Biltmore pontoon boat

Abstract

A fiberglass pontoon boat, having raised and integrated fiberglass side rails, a flat floor, and a side entry level with the flat floor. Integrated seats are molded in fiberglass. The hull and deck join together by flexing the hull to compensate for opposing draft angles of the hull and deck at the side entry. The deck has a floor and at least one other interior component, and terminates in a deck trim flange. The hull has at least two hollow pontoons and at least two side rails that extend from an outer edge of the pontoons, and the hull terminates in a hull trim flange. When assembled, the hull trim flange operatively engages beneath the deck trim flange to form a unified pontoon boat having a space between the deck and hull and wherein the side rails are integrated as structural parts of the interior component.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A pontoon boat comprising two unitary structures wherein the structures comprise:
 a deck comprising a floor and at least one other interior component, where at least a portion of the deck terminates in a deck trim flange; and   a hull comprising at least two hollow pontoon portions and at least two side rails that extend from an outer edge of the pontoons sections, wherein at least a portion of the hull, including the two side rails, terminates in a hull trim flange,   such that when the deck and hull are assembled, the hull trim flange operatively engages beneath the deck trim flange to form a unified pontoon boat structure having a space between the deck and hull and wherein the side rail is further integrated as a structural part of the interior component.   
     
     
         2 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 1 , wherein the interior component is a seat and the side rail of the hull forms a structural back side of the seat when the boat is assembled. 
     
     
         3 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 2 , wherein the interior component is a helm station and the side rail of the hull forms at least one structural side of the helm station when the boat is assembled. 
     
     
         4 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 3 , further comprising a side entry comprising:
 two vertical trim surfaces formed within the deck that incorporate part of the floor of the deck between them to form a lowest part of the side entry and wherein the deck trim flange extends around the two vertical trim surfaces and the floor between them;   a cut-out in the hull that corresponds with the two vertical trim surfaces in the deck and the floor between them wherein the hull trim flange extends around the cut-out;   such that when the cut-out in the hull is aligned with the vertical trim surfaces, the hull trim flange around the cut-out will operatively engage beneath the deck trim flange around the vertical trim surface and the lowest part of the side entry, such that the floor will overlap the hull between the vertical trim surfaces.   
     
     
         5 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 4 , wherein the lowest part of the side entry is the widest part of the vertical trim surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 5 , wherein the interior component is a head compartment comprising:
 a section of the deck that extends from a top style line of the deck to the floor of the deck to form an enclosure and wherein the side rail also forms part of the enclosure; and   an opening within the deck section that allows access to the enclosure, as well as to the space formed between the deck and hull;   such that the head compartment incorporates the enclosed area formed by the deck as well as at least part of the space between the deck and the hull.   
     
     
         7 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 6 , wherein the space between the deck and the hull accessible through the head compartment enclosure includes the hollow pontoon. 
     
     
         8 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 7 , wherein the hollow pontoon is further utilized as a quarter berth. 
     
     
         9 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 8 , further comprising a head/berth pan within the head compartment and at least partially covering the interior of the hollow pontoon. 
     
     
         10 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 9 , wherein the head/berth pan covers the quarter berth section of the hollow pontoon space. 
     
     
         11 . A pontoon boat according to  claim 1 , wherein the hull further comprises a hinge point extending generally horizontally along the length of a side rail.