Jet propulsion boat

Abstract

A jet propulsion boat includes a boat body, a handle bar, an engine, a jet propulsion mechanism, a reverse gate, and a shift operating device. The handle bar is attached to the boat body. The handle bar extends in a width direction of the boat body. The engine is housed in the boat body. The jet propulsion mechanism is configured to generate a propulsion power from a drive power of the engine. The reverse gate is located rearward of the jet propulsion mechanism. The reverse gate is configured to move so as to change a direction of a jet flow from the jet propulsion mechanism. The shift operating device is rotatably attached to the handle bar about a shaft center parallel or substantially parallel to a center line of the handle bar. The shift operating device is configured to rotate so as to switch a position of the reverse gate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A jet propulsion boat comprising:
 a boat body;   a handle bar attached to the boat body, the handle bar extending in a width direction of the boat body;   an engine housed in the boat body;   a jet propulsion mechanism configured to generate a propulsion power from a drive power of the engine;   a reverse gate located rearward of the jet propulsion mechanism, the reverse gate configured to move so as to change a direction of a jet flow from the jet propulsion mechanism; and   a shift operating device rotatably attached to the handle bar about a shaft center parallel or substantially parallel to a center line of the handle bar, the shift operating device being configured to rotate so as to switch a position of the reverse gate.   
     
     
         2 . The jet propulsion boat according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaft center of the shift operating device is congruent with the center line of the handle bar. 
     
     
         3 . The jet propulsion boat according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle bar includes a grip arranged at an end portion thereof in the width direction of the boat body, and the shift operating device is arranged toward an inner side of the boat body relative to the grip. 
     
     
         4 . The jet propulsion boat according to  claim 1 , wherein the reverse gate is configured to move to a forward movement position that directs a jet flow from the jet propulsion mechanism rearward, a reverse movement position that directs the jet flow from the jet propulsion mechanism forward, and a neutral position that directs the jet flow from the jet propulsion mechanism so as to keep the boat body from moving in a front-back direction; and
 the shift operating device is configured to rotate to a forward movement shift position corresponding to the forward movement position of the reverse gate, a reverse movement shift position corresponding to the reverse movement position of the reverse gate, and a neutral shift position corresponding to the neutral position of the reverse gate.   
     
     
         5 . The jet propulsion boat according to  claim 4 , further comprising a biasing member that biases the shift operating device back to the neutral shift position when the shift operating device is positioned in the forward movement shift position or in the reverse movement shift position. 
     
     
         6 . The jet propulsion boat according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a reverse gate drive mechanism configured to move the reverse gate; and   a reverse gate control unit programmed to control the reverse gate drive mechanism in response to an operation of the shift operating device.   
     
     
         7 . The jet propulsion boat according to  claim 6 , wherein the reverse gate control unit is programmed to control the reverse gate drive mechanism so as to keep the reverse gate in the forward movement position when the shift operating device is returned from the forward movement shift position to the neutral shift position by the biasing member. 
     
     
         8 . The jet propulsion boat according to  claim 6 , wherein the reverse gate control unit is programmed to control the reverse gate drive mechanism so as to switch the reverse gate from the reverse movement position to the neutral position when the shift operating device is returned from the reverse movement shift position to the neutral shift position by the biasing member. 
     
     
         9 . The jet propulsion boat according to  claim 1 , further comprising a resisting member configured to provide a resistance force to resist rotation of the shift operating device when a velocity of the boat body is more than a predetermined value and when a number of rotations of the engine is more than a predetermined value.