ;   (ii) a ballasted static mode, with the hull static in the body of water, the ballast tanks filled or at least partially filled with ballast water, displacing at least a second amount of displaced water greater than the first amount of displaced water, and having a second portion of the bottom in contact with the body of water, the second portion being greater than the first portion; and   (iii) a dynamic surfing mode, with the hull moving through the body of water, the ballast tanks filled or at least partially filled with ballast water, displacing at least the second amount of displaced water, a third portion of the bottom in contact with the body of water, the third portion being intermediate the first portion and the second portion; and creating at least one second wake wave W 2  in the body of water, the second wake wave having a second wave height W h2 .   wherein in the cruising mode, the hull has a first trim θ 1  down by the stern;   wherein in a ballasted static mode, the hull has a second trim θ 2  down by the bow; and   wherein in the dynamic surfing mode, the hull has a third trim θ 3  intermediate the first trim and the second trim.   
     
     
         13 . The hull of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of ballast tanks are configured to be, alternately and selectively, substantially empty of, filled with, or partially filled with, the ballast water. 
     
     
         14 . The hull of  claim 12 , wherein the hull is a planing hull. 
     
     
         15 . The hull of  claim 12 , wherein a length of the hull is in a range from approximately 20 feet to approximately 60 feet. 
     
     
         16 . The hull of  claim 15 , wherein the length of the hull is selected from the group consisting of 20 feet, 28 feet, 35 feet, 43 feet, and 60 feet. 
     
     
         17 . The hull of  claim 12 , further comprising a transom and a pair of inward-rotating propellers. 
     
     
         18 . The hull of  claim 12 , wherein the second wake wave height W h2  is greater than the first wake height W h1 . 
     
     
         19 . The hull of  claim 19 , wherein the second wake wave height W h2  is approximately 0.5 meters to approximately 2.7 meters. 
     
     
         20 . The hull of  claim 12 , wherein a length to beam ratio L/B is less than or equal to 3.0.